Osprey Hill Ranch Acquisition

Osprey Hill Ranch Acquisition

The Osprey Hill Ranch Acquisition Project consists of acquisition of a 365-acre ranch for public access and for natural resources, habitat, open space, agriculture, and cultural resources protection, restoration, and management in Sonoma County. PROJECT SUMMARY: Staff recommends the Conservancy authorize a $3,050,000 grant to the Sonoma Land Trust (“SLT”) for the Osprey Hill Ranch Acquisition Project, consisting of acquisition of a 365-acre ranch for public access and for natural resources, habitat, open space, working lands, and cultural resources protection, restoration, and management (the “project”), located four miles north of the Village of Bodega Bay, in Sonoma County (Exhibit 1). This acquisition will provide new public access and recreational opportunities by allowing for the extension of the California Coastal Trail and the creation of connecting trails, for a total of approximately two miles of new public trails to adjacent State and Regional parklands, including beaches, coastal bluffs, and coastal range mountains. The project will result in permanent protection of 365 acres within the regionally significant Coast Range-Marin Coast Wildlife Corridor. This consists of approximately 275 acres of perennial coastal grassland, 50 acres of coyote brush, 18 acres of freshwater marsh, 8 acres of Douglas-fir forest, 7 acres of riparian scrub, and approximately one mile of streams, providing habitat for a wide variety of wildlife, including special status species. Protection of Osprey Hill Ranch will protect water quality and flows in approximately 200 feet of Scotty Creek and 0.4 miles of tributaries to Scotty Creek, which is designated as a priority stream by California Department of Fish and Wildlife, due to the presence of steelhead trout and historic runs of coho salmon. In parallel with this acquisition project, SLT will begin preparation of a Stewardship and Public Access Plan to guide recreation, agricultural use, restoration, educational programming, and cultural resource protection. This plan will identify and provide goals for property management. While this project includes only the acquisition, SLT will provide this draft Plan to Conservancy staff for review and comment. Post-acquisition, SLT plans to manage and restore the various natural resources on the property, including riparian, wetlands, and grasslands. The restoration is not part of the scope of this acquisition project. SLT will explore, develop, and implement sustainable grazing practices to enhance grasslands, increase biodiversity, sequester additional carbon, improve climate resilience, and benefit the local economy. In addition, SLT will protect and maintain the historic barns and homestead area in this highly visible and scenic stretch of Highway One. SLT places high priority on tribal engagement and is working closely with two local tribes, the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians of Stewarts Point Rancheria. SLT will continue to engage and collaborate with the broader community and partners, so that this acquisition provides benefit to the public, adjacent parkland managers, tribes, residents, and visitors to the Sonoma Coast. Site Description: The Osprey Hill Ranch property is a picturesque 365-acre ranch on the Sonoma Coast, located four miles north of Bodega Bay. It consists of steep, coastal terrace grasslands with seasonal drainages, freshwater marshes, riparian forest, and numerous springs and seeps. The property is near several public coastal access points, including Gleason Overlook and Rock Point Beach. It is adjacent to the 10,000-acre Sonoma Coast State Park, 910-acre Red Hill (part of Sonoma Coast State Park), and the 1,236-acre Wright Hill Regional Park and Open Space Preserve. Osprey Hill Ranch fills a critical gap in a mosaic of 22,000 acres of protected land on the Sonoma Coast. Owned by the Hendren family since 1958, the property has been used primarily for cattle grazing. Its historic barns and homestead area provide scenic value and are visible from Highway 1. Grant Applicant Qualifications: SLT was founded in 1976 and has conserved over 61,000 acres of land and water resources. An accredited land trust, SLT was awarded the Land Trust Alliance’s 2019 National Land Trust Excellence Award, in recognition of its conservation leadership. SLT has a decades-long history of shared success, with completed projects including Sears Point Restoration and Stewardship, Jenner Headlands, Preservation Ranch, Howlett Ranch, Estero Ranch, McCormick Ranch, Gloeckner-Turner Ranch, Camp 4, and Kiser Ranch. SLT has proven to be a creative and dependable conservation partner on the Sonoma Coast, acquiring and stewarding some of the most ecologically significant coastal properties between Jenner and Bodega Bay. SLT has over 45 years’ experience with planning and implementing land stewardship, including management, maintenance, and monitoring. SLT is qualified to complete this acquisition and committed to ongoing stewardship of Osprey Hill Ranch.

Sonoma

Countywide, Northern California, Unincorporated

Sonoma