Palo Corona Ranch

The Nature Conservancy and the Big Sur Land Trust announced in May 2002 the joint acquisition of the Palo Corona Ranch in Monterey County, California. The property, sometimes called “the gateway to Big Sur,” extends southward from Carmel to the Los Padres National Forest. Along with its native plants and wildlife, the Palo Corona Ranch’s strategic location made it a prime target for conservation groups. The ranch links up 13 other ecologically important properties that have already been protected, including Point Lobos State Reserve, Carmel River State Beach, the Ventana Wilderness, and several additional properties.

Strategic Importance

• Preservation Impact: Palo Corona Ranch will serve as a connector to 13 other properties in the area.  Biologists prefer connecting protected areas so that animals can migrate between them. The result will be a quantum leap in the protection of vital wildlife corridors.
• Ecological Significance: This region is a prime spot for redwood and Monterey pine forests, as well as a wide range of threatened animal species.
• Partners: The Conservancy acquired the Palo Corona Ranch in partnership with The Big Sur Land Trust, a Carmel, California-based nonprofit organization that has protected more than 30,000 acres of Monterey County landscape since 1979.
• Plans: We will conduct a comprehensive biological study of the ranch’s natural features before deciding on its ultimate disposition. It is likely that at least part of the ranch will have public access for recreation. Commitments of funds from the state government and the Monterey Regional Parks District will enable the Conservancy and The Big Sur Land Trust to repay the interim loans they took out for the purchase. The two non-profits will raise public and private funds for an endowment to cover the costs of managing these lands.

Palo Corona Ranch Facts

• Size: 9,898 acres (ten miles long)
• Elevation: From near sea level to over 3,000 feet
• Location: Monterey County, California
• Species: Redwood and Monterey pine forests, mountain lions, golden eagles and other raptors, steelhead trout, Western pond turtles, California red-legged frogs, California tiger salamanders, ring-tailed cats, migratory songbirds

Learn More:

• About the Palo Corona Ranch acquisition
• About The Nature Conservancy’s work in California
• About the Conservancy’s conservation strategy
• About The Big Sur Land Trust
About The Nature Conservancy's success stories worldwide
About how The Nature Conservancy works to achieve conservation results