Conservation Easements To Keep Ranches Working
Goal
Improve the opportunity for mitigation conservation easements to support working rangeland sustainability on the Central Coast.
Description
The use of mitigation easements on both private and public land has dramatically increased on rangeland sites throughout California. The goal of this meeting will be to improve understanding of the opportunities and challenges that conservation easements provide in conserving working rangelands on California’s Central Coast rangelands -- from the perspectives of ranchers, agencies, and other rangeland owners. We will consider current conservation threats, types of conservation easements, the effectiveness of easements across generations, landowner and rancher opportunities to participate in mitigation easements and easement monitoring and management.
Objectives
- Identify and understand the threats to sustaining working rangelands on the Central Coast and the conservation values associated with these lands.
- Improve the understanding of the role of various types of conservation easements in sustaining working rangelands, with a focus on mitigation easements.
- Provide information to ranchers, landowners, consultants and land trusts to work towards improved mitigation policy, creation of easements and planning for sustaining working rangelands.
- Foster productive discussion of these topics.
Meeting Format
This workshop will consist of indoor lectures and a panel discussion in the morning and an afternoon field excursion to sites featuring conservation easements. Participants will carpool between the morning session and the afternoon field site. There will also be small group discussions interspersed throughout the day to give participants an opportunity to share their expertise and learn from the diverse experiences of other meeting participants.
Instructor Information
| Lina Aoyama MS Range Student University of California, Berkeley |
Sheila Barry Livestock and Natural Resource Extension Advisor UC Cooperative Extension |
| Robin Dakin Biologist San Francisco Public Utilities Commission |
Michael Delbar Chief Operating Officer California Rangeland Trust |
| Dr. Larry Ford Principal LD Ford Rangeland Conservation Science |
Janice Gan Environmental Scientist California Department of Fish and Wildlife |
| Erik Gantenbein Preserve Manager Center for Natural Lands Management |
Reid Johnsen Doctoral Candidate UC Berkeley |
| Mr. Tim Koopman SFPUC Area Land Manager and local rancher San Francisco Public Utilities Commission |
Darrel Sweet Rancher Sweet Ranches |
| Matt Wacker Senior Associate H.T. Harvey & Associates |
Contact
Grant Lyon
grant@elkhornslough.org
831-288-5404
Sponsors
UC Cooperative ExtensionDocuments & Publications
Workshop Materials
| Document | Author/Source |
| Conservation Easements Agenda | Sheila Barry CCRC February 2018 |
| Conservation Easement Glossary | Sheila Barry Central Coast Rangelands Coalition April 2018 |
| In Perpetuity: Long Term Views of Conservation Easements and Payment Structure | Reid Johnsen Central Coast Rangeland Coalition April 2018 |
| Monitoring Checklist | Sheila Barry Central Coast Rangelands Coalition April 2018 |
| Monitoring Summary | Sheila Barry Central Coast Rangelands Coalition April 2018 |
| Perceived Barriers and Opportunities for Conservation on Central Coast California Rangelands | Lina Aoyama Central Coast Rangeland Coalition April 2018 |
Other Information
| Document | Author/Source |
| Conservation Easement Monitoring, Enforcement, and Defense Policy | Center for Natural Lands Management March 2014 |
| Wetland and Stream Mitigation A Handbook for Land Trusts | The Environmental Law Institute & Land Trust Alliance Land Trust Alliance September 2012 |