FINAL Land Lines IX-3 December 2010

LAND LINES
Placer Land Trust Newsletter
Volume IX, Number 3
Calendar of Events
Saturday, February 5
Placer Land Trust sponsoring the
PlacerGROWN Conference
Lincoln High School, Lincoln
Thursday, Feb. 10, 5:30pm *
“Meet us in Roseville”
Placer Land Trust Reception
Community 1st Bank, 2250
Douglas Blvd #100, Roseville
March TBD *
Treasured Landscapes Tours
begin, and volunteer stream
monitoring and weed management projects begin
April 13 & 14
Placer Land Trust at Sierra
College Earth Day, Rocklin
Saturday, April 16
Placer Land Trust tabling at
Celebrate the Earth Festival
Mahany Regional Park, Roseville
December 2010
Bruin Ranch Success!
by Jeff Darlington
After more than a year of hard work
and after overcoming numerous obstacles, Placer Land Trust and The Trust
for Public Land are extremely pleased
to announce that we have acquired the
1,773 acres (Phase 1) of Bruin Ranch on
the Bear River.
Publication of Land Lines was put on
hold to bring you this important news
during the holidays: we closed escrow
on the property on December 29th!
This is Placer Land Trust’s largest
conservation acquisition to date, both in
terms of acreage, value ($9.5 million),
and public benefits.
“The public benefits of Bruin Ranch
are unparalleled, and we are thrilled to
be able to preserve it for future generations,” said PLT President Fred Yeager.
Covered in blue oak woodlands, peppered by spectacular views from rough
hewn cliffs, and traversed by streams of
every size, Bruin Ranch rolls over the
ridge between Auburn and the Bear River.
This amazing property boasts three miles
of Bear River frontage, a dozen miles of
tributaries, and many ponds and wetlands.
The project benefits water quality and
wildlife habitat, and connects to over
1,700 acres of existing PLT preserves.
Phase 1 funding came from the California Wildlife Conservation Board and
from Placer County, and from community
members like you!
Placer Land Trust will next work with
Placer County and other entities to create
public access and recreation infrastructure
on the property, which will also remain a
working cattle ranch.
(continued on page 7)
Saturday, May 14 *
Blue & Green Ball
Placer Land Trust’s
20th Anniversary Celebration,
Blue Goose Fruit Shed, Loomis
* Contact us at (530) 887-9222
for details about these Placer
Land Trust events.
In This Issue ...
● New Board Members
● 52-acre Big Gun Preserve
● 272-acre Gold Hill Ranch
● Volunteers Honored
Placer Community Foundation President Jeff Birkholz, Director Janice Forbes,
and CEO Veronica Blake are all smiles atop Bruin Ranch’s Bald Rock Mountain.
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From the Board Room
Welcome New Board of Directors Members!
by Fred Yeager
Placer Land Trust is very pleased to
announce two recent additions to its
Board of Directors: Larry Welch and
Mehrey Vaghti.
Larry Welch is a resident of Auburn
and a former Vice President for Hewlett
Packard until his retirement in 2007.
Larry is an active member of the
community serving on the Boards of
the Placer Community Foundation and
PRIDE Industries. Previously, Larry
was a member of the Dean’s Advisory
Council for the U.C. Davis Graduate
School of Management, was Chairman
of Sacramento region’s Valley Vision
and was a member of the Citizens’ Advisory Committee for the Placer County Open Space Initiative.
“I’ve been passionate about preserving open space for my entire life,” said
Larry. “As a member of the Placer
Legacy Citizens Advisory Committee,
I developed an even deeper respect for
the precious resources that exist across
all of Placer County. I look forward
to doing everything I can to support
Placer Land Trust’s mission to preserve
natural and agricultural lands throughout the county.”
Mehrey Vaghti of Auburn is returning to our Board after taking a threeyear sabbatical.
Mehrey is a restoration ecologist
who brings a variety of valuable skills
and experience to the Board. She graduated with High Honors from U.C. Davis in Environmental Biology & Management, and holds a Master’s degree
in Restoration Ecology. Mehrey has
worked as a horticulturist, habitat biologist, forester, ecologist, botanist, and
GIS technician, including consulting
work with the Dept. of Fish & Game,
the California Native Plant Society, and
several national recreation areas. She is
also a trained trail construction worker
and wildland firefighter.
“It’s wonderful to be back on the
Board after a few years hiatus to focus
on family,” said Mehrey. “I have stayed
involved in the Stewardship Committee and a few volunteer assignments.
My commitment and belief in Placer
Land Trust’s mission remained strong
during my absence from the Board, but
really I miss the people – board members, staff, volunteers and all!”
