Deal signed to acquire and protect Jenner Headlands
Sonoma Land Trust and Open Space District partner to preserve 5,630 acres on Sonoma Coast
Sonoma Land Trust agrees to manage property
(SANTA ROSA, CALIF., Oct. 9, 2008) — The Sonoma Land Trust has signed an agreement to purchase the 5,630-acre Jenner Headlands for $36 million, the single largest conservation land acquisition in Sonoma County.
Made possible through collaboration with the project’s main funding partner, the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District (SCAPOSD), as well as the State Coastal Conservancy, the Wildlife Conservation Board, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the purchase will lead to a major new open space preserve in the Bay Area.
Located north of the town of Jenner where the Russian River flows into the Pacific Ocean, and extending for 2 ½ miles north along Highway 1 and inland toward Cazadero, the coastal property offers dramatic views, redwood forests, multiple watersheds, fish-bearing streams and abundant wildlife, as well as the opportunity to provide public access and a spectacular segment of the California Coastal Trail.
In 2005, Sonoma County Fifth District Supervisor Mike Reilly suggested that the landowners consider a conservation sale of the property as an alternative to development, and convened a group of non-profit organizations and public agencies to work on the project. The Sonoma Land Trust took the lead, working closely with the Open Space District. Negotiations with the landowners lasted nearly four years.
"This is an opportunity we cannot pass up," noted Ralph Benson, executive director of the Sonoma Land Trust. "The Jenner Headlands is one of the most photographed spots on the California coast. It is a beautiful, large, intact landscape. The alternative to conservation would be more than 40 home sites along the coast, carving up the grasslands and forest."
"The Jenner Headlands acquisition stands as one of the most significant opportunities to merge ecological, agricultural and community needs that will impact generations well into the future," said Andrea Mackenzie, Open Space District general manager. "This conservation opportunity effectively leverages Sonoma County residents’ broad support for open space protection and the sales tax to bring in additional funding that will increase protections for our County’s coastline."
"Saving the Jenner Headlands will add a vital piece of the puzzle to our network of permanently protected lands along the Sonoma Coast," Reilly said. "This property is incomparable and, thanks to the efforts and collaboration of our land conservation community and the voters here in Sonoma County, we will all be able to enjoy it."
Acquisition funding
The Land Trust has spent much of the last four years working with its partners to assemble the financing needed and has secured preliminary commitments for the entire $36 million purchase price. SCAPOSD is expected to be the lead funder with approximately one third of the purchase price. The District’s funds have been essential to leverage state, federal and private funding for the project.
Pending their boards’ approvals, the Coastal Conservancy and the California Wildlife Conservation Board are expected to provide project funding. Federal participation is expected from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coastal and Estuarine Land Protection Program, which ranked the project third in the nation in importance. A major gift is planned from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and early support for the Land Trust’s efforts came from Petaluma’s Tellabs Foundation.
Management of the property
The Sonoma Land Trust has agreed to take responsibility for the interim management of the Jenner Headlands. The Land Trust owns and manages for restoration more than 5,000 acres of conservation land along Highway 37 on San Pablo Bay and increasingly focuses on the conservation of large landscapes in Sonoma County. "Our role in this regard is a response to the economic challenges confronting our State. Local initiative, wide collaboration, innovation and private philanthropy can ensure that we continue to protect the scenic, natural, agricultural and open landscapes along the Sonoma Coast. While we have the purchase money in sight, before we can close we do still need to raise several million dollars for the proper stewardship of the property," Benson said.
Ecological resource values and climate change
The Land Trust and its partners have multiple goals for the Jenner Headlands. First and foremost, the land will be managed to enhance its significant ecological values, such as water quality (it contains eight different watersheds and 8.5 miles of clear-running streams), forestlands, biodiversity and habitat connectivity — all of which are expected to be impacted by the effects of climate change. "Conservation and restoration of forests is key to mitigating climate change and will help species better adapt to changing environmental conditions," Mackenzie said.
The property, once known as the Rule Ranch, was purchased by John Rule in 1867 and has been used as a cattle and sheep ranch since then. Grazing is expected to continue to maintain the health of the coastal prairie. While the 3,100-acre forestland was managed for timber and logged periodically since the late 1800s, remnant old-growth trees have survived. The property also contains numerous threatened and endangered species, including the northern spotted owl, red tree vole, osprey, peregrine falcon, bank swallow, steelhead trout and Coho salmon. Wide-ranging deer, coyote, bobcat, fox and mountain lion also roam the land.
"Sonoma Land Trust has a lot of experience managing lands for ecological purposes, and successful conservation forestland projects exist that demonstrate that our multiple goals for the Jenner Headlands can be met," said Amy Chesnut, Sonoma Land Trust acquisitions director, who has managed the project from the outset. "We want to restore the old-growth characteristics of the forest through sustainable forestry; we want to protect the estuary, creeks and the town of Jenner’s water supply; we want to keep the wonderful coastal prairie intact; and we want to give people access to the property as soon as possible to enjoy the ocean scenery. The ecosystem on the property is diverse and healthy, and we have an excellent opportunity to manage these lands to reach all of our goals — ecological, economical and recreational."
Next steps
The Sonoma Land Trust is kicking off a campaign to raise $2 million for management and restoration of the property, with the goal of closing escrow on the property in the early part of 2009. The Land Trust will work with the Open Space District and the public to create a management plan to restore forestlands, protect watersheds and provide public access.
"On clear days, the views from the Headlands extend all the way to Point Reyes and Mt. Diablo," Reilly said. "Protecting land like this is like unearthing buried treasure — now this coastal jewel can sparkle for the whole world to see."
For more information about the Jenner Headlands, or to make a donation toward this project, please visit www.sonomalandtrust.org or call (707) 526-6930 x108.
About the Sonoma Land Trust
The Sonoma Land Trust preserves scenic, natural, agricultural and open land for future generations. Since 1976, the Sonoma Land Trust has protected nearly 20,000 acres of beautiful, productive and environmentally significant land. For more information about the Sonoma Land Trust, please visit www.sonomalandtrust.org.
About the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District
Since 1990, the District has protected 153 properties totaling 72,250 acres. Agricultural and open space lands have been protected through a 1/4-cent sales tax approved by voters in 1990 and reauthorized in 2006.
