A Landmark Conservation Purchase in Napa County, California

January 25, 2006

Californians received a special gift this past December with the protection of Napa Ranch, the largest conservation purchase in the history of Napa County. In December 2005, The Nature Conservancy joined forces with five public and private organizations to protect the rolling hills and expansive meadows of this stunning 12,575-acre property.

Napa Ranch is now part of an existing network of public lands that support a critical wildlife corridor for animals like bears, mountain lions, and golden and bald eagles. The property also contains some of the state’s most biologically important habitats, including oak woodlands and serpentine chaparral—two highly threatened vegetation types in California. With the population in Napa County expected to increase 33 percent by 2020, habitat in Napa and the surrounding area is at particular risk.

"The protection of Napa Ranch is a big step in our effort to protect the region's natural treasures and its way of life before it's too late," says Ray Krauss of the Blue-Ridge Berryessa Natural Area Conservation Partnership, the leading organization in efforts to save Napa Ranch.

Napa Ranch falls within a 750,000-acre corridor of still-undeveloped land called the Blue-Ridge Berryessa Natural Area, which spans the inner coast range across Napa, Yolo, Lake and Colusa Counties. Krauss’ organization is promoting the protection of this expansive landscape by encouraging collaboration among public, private and nonprofit organizations.

To protect Napa Ranch, The Blue-Ridge Berryessa Natural Area Conservation Partnership enlisted funding and assistance from the Wildlife Conservation Board, the Land Trust of Napa County, the California Department of Fish and Game, the California Coastal Conservancy and The Nature Conservancy. On Thursday, December 15th the Wildlife Conservation Board purchased Napa Ranch for $12.5 million.

"This is the future of conservation in California," says George Yandell, North Coast project director for The Nature Conservancy. "The Blue-Ridge Berryessa Natural Area Conservation Partnership has combined a strong vision with a team of forward-looking partners to protect one of our state's most important natural areas. It's a great example of what we can accomplish by working together."

Napa Ranch will become part of the California Department of Fish and Game’s Knoxville Wildlife Area, adding to a network of regional open space areas offering hiking, camping, fishing, and other wildlife-compatible recreational opportunities. The Nature Conservancy and the Blue-Ridge Berryessa Natural Area Conservation Partnership will work with the Department of Fish and Game to create a management plan for the landscape.

For More Information:

• Where We Work: The Nature Conservancy in California
  Over the last 45 years, the Conservancy has protected more than a million acres of California’s most vital landscapes.
• Places We Protect: Napa County, California
  Perhaps best known as one of the premier wine-growing regions in the world, Napa County is an exquisite landscape of mountains and valleys. While 80% of the county is in natural habitats, less than 20% of that has been set aside for conservation purposes.
• Press Release: Conservation partners protect 12,575-acre ranch in Napa County
  Public-private partnership takes critical step toward preserving open space and completing wildlife-compatible recreational area in popular Napa region.
• Our Partner: Blue Ridge Berryessa Natural Area Conservation Partnership (BRBNACP)
  The Blue Ridge Berryessa Natural Area Conservation Partnership promotes the conservation and enhancement of the expansive landscape that comprises the BRBNA by encouraging the sensitive management of its natural, agricultural, recreational, archeological and historical resources.
• How You Can Help: Donate Online to Support Our Efforts
  Your online donation helps us to protect Napa County and other great places in California.
• Archive of our Saves of the Week and Success Stories
  Read more about The Nature Conservancy's work to save the last great places on Earth.