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A critical land deal that would save the Cheung Ranch — the linchpin property for the protection of vital freshwater wetlands in Watsonville — was threatened with failure. The Nature Conservancy and its partners were called in just when the deal was about to fall through, and together they managed to save the ranch and help secure the future of this important biologically diverse ecosystem.
Christina Fischer, the Conservancy’s Monterey project director, shares the story of the last-minute rescue of the Cheung Ranch — home to rare wildlife, a resting place for migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway and a beneficial wetland habitat that helps to protect water quality.
Nature.org: Why was the acquisition of the Cheung Ranch so important?
Christina Fischer: The Watsonville Sloughs area — Santa Cruz County's largest freshwater wetland — is one of California's precious threatened coastal freshwater wetlands.
At the heart of the sloughs area is the Cheung Ranch, part of a critical migratory stopover for songbirds and waterfowl along the Pacific Flyway. The ranch harbors rare native amphibians and other wildlife and supports local water quality and water supplies.
The Conservancy has been working in this region for more than 30 years to ensure the health of central coast wetlands.
Nature.org: What happened with this project?
Christina Fischer: This acquisition was a remarkable accomplishment that speaks volumes to the power of partnerships to achieve the nearly impossible.
The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County had worked for a year and a half to secure funding for this project, including a grant of $1.5 million from the Conservancy. Mere days before the deal was set to close escrow, the Land Trust came to us and a partner, the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST), asking for help.
The state had frozen expenditures from funds that voters had approved for conservation, including $1.6 million approved for this project — half of the $3.1 million purchase price. The seller couldn’t wait, and our chance to protect this extraordinary place was slipping away.
Nature.org: Where did you find the funds?
Christina Fischer: The Conservancy’s grant came from a fund established by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation to protect high-priority habitats on California’s central coast. We redirected our grant to POST, which stepped up to close the deal, covering the state shortfall. POST will transfer the property to the Land Trust when state funds are released.
Nature.org: What is the impact of the Cheung Ranch on the region?
Christina Fischer: The 95-acre property is the first of an intended series of acquisitions by the Land Trust to protect the Watsonville Sloughs area. Along with its vital ecological value, the property contains fertile organic farmland that will be managed compatibly with conservation values.
The Cheung Ranch project is a great example of the power of effective partnerships. In 2000, Conservancy scientists and planners worked with the Land Trust and other partners to create a blueprint that would ensure conservation dollars were directed toward the most important lands in the region. At the Watsonville Sloughs area, the Cheung Ranch was at the top of the list.
Nature.org: What’s next for the Watsonville Sloughs?
Christina Fischer: Our partners are doing a terrific job implementing the conservation blueprint we helped craft. The Cheung Ranch will connect to other protected areas to ultimately preserve nearly 1,000 acres of vital and increasingly scarce native habitats. If needed, the Conservancy will be standing by to lend a hand.
Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photo © Stephen Slade/Land Trust of Santa Cruz County (Cheung Ranch); Photo © Stephen Slade/Land Trust of Santa Cruz County (Cheung Ranch).
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