Larry’s and Mehrey’s past and current involvement with various organizations gives them a unique community
perspective, and their skills and work
experience will make them definite assets to our organization. They were
both elected to the Board in October.
In other recent Board news, Skip
Outman has resigned from the Board
to focus on work and family pursuits.
Thank you Skip for your service to
Placer Land Trust!
Earlier this month, Placer Land Trust
elected its officers for 2011:
Fred Yeager, President
Tom McMahan, Vice President
Gregg McKenzie, Treasurer
At this time, thanks go out to the following Board members for their leadership of important Board Committees
during 2010:
Bob Gilliom, Board Development
Rich Ferreira, Stewardship
Patricia Callan-McKinney, Budget & Finance, and Bylaws Policies &
Procedures
An extra-special thanks goes out to
Patricia for serving as our Treasurer for
the past several years. Patricia’s commitment to sound fiscal management
has helped Placer Land Trust become
an accredited land trust with high standards and the ability to fund our land
protection and stewardship commitments into the future.
Hope you have a Happy New Year!
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PLACER LAND TRUST
11661 Blocker Drive, Suite 110
Auburn, CA 95603
(530) 887-9222
info@placerlandtrust.org
www.placerlandtrust.org
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Fred Yeager, President
Patricia Callan-McKinney
Rich Ferreira
Robert J. Gilliom
Jim Haagen-Smit
Gregg McKenzie
Thomas McMahan
Mark Perry
Mehrey Vaghti
Larry Welch
STAFF
Jeff Darlington, Executive Director
Jessica Pierce, Assistant Director
Jeff Ward, Stewardship Manager
Justin Wages, Land Manager
Karrie Thomas, Fund Devel. Coordinator
MISSION
Placer Land Trust is a private nonprofit
organization dedicated to working with
willing landowners and conservation
partners to permanently preserve
natural and agricultural land in
Placer County for future generations.
Land Lines is the seasonal newsletter
of Placer Land Trust. All photos are
property of Placer Land Trust unless
otherwise noted.
Vol. IX, No. 3, December 2010
Thank You to Placer Land Trust’s Supporters!
The following individuals and businesses donated to Placer Land Trust in the past few months...
Millennium Club ($1,000+) Supporters ($50+)
Restricted Donations
David Allen
Richard & Louise Weisner
($1,000+)
Thomas & Kathryn Barger
Larry & Sharyn Voss
Auburn Printers, Auburn
Geroge & Joyce Beland
Patricia Callan-McKinney
Dennis Bowcut
Protectors ($500+)
Placer Community Foundation
James Carlisle
Rebekah Caravelli
Michael & Lynn Dean
William Falik & Diana Cohen
Terry Harvego
Land Steward ($250+)
Thomas & Emma Jackson
Marcie Loftis
Kevin & Jill McConnen
John Miners
Joanne Neft
Placer Vineyards, Newcastle
Keith & Mary Sparks
Michael & Debby Ziegler
Century Club ($100+)
Adams & Hayes Law, Lincoln
Jim & Joyce Bachman
Kurt & Karen Bleuel
Blue Goose Produce, Loomis
Pat & Don Brophy
Kim Brown
Michael Brown
Karl Bucholz & Karen Robinson
Eleanor Button
California Rice Commission
Phillip & Kathy Champion
Jim & Kaye Drennan
Jeannette Duff
Laura Duncan & Peter Bridges
James Durfee
Judy Ellis
Alex & Bonnie Ferreira
Bill & Georgia Flake
Glenda Freeman
Stephen Gregg
Sandy Harris
Mike Holmes
Mary Hynes
Susan Jewell
Toshiharu & Christine Kuratomi
Richard & Carol Laursen
Don & Patricia Malberg
Donna McGlaughlin
Gregg McKenzie
Karl A. Mertz, Sr.
