Our History
The 1980s brought explosive growth and development to Placer County. The real estate market and business climate was soaring. A group of people close to the development process were concerned that development without guidance would lead to the eventual loss of what made the area special. That concern brought this group of like-minded people together in the living room of a Roseville home where they hatched a plan to protect the natural wonders that might be lost to unguided growth and development.
From that initial discussion emerged the Placer Land Trust and Nature Center in 1991. In 2002, we split into two separate nonprofit organizations so that each could focus on their mission. Since that time, Placer Land Trust has evolved into the premiere non-profit organization protecting Placer County’s wide open wonders, natural playgrounds, and the quality of life enjoyed by so many in the region.
Timeline
1991-1999
Placer Land Trust and Nature Center was born in 1991. Utilizing only volunteers, we protected the first four preserves, totaling 78 acres.
2000-2002
To better serve the missions of both organizations, Placer Land Trust and Placer Nature Center were split into two nonprofits. Placer Land Trust hired our first staff member, Jeff Darlington, in 2002.
2003-2004
Now strictly focused on land conservation, and with help from new conservation partners (such as Placer Legacy and the Sierra Business Council), Placer Land Trust completed five projects in just two years, bringing the total number of permanently protected acres to 354.
2005-2006
Placer Land Trust was selected to administer a vernal pool grassland conservation effort in West Roseville, and we hired our second staff member. In a short period of time, Placer Land Trust protected five more preserves, bringing the total to over 2,500 acres.
2007-2008
Placer Land Trust leveraged private mitigation funds and public grants to protect 1,792 acres of oak woodlands in the Bear River and Racoon Creek watersheds. We also became the first land trust in the Sierra Nevada region to earn national accreditation by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission.
2009-2010
Placer Land Trust conducted a capital campaign, raising $10 million to protect our largest preserve, Harvego Bear River Preserve (1,778 acres). We also completed our first mitigation project, Big Gun Preserve, protecting the largest population of endangered California red-legged frogs in the state.
2011-2012
With total acreage now at 7,171, Placer Land Trust focused on building critical relationships with AmeriCorps NCCC, US Fish & Wildlife Service, local Fire Safe Councils and REI, to name a few.
2013-2016
With 8 staff members, we conducted a successful Trails & Recreation Capital Campaign, raising over $790,000 to build 20 miles of new trails. Placer Land Trust made a name for ourself by outperforming all expectations in the regional online giving event, the BIG Day of Giving (three years in a row now). And we celebrated our 25thanniversary in 2016!
2017-2019
2017 was one of our most successful years yet with 7 different conservation projects and over 1,250 acres protected. All but one were PG&E projects, and protected lakes and reservoirs where the community can recreate. In 2018, we completed the 5thand final phase of permanently protecting the entire Oest Ranch—a project nearly 10 years in the making. By 2019, our team has grown to 10 staff, and we’ve protected nearly 11,000 acres.
2020-2023
Our work continued through the pandemic, and we found creative ways to keep our community engaged in our mission even when we couldn’t gather in person. In 2021, we marked our 30th anniversary with a new logo, strategic plan, and office in downtown Auburn. We also set an ambitious goal of doubling our protected acreage to reach 25,000 by 2030.
2022 was record-breaking, as we protected our highest-ever acreage in a single year. It also saw our first Land Back project as we partnered with the Colfax-Todds Valley Consolidated Tribe to transfer ownership of the Yo’ Dok’im Pakan – Gerjuoy North Fork Preserve to the Tribe. And 2023 sees us on track to break more records, with many exciting projects in progress!