How will the story end?
A letter from Executive Director Jeff Darlington with urgent news about saving this last wild place in Rocklin
Dear friends and supporters of Placer Land Trust,
I’m writing to you today to share an important update on the fight to save Clover Valley. Located in Rocklin, Clover Valley is one of the last remaining intact sections of oak woodlands in western Placer County. This valley is home to a wide variety of ecosystems, wildlife habitat, and historic Native American sites. In one area of the valley, beavers have created a 20-acre wetland along Clover Valley Creek that is now home to a rare and threatened bird species, the California black rail. A stone’s throw away, you can see where Native Americans lived in harmony with nature for thousands of years. Nature tells an amazing story in Clover Valley, and its why Placer Land Trust is working so hard to protect it.
For many decades now, Clover Valley has been under intense pressure from development. Community members have rallied together to hold off the construction of subdivisions, roads, and highways that would destroy this last wild place.
But now, the deadline is rapidly approaching to save Clover Valley — or we risk losing this beautiful, biodiverse place forever.
Clover Valley is home to diverse wildlife, including the California black rail, listed as a California State Threatened Species. Photo by Phil Robertson
I want to share the story of Placer Land Trust’s recent work to save Clover Valley, and at the end of this email there are three ways you can help in this critical time.
Rocklin-based Jessup University created an opportunity to save Clover Valley through their discussions with the landowner over the past five years. In 2022, Jessup signed a purchase and sale agreement with the landowner to purchase and protect 402 acres in the valley at a discounted price of $10M. Jessup chose to partner with Placer Land Trust to get our help with fundraising and to ultimately hold a conservation easement on the property to guarantee its permanent protection.
In partnership with Jessup, in late 2022, Placer Land Trust secured $2.25M in grant funds from Placer County, the City of Lincoln, and the private Emigrant Trails Greenway Trust to be used as the down payment for Jessup to purchase the Clover Valley property. Jessup borrowed the remainder from the seller.
This loan plus interest, totaling $8.1M, is due be paid to the seller by the end of this year, December 31, 2024, in order for Jessup to own the property free-and-clear and for Placer Land Trust to protect the property with a conservation easement.
If the loan is not paid to the seller by the end of the year, then the property reverts back to the seller, who will be free to develop the property pursuant to an approved development agreement with the City of Rocklin.
Jessup has pursued extensive fundraising efforts with corporations and other entities. Unfortunately these efforts haven’t yet yielded results. And Placer Land Trust’s grant seeking efforts over the past two years have been largely thwarted by the State budget deficit, which effectively dried up public conservation funding. We learned recently that the State has decided not to fund this project, citing primarily its high per-acre cost.
We also learned recently that the seller has decided not to extend the deadline for the final payment, which I’d hoped would give us more time to raise the funds.
Clover Valley: Oak woodlands today, subdivisions tomorrow? Photo by Doug Brewer
We don’t have much time left… but there’s still hope for Clover Valley!
With only two weeks to go, the time for strategizing and negotiating is over, and the time for our final funding push is here. We need to complete the fundraising in the coming week or two in order to pay off the seller’s loan and protect Clover Valley.
We haven’t given up yet, and here’s a big reason why…
I’m very pleased to report that just last week Placer Land Trust secured an additional $3M in private funding for Clover Valley! We are very grateful for this generosity, and we hope it will spur our efforts to complete the project.
If we don’t raise the final $5.1M now and complete the purchase by 12/31/24, the consequences are heartbreaking. The existing development agreement will allow for subdivision of Clover Valley into lots for approximately 150 houses on the 402-acre property, with several hundred more houses on the ridgetops. Roads and utilities would crisscross the valley, forever damaging the wildlife habitat and water quality benefits it currently provides. And this extraordinary place will be lost forever.
This is a critical moment for Clover Valley’s future.
This project has faced long odds from the beginning due to the high pricetag, but I’m proud that Placer Land Trust stepped up to the challenge to work with Jessup University and others to try to save Clover Valley, even if we faced significant obstacles. The reality of land conservation is that we don’t always succeed, but whatever happens, Placer Land Trust remains committed for the long haul to defend our precious natural lands and community treasures. Clover Valley is worth our effort!
If we can raise $5.1M now to repay the loan and secure the property by December 31, then Placer Land Trust can protect it with a perpetual, permanent conservation easement.
With the support of community members like you, together we can ALL make a difference in protecting Placer County’s special places. I have hope that, together, we can still write a happy ending for the story of Clover Valley!
What can you do to help in the next two weeks?
1. If you or someone you know can make a substantial contribution to our fundraising need, now is the time! In addition to monetary donations, we offer tax-smart options to make it easier for you to make a bigger impact. And on Placer Land Trust’s behalf please reach out to any friends, family, businesses or foundations you know who might benefit from a large tax deduction this year by donating to Placer Land Trust.
2. If you are a resident or business owner in the City of Rocklin, please contact the City Council to tell them saving Clover Valley is important to you! Find contact info and a sample script at the link below.
3. Please contact your State and federal representatives to tell them how important saving Clover Valley is to you! Find contact info and a sample script at the link below.
Thank you for your support of Placer Land Trust, and of Clover Valley — it means the world to me and to our beautiful corner of the earth!
Sincerely,