John Minniear
Donald & Virginia Parker
Nancy Perry
Everett L. Raymond
Sandra & Jerry Reeves
Janet & Jeff Riswold
Michael & Ella Rossitto
Charles & Virginia Smith
Fred & Patti Vitas
Shawn Wakefield
Phil & Kathy Weber
Dave Cook
Richard & Pamela Cushman
Mick & Carole Darlington
V. Peggy Dunievitz
Gene Endicott
Gary Estes
Bruce & Diane Falzarano
Donna & Merrill Furlow
Carol Garcia
Michael Hansell
Jim & Pat Holmes
Craig P. Horangic
Kevin Jackson & Joan Brenchley
Don & Jeri Juergenson
Kevin Kormylo
Greg & Karen Lawley
Bob & Linda Lawrence
Nancy Lichtle
Susan & Mike McKenzie
Chuck & Roberta McKinney
Ed Moley
Michael Kent Murphy
Kristen O’Shea
Joan Sheeter
Jim & Kathy Sherman
Rosie A. Stilwell
Jane Tahti
Bill & Barbara Tellman
Lorraine Voss
Leslie Warren
Wilson Wilson & Taylor, Auburn
Timothy Woodall & Robin Fujii
Bruin Ranch & Bear River
Protection Program
$1,000+
Gray Allen
Howard Clunn
Kenyon Yeates, Sacramento
Randy Martin, Trailscape
Gerald & Gail Mohlenbrok
$500+
Joan Jernegan
Russell & Kimberly Nash
William A. Newsom
Jim Ricker & Susan Prince
Sierra College ECOS, Rocklin
Nicole Spencer
Anita & Bill Yoder
$250+
Katherine Burdick
Ron Gilman
Marilyn Jasper
George Palma
Linda Raimondi
John Schroeder
Brian & Emily Silva
$100+
Vince & Renee Anaclerio
Barry Beals
James & Cynthia Brinkhurst
Tony Engberg & Sallysue Stein
Bill & Georgia Flake
Rowland Gaal
Elizabeth Gavrick
Rodney K. Haack
Valerie Harrison
Warren & Hazel Haase
Jim Klein
Phil Kohlmetz
Larry Matz
Rex Maynard & Becky Morris
Ed Pandolfino
Roger & Irene Smith
Deena Sosson
Rod & Kathy Souza
$50+
Kellie Berry
Barbara Bos
Kevin Casey
Kathleen Dadey
Dennis & Patty Pieropan Dong
Don & Nancy Fuller
Richard & Carol Laursen
William & Joan Morebeck
Rita Moriarty
Don Perera
Barbara Schutz
Margie Tomenko
Anna Trabucco
Recent Grants
American River Conservancy
Rickey Ranch Event Sponsors
Ace Hardware, Granite Bay
Atrium Salon, Granite Bay
Patricia Callan-McKinney
Community 1st Bank, Granite Bay
Josh Herndon
Donna Kelly
Paul Martin’s American Bistro,
Roseville
Otow Orchard, Granite Bay
Peas & Harmony Nursery,
Rancho Cordova
Placer County Real Food Cookbook,
Newcastle
Rickey Ranch, Granite Bay
Sierra Nursery, Granite Bay
Trader Joe’s, Roseville
Tsing Tao Restaurant, Granite Bay
Viking Construction,
Rancho Cordova
Fred & Denise Yeager
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$15,000, unrestricted
Harrigan Family Trust
$26,000, unrestricted
Harvego Family
$100,000, unrestricted
Placer County
$5 Million, Bruin Ranch acquisition
Resources Agency
$334,662, Canyon View Preserve restoration
Sierra Foothills Audubon Society
$10,000, Bruin Ranch protection
Teichert Foundation
$7,500, communications
Westervelt Ecological Services
$15,000, unrestricted
Wildlife Conservation Board
$4.5 Million, Bruin Ranch acquisition
Big Gun Preserve
by Jessica Pierce
On Nov. 18, Placer Land Trust partnered with Westervelt Ecological Services to permanently protect a 52-acre
property near Foresthill that contains
the largest Sierra Nevada population of
the endangered California red-legged
frog.
The California red-legged frog (Rana
draytonii) first jumped into fame in
Mark Twain’s short story, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras
County, published in 1865. Following
Twain’s story, the famous California
red-legged frogs have been the unofficial mascot of Calaveras County, where
frog-jumping is an annual tradition at
the County fair.
100 years after his
death, Twain’s autobiography, Autobiography of Mark Twain,
Volume 1, recently
topped the best seller
list at Amazon and
Barnes & Noble before even reaching the
official release date.
However, during the
same 100 years since
Twain’s death, populations of the California red-legged
frog have declined drastically, largely
due to the destruction of wetland habitat for residential development. The
frogs were listed as threatened under
the Endangered Species Act by the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in
1996, and are also listed as a species of
special concern by the California Department of Fish & Game.
“The California red-legged frog has a
special place in our history and our natural world,” said PLT Executive Director Jeff Darlington. “Protection of the
Big Gun Preserve is particularly important because this property contains the
largest known population of the frogs
in the Sierra Nevada region.”
