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After Thanksgiving, when the tables are cleared and the leftovers tucked away, we invite you to step outside with us for something extraordinary: a hike at San Antonio Ranch, the newest chapter in SBALT’s conservation story.
San Antonio Ranch was the missing piece—a 580-acre “donut hole” between SBALT’s Nyland and Rancho Larios properties and the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County’s Rocks Ranch. From a wildlife perspective, it is part of their path from the Gabilan Range to the Santa Cruz Mountains. If the ranching tradition was lost to development, the wildlife corridor, including the planned Caltrans crossing over Highway 101, would be constrained.
But protecting San Antonio Ranch? Nearly impossible. The century-old ranch was now held by 38 different heirs. We told ourselves that the complexity might protect it from subdivision, but we knew it was never a guarantee.
And then something happened that no one thought possible. All 38 owners agreed to sell. And not just to anyone—to SBALT.
There was just one problem: the $4.5 million price tag.
Partnerships made the impossible possible. After convening with six other land trusts, it was clear that SBALT should become the steward of this land. Two organizations contributed $1.5 million. The Conservation Fund stepped in, providing a timely close for the owners and covering the gap with a loan from their revolving fund. On January 28, San Antonio Ranch was acquired.
SBALT has submitted state grant applications to purchase the ranch from The Conservation Fund next year. If successful, we will protect 580 acres of rangeland, bringing us to 1,600 acres conserved land along Rocks Road. Stewardship will be a challenge—we will need our community to stand with us to care for this land—but the promise is profound.
On November 29, you have the chance to see it yourself. To walk the grasslands and forests, breathe the fresh air, and stand in the middle of a dream made real.
Come hike with us. Come be part of the story. Register at www.sanbenitolandtrust.org/ranch-days.