Mendocino Land Trust

History

A chronology of significant Land Trust dates and accomplishments follows below:

1988: instrumental in a land swap of Heider Field, two-acres of protected open space in the village of Mendocino, that brought its ownership to State Parks and agreed to manage Heider Field for twenty years.

1992: accepted it first conservation easement (40 acres in the Commisky Creek watershed). Through 2007, the Land Trust has accepted nine additional conservation easements covering 3,501 acres that are stewarded annually.

1996: became the first non-profit organization in California to open an offer-to-dedicate coastal access trail to the public at Mendocino Bay Viewpoint*.

1998: added its first part-time staff and assisted in the protection of the eight-acre Westport Headlands* at the request the Westport Village Society.

1999: purchased Caspar Beach and associated uplands in South Caspar*, and has managed the area with the assistance of State Parks, local Caspar residents and the cooperation of the adjacent Caspar RV Park and Campground. The Land Trust acquired the 55-acres of Navarro Point* that offer splendid ocean views across coastal prairie. The Land Trust opened a second coastal access trail to the public at Cantus Cove in Caspar*.

2000: working with the Caspar Community and the Trust for Public Land, acquired the Caspar Headlands* and managed the property until it was transferred to State Parks in May 2002.

2002: with the support of 1,400 donors, acquired 7,334 acres of the Big River estuary* and conveyed the property to California State Parks.

Glass Beach, the only accessible beach in the City of Fort Bragg, was purchased by California State Parks October 2002. The California Coastal Conservancy, with the City of Fort Bragg and the Mendocino Land Trust worked for over four years to assemble funding for the purchase of the 38-acre property.

2003: began the Big River Stewards, a volunteer group involved in helping State Parks with monitoring and restoration of the Big River State Park.

The Mendocino County Coastal Conservation Plan* was completed to prioritize coastal land conservation opportunities. The Land Trust began to annually coordinate Coastal Cleanup Day for Mendocino County.

2004: opened the Belinda Point Trail,* thus becoming the leading nonprofit manager of coastal access easements in California.

2005: conserved 2 acres of old growth redwoods and 17 acres of mature second growth in 2005 on Ridgewood Ranch in Willits.

A Big River Preliminary Plan* for management of the Big River property was completed. The Navarro Point Preserve and Scenic Trail* was officially opened with parking to facilitate public access. The Land Trust acquired 15 coastal access easements and received funding to open them from the California Coastal Conservancy.

2007: purchased a conservation easement covering 1,689 acres of oak woodlands along with 4.75 miles of fish-bearing streams and seven miles of tributary creeks, a "wet meadow" and a vernal pool at Ridgewood Ranch with support from the California Wildlife Conservation Board; received a donated conservation easement covering 25 acres in the Salmon Creek watershed in Albion.

2008: the Big River Interpretive Walks program was initiated in May 2008, training twelve volunteer docents to lead free interpretive walks to the public at Big River. The program is designed to educate walk participants on various aspects of Big River, including the estuary, birds and animals, local history, and redwood ecology.

The Land Trust celebrated the 20th anniversary of the conservation of Heider Field in September 2008, hosting a dinner for those past board members and other who were involved in the Land Trust's first conservation project.

2009: the Land Trust coordinated the 25th Annual California Coastal Cleanup Day (CCD) for Mendocino County, which was a record year for CCD in Mendocino County. Over 450 volunteers picked up over 9,400 pounds of trash and recycling at thirty locations along the Mendocino County Coast and at inland Mendocino County locations. The Land Trust has coordinated CCD efforts for all of Mendocino County since 2002.

2010: purchased Hare Creek Beach, a 5.6 acre beach in Fort Bragg, for habitat conservation and public access*. The Land Trust will permanently manage the property, will write a management plan in 2010, and will create new, legal public access.

Completed the California Coastal Trail Strategic Report for Mendocino County, which outlines the current state of the California Coastal Trail (CCT) in the County and recommends strategics for creating additional sections of the CCT in the future.

*Undertaken with funding from the California Coastal Conservancy.