Saving Mark Twain’s Favorite Endangered Species
Working with the landowner,
Westervelt Ecological Services, and
the USFWS, Placer Land Trust has recorded a conservation easement on 48
acres of the Big Gun Preserve to forever protect the property as habitat for
the California red-legged frog. Preservation and management of the property
will greatly contribute to the long-term
survival and recovery of the frogs in
the region.
“By working with Placer Land Trust
to protect this property, we are helping
USFWS meet stated recovery goals for
this species,” said Lucy Triffleman,
Conservation Planner with Westervelt
Ecological Services.
“Through this threeway partnership between a private company, a non-profit land
trust, and a federal
agency, tangible species conservation and
recovery is happening,
moving us one step
further on the path
to saving this animal
from extinction.”
The Big Gun Preserve features several ponds, ponderosa pine, mixed conifer woodlands, chaparral, and riparian
corridors. Despite the severe degradation during the Gold Rush, this site to-
California Red-legged Frog (Rana
draytonii) at the Big Gun Preserve.
day serves as ideal habitat for the frogs
and an assortment of other Sierra Nevada foothill wildlife and plant species.
A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement between a land
owner and a land trust that permanently
limits the uses of the property in order
to preserve its important conservation
values and public benefits (such as
wildlife protection). The conservation
easement permanently prohibits development and other land uses that might
impact species.
“We’ve been pleased to work with
Westervelt Ecological Services to protect the Big Gun Preserve,” said Darlington, “The protection of this one
single property is the most significant
step we can take to save the California
red-legged frog.”
Big Gun Preserve is located on the Foresthill Divide near Michigan Bluff,
and contains habitat for a number of Sierra Nevada foothill species.
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Gold Hill Ranch - Wakamatsu Tea & Silk Farm Colony
by Karrie Thomas
On Nov. 1, through the leadership
of the American River Conservancy,
a deal was finalized with willing landowners and conservation partners to
permanently protect a 272-acre historic
ranch property in El Dorado County.
The American River Conservancy
(ARC) purchased the Gold Hill Ranch,
site of the Wakamatsu Tea & Silk Farm
Colony, a mile south of Coloma.
Concurrent with ARC’s purchase,
Placer Land Trust acquired a conservation easement on this historic property,
guaranteeing its permanent protection.
This ranch is an interesting mosaic
of springs, streams, wetlands, blue and
live oak forest, sweeping vistas and
prime agricultural soil. Ranch ponds
and the small lake is a draw for wildlife, particularly migratory waterfowl
during the winter and early spring.
But it is the property’s special historical and cultural value that make it
so unique.
“The Wakamatsu Colony story is
every bit as compelling as the story
of Jamestown or the Mayflower and
Plymouth Rock,” said ARC Director
Alan Ehrgott. “America derives its
strength and its character from the diversity of its people. The Wakamatsu
colonists were the last of the Tokugawa
samurai ... and became the first Japanese emigrants to arrive in California
as skilled workers which advanced
American agriculture, medicine, engineering, and other fields.”
The site was settled by colonists
from Aizu Wakamatsu in 1869. To
the best of our knowledge the Wakamatsu Colony site: is the first Japanese
colony in North America; contains the
gravesite of Okei Ito, the first Japanese
woman buried on American soil; is the
birthplace of the first naturalized Japanese-American; and is the only settlement established by samurai outside of
Japan.
Historic Property Protected by two Land Trusts
The Wakamatsu colonists were the
first to introduce traditional Japanese
horticulture to California including:
silk worm farming, the cultivation of
tea, rice, citrus, peaches and other stone
fruit varieties, paper and oil plants and
bamboo products.
The Wakamatsu colonists displayed
their products at the 1869 California
State Agricultural Fair in Sacramento
and at the 1870 Horticultural Fair in
San Francisco.
The permanent protection of this
property was made possible in part by
grant funding from the Sierra Nevada
Conservancy and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, as well as private donations and bridge loans from
New Resource Bank and the previous
landowners, the Veerkamp family.
Over the past 137 years, the
Veerkamp family has been principally
responsible for maintaining the rural
agricultural nature of the property and
preserving the heritage and landscape
of the Wakamatsu Colony. In 2007,
the Veerkamp family came to ARC and
asked for help in accomplishing three
main tasks: (1) restore the property’s
farmhouse; (2) provide public access
and interpret the cultural history of the
property; and, (3) purchase the property at an appraised, fair market value.
-5-
With ARC’s recent purchase, Placer
Land Trust’s acquisition of the conservation easement, and with the nearcompletion of the first phase of farmhouse restoration, ARC is well on its
way to fulfilling all three tasks.
