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Iconic Mt Toro Vista Protected

Dorrance Family and Conservation Groups Keep Prized Ridgeline in Ranching and Free of Development

Monterey, CA — March 11, 2008 — The Nature Conservancy and a well-known Monterey County ranching family have protected Dorrance Ranch, a spectacular 4,300 acre property located on Mt. Toro’s northern ridge. Working closely with the Dorrances, The Nature Conservancy purchased a conservation easement on the ranch to protect it from development, regardless of future ownership, and to ensure that the family’s legacy is preserved for generations to come. Rising up from what John Steinbeck characterized as “The Pastures of Heaven,” Dorrance Ranch is a key part of Monterey’s ranching heritage and one of the County’s most familiar vistas.
 
“By employing sustainable ranching techniques over the years, and now ensuring that their property is protected for the long-term, The Dorrances have shown tremendous leadership,” said Christina Fischer, Monterey area project director for The Nature Conservancy.  “This is a wonderful example of how conservation and ranching can work together to help both human and natural communities thrive.”

The Dorrance family is deeply-rooted in ranching. They first settled the property in the 1940’s and are considered pioneers for being early adopters of Holistic Management™, an approach to managing land resources in a way that builds biodiversity, improves grazing production and generates financial strength for the farmer or rancher. The conservation easement, a legal agreement that runs with the land, builds on the Dorrances’ excellent stewardship of the property.  The family will continue to own and operate the ranch as it has for three generations.

“Ranching can be a tough business, but we couldn’t bear seeing our land sold and developed. It became clear that a conservation easement would keep the ranch in the family and preserve the landscape we’ve worked so hard to protect,” said Steve Dorrance, one of three brothers who own the property. Steve’s son Drew, adds, “This ranch is a part of me--partnering with organizations that share our same core values helps us preserve this beautiful land and will give me and future generations an opportunity to carry on the family legacy.”

The Nature Conservancy paid six million dollars for the conservation easement, nearly a million less than its appraised value. The funding was provided by the Wildlife Conservation Board, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, The Big Sur Land Trust and private donations to the Nature Conservancy. The difference between the appraised value and the purchase price represents a charitable gift by the landowners.

“The Dorrances are a truly remarkable family and we are honored to work with them and The Nature Conservancy to help them realize their dream to conserve and care for their land as an enduring family legacy,” said Bill Leahy, Executive Director of The Big Sur Land Trust. “At a time when the economies of land use are driving many families from ranching, I believe that we all share a sense of despair each time there is another loss of connection to the land. The Dorrance family’s story is an inspiration for all of us who share their deep abiding love for the land and a long-standing desire to sustain their place on it. We hope that the action the Dorrance family has taken to place this stunning landscape in conservation easement will serve as a hopeful path for others investing in conserving and stewarding working ranchlands elsewhere in Monterey County.”

Some of the best wildlife habitat in California is found on privately owned lands, and ranchers are considered natural partners for conservation. “Grazing on rangelands plays an important role in managing healthy ecosystems by decreasing fire hazards and keeping non-native plants in check. Easements keep land in private ownership, helping families stay in ranching and support the community as a source of local food and jobs,” added Fischer.

John Donnelly, Executive Director of the State of California’s Wildlife Conservation Board, also praised the project, "Promoting the value and beauty of open space by maintaining working ranches is an important goal of the Rangeland, Grazing Land & Grassland program.  The Wildlife Conservation Board appreciates the opportunity to partner with The Nature Conservancy and the Dorrance family in conserving this property that contains such incredible views of the Monterey Peninsula and Salinas Valley."

Dorrance Ranch and the surrounding lands are important to the health of the Monterey Bay Area, serving as the headwaters for streams in both Carmel and Salinas watersheds. Its oak savannahs, ponds and grasslands provide habitat for an array of native animals including the golden eagle, California red-legged frog, California tiger salamander, burrowing owl and California condor. The Ranch forms a natural barrier between new development and the area’s biologically-rich rangelands and is also an important ecological stepping-stone within Monterey County’s network of protected lands—allowing plant and animal species to move and adapt to new threats such as climate change.

“The Monterey Bay is recognized by residents and visitors alike as a globally unique and exceptional natural resource-—a jewel of the County.  Few realize, however, that the health of the Bay is inextricably linked to the health of the lands that surround it,” added Robin Cox, acting director of science for The Nature Conservancy’s California chapter. “In terms of watershed health, clean water, clean air and other ‘ecosystem services’, individual decisions to protect private lands like the Dorrance Ranch benefit us all.”

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.