None The Nature Conservancy in California Press Releases Search All Press Releases Misty Herrin Phone: (213) 327-0405 E-mail: mherrin@tnc.org

Nature Conservancy Nears 4,000-Acre Goal in Ramona Grasslands

Purchase of Fourth Ranch near Ramona Will Benefit People and Wildlife

Ramona, Calif. — October 16, 2007 — The Nature Conservancy today announced the purchase of the 1,350-acre Gildred Family Ranch near Ramona, a big step forward in its mission to preserve 4,000 acres of one of San Diego County’s last expanses of grasslands. This is the fourth ranch purchased by the Conservancy in the Ramona Grasslands since 2002, bringing the amount of acres under protection to approximately 3,300.

The $11 million purchase was funded by $5.5 million in Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (Section 6) grants from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, a $2 million grant from the California Wildlife Conservation Board, a $2.5 million grant from the California Resources Agency and $1 million in private funding from The Nature Conservancy.

Preservation of the Ramona Grasslands is important to The Nature Conservancy’s goal of protecting grasslands and savannas around the world, said Mike Sweeney, the Conservancy’s California director.

“Grasslands are one of the planet’s richest ecosystems, supporting tremendous biodiversity,” said Sweeney. “But they’re disappearing at a rapid rate. We need to act quickly to protect the world’s remaining grasslands.”

Along with wide grassy fields, the Gildred property encompasses chaparral, coastal sage scrub, riparian forest and oak woodlands containing the rare Engelmann oak. This broad diversity of habitats supports an abundance of wildlife.

Four threatened and endangered animal species live in the Ramona Grasslands: the Stephens’ kangaroo rat, California gnatcatcher, arroyo toad and San Diego fairy shrimp. Thirteen species of raptors utilize the area, including the golden eagle. Burrowing owls breed here, and the property is a critical wintering ground for ferruginous hawks, North America’s largest buteo. Mule deer, gray fox and bobcats also inhabit the ranch.

Like many grassland areas worldwide, the Ramona Grasslands have faced immediate and dire threats. San Diego County is one of California’s most heavily populated regions, and development pressures are extreme. Located west of the small town of Ramona, the grasslands are surrounded by residential and commercial tracts. Plans for subdividing the area’s remaining large ranches for residential development were well underway when the Conservancy and other local partners stepped in.

The grasslands could not have been saved without the express support of the County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, California Resources Agency, California Department of Fish and Game, California Wildlife Conservation Board, Wildlife Research Institute, Conservation Biology Institute and other local, state and federal partners.

“This has truly been a collaborative effort,” said Chris Basilevac, senior project director for the Conservancy. “From the local, state and federal agencies involved to the Gildred family, many partners came together to preserve this rare landscape and the result will benefit the people, plants and animals of San Diego County for generations to come.”

Mike Chrisman, California’s Secretary for Resources, said the Ramona Grasslands project is an exemplar of effective conservation strategy.

“We must work cooperatively to protect the future of California's natural resources,” said Chrisman. “The preservation of the Ramona Grasslands is proof of the tremendous things we can accomplish together.”

Gregg Haggart, a spokesman for the former ranch owners, said Gildred Family members are tremendously pleased the property will be preserved.

“This land is important to the family and each member values its beauty and wildness,” said Haggart. “Knowing it will stay undeveloped forever is both a great relief and a great joy.”

The Conservancy’s grasslands acquisitions ultimately will comprise the centerpiece of a public preserve with appropriate areas accessible for wildlife-friendly enjoyment and education, Basilevac said. He noted the properties also will serve as corridors connecting adjacent reserves, increasing the wildlife carrying capacity of the region. As part of the conservation strategy for the ranches purchased by the Conservancy, cattle will be used to control invasive weeds.

“We’re finding that carefully designed grazing programs can be a very effective conservation tool,” said Basilevac. “Compared to other methods, it’s low cost and reduces the use of herbicides.” It also maintains a certain cultural continuity. Ranching is part of San Diego County’s heritage, a tradition that goes back to the founding of the missions. Conservation is about natural values, but sometimes, it’s about social values as well.”

The Nature Conservancy is working with partners elsewhere in San Diego County to preserve the lands and waters that people, wildlife and plants need to survive. Other local priorities include the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge and the Las Californias Binational Conservation Initiative

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. The Nature Conservancy has protected more than 1.2 million acres of land and 3.8 million acres of ocean in California. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.