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	MLT History Staff Board of Trustees Advisors and Counselors Press Releases and Media Newsletters Conservation Map Brochure Links Sign Up for Our Newsletter Email Address: Tools Sitemap Print Version Mailform Login P.O. Box 1094 Mendocino, California 95460 (707) 962-0470 phone (707) 962-0444 fax info@mendocinolandtrust.org Office Location 330 North Franklin Street, Suite 7 Fort Bragg, CA 95437 The Mendocino Land Trust is a member of the Land Trust Alliance since 1985 and the California Council of Land Trusts since 2007		History A chronology of significant Land Trust dates and accomplishments follows below: 1988: instrumental in a land swap of Heider Field, two-acres of protected open space in the village of Mendocino, that brought its ownership to State Parks and agreed to manage Heider Field for twenty years. 1992: accepted it first conservation easement (40 acres in the Commisky Creek watershed). Through 2007, the Land Trust has accepted nine additional conservation easements covering 3,501 acres that are stewarded annually. 1996: became the first non-profit organization in California to open an offer-to-dedicate coastal access trail to the public at Mendocino Bay Viewpoint. 1998:* added its first part-time staff and assisted in the protection of the eight-acre Westport Headlands* at the request the Westport Village Society. 1999: purchased Caspar Beach and associated uplands in South Caspar, and has managed the area with the assistance of State Parks, local Caspar residents and the cooperation of the adjacent Caspar RV Park and Campground. The Land Trust acquired the 55-acres of Navarro Point that offer splendid ocean views across coastal prairie. The Land Trust opened a second coastal access trail to the public at Cantus Cove in Caspar. 2000:* working with the Caspar Community and the Trust for Public Land, acquired the Caspar Headlands* and managed the property until it was transferred to State Parks in May 2002. 2002: with the support of 1,400 donors, acquired 7,334 acres of the Big River estuary* and conveyed the property to California State Parks. Glass Beach, the only accessible beach in the City of Fort Bragg, was purchased by California State Parks October 2002. The California Coastal Conservancy, with the City of Fort Bragg and the Mendocino Land Trust worked for over four years to assemble funding for the purchase of the 38-acre property. 2003: began the Big River Stewards, a volunteer group involved in helping State Parks with monitoring and restoration of the Big River State Park. The Mendocino County Coastal Conservation Plan* was completed to prioritize coastal land conservation opportunities. The Land Trust began to annually coordinate Coastal Cleanup Day for Mendocino County. 2004: opened the Belinda Point Trail,* thus becoming the leading nonprofit manager of coastal access easements in California. 2005: conserved 2 acres of old growth redwoods and 17 acres of mature second growth in 2005 on Ridgewood Ranch in Willits. A Big River Preliminary Plan* for management of the Big River property was completed. The Navarro Point Preserve and Scenic Trail* was officially opened with parking to facilitate public access. The Land Trust acquired 15 coastal access easements and received funding to open them from the California Coastal Conservancy. 2007: purchased a conservation easement covering 1,689 acres of oak woodlands along with 4.75 miles of fish-bearing streams and seven miles of tributary creeks, a "wet meadow" and a vernal pool at Ridgewood Ranch with support from the California Wildlife Conservation Board; received a donated conservation easement covering 25 acres in the Salmon Creek watershed in Albion. 2008: the Big River Interpretive Walks program was initiated in May 2008, training twelve volunteer docents to lead free interpretive walks to the public at Big River. The program is designed to educate walk participants on various aspects of Big River, including the estuary, birds and animals, local history, and redwood ecology. The Land Trust celebrated the 20th anniversary of the conservation of Heider Field in September 2008, hosting a dinner for those past board members and other who were involved in the Land Trust's first conservation project. 2009: the Land Trust coordinated the 25th Annual California Coastal Cleanup Day (CCD) for Mendocino County, which was a record year for CCD in Mendocino County. Over 450 volunteers picked up over 9,400 pounds of trash and recycling at thirty locations along the Mendocino County Coast and at inland Mendocino County locations. The Land Trust has coordinated CCD efforts for all of Mendocino County since 2002. 2010: purchased Hare Creek Beach, a 5.6 acre beach in Fort Bragg, for habitat conservation and public access. The Land Trust will permanently manage the property, will write a management plan in 2010, and will create new, legal public access. Completed the California Coastal Trail Strategic Report for Mendocino County, which outlines the current state of the California Coastal Trail (CCT) in the County and recommends strategics for creating additional sections of the CCT in the future. Undertaken with funding from the California Coastal Conservancy.