ARC plans to create a public park
at the Wakamatsu Colony site that protects Okei’s gravesite, establishes a memorial garden, creates trails, and adds a
museum within the historic farmhouse.
The property will be used as a demonstration and production farm to display
the valuable contributions that Japanese Americans have made to California agriculture and to the United States
as a nation of diverse peoples.
The National Park Service recently
placed the Wakamatsu Colony site on
the National Register of Historic Places at a level of “National Significance.”
Bipartisan bills have been introduced in the U.S. Congress that would
aid in the management of the ranch as
a public park.
“Seeing the two parties working together in this manner makes me proud
to be an American,” remarked Fred
Kochi, President of the Gold Hill
Wakamatsu Colony Foundation Board.
“Placer Land Trust is pleased to assist the American River Conservancy
and the many agencies, organizations
and individuals who all came together
to make this project work,” said PLT
Executive Director Jeff Darlington.
“We’re committed to the protection of
the historic, cultural, agricultural and
natural values this property contains,
and we’re excited to be a part of sharing this treasured landscape with current and future generations.”
For more information about the property, site tours, and planned improvements, call ARC at (530) 621-1224.
Responsible Stewardship, Enhancement and Restoration
by Jeff Ward
On Sept. 14, the California Resources Agency awarded Placer Land
Trust a $334,662 Proposition 84 River
Parkways Grant for the Canyon View
Riparian Restoration & Trail Project.
This grant will fund the second
phase of ongoing riparian restoration
and streambed enhancement along Sierra Canyon Creek, a tributary to the
North Fork American River, on our
Canyon View Preserve in Bowman.
The grant will also fund the construction of a 1.5 mile loop trail, which
will showcase the restoration project,
offer watershed education and provide
new hiking and mountain biking opportunities for the public.
In 2008, we received funding from
the Sierra Nevada Conservancy for the
first phase of this project. We have
designed and constructed the first part
of a streambed enhancement and stabilization project on five acres of the
Preserve. By constructing a series of
step pools and stabilizing stream banks,
erosion and sedimentation has been re-
Newly restored Sierra Canyon Creek.
duced in Sierra Canyon Creek and further down in the American River.
The second phase of the project will
address erosion and sedimentation upstream at the base of a canal spillway. A
plunge pool/dissipation basin will slow
high velocity water before it enters and
erodes the stream channel below.
We continue to manage invasive
plants and re-vegetate the Preserve
with native trees and shrubs to help sta-
Moonshine and Memories: Great Sierra River Clean-up
On Sept. 25, 62 volunteers joined Placer Land Trust staff to clean up our local waterways as part of the 2nd Annual Great Sierra River Cleanup. This year
Placer Land Trust doubled its sites, doubled its number of volunteers, and more
than doubled the amount of trash hauled out of Placer County’s waterways ... over
4,000 pounds!
Volunteers from both sites – Taylor Ranch Preserve in Auburn and Miner’s
Ravine Preserve & Trail in Roseville – came away from the day with exciting stories. Ryan Gilpin led the charge at Taylor Ranch Preserve and found some relics,
including a pocket calendar for 1938-1943 and a bottle of moonshine.
Jessica Aviña and our volunteers at Miner’s Ravine received many “thank
you’s” from speeding bicycles and joggers as they cleaned up along the trail.
We had Antelope High School students, families and partners from Rocklin’s
Star Ecostation and Sierra Nevada Conservancy all pitching in. Other top finds
included a boogie board, a hub cap, and a $50 bill!
Thanks to all of our volunteers and also to local businesses that donated food
and supplies: Boorinakis Harper Ranch, Fiddyment Farms, Foothill Organic
Growers, Twin Peaks Orchard, Newcastle Produce, Raley’s, Nugget Market, Starbucks Coffee, Recology Auburn-Placer, and the City of Roseville.
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bilize stream banks and provide habitat
for native animal species. This work
also significantly reduces fire hazard.
Placer Land Trust is working with
volunteer Greg Wells to design and
construct the loop trail, which will meander through mixed oak conifer woodlands, annual grasslands and riparian
habitat and will explain the restoration
project through interpretive signage.
We’re hoping to begin construction
on the trail this winter and have the trail
open to the public by 2012.
While the next round of riparian restoration will continue to improve water quality in the North Fork American
River watershed and reduce wildfire
danger, we are also excited about creating a new recreation area in Placer
County. We’ll keep you posted!
Land Steward of the Year
Placer Land Trust is pleased to
announce Megan Forester as our
Land Steward of the Year for 2010.
As part of her Girl Scout Silver
Award project, Megan and her family and fellow scouts dedicated many
long days building western bluebird,
tree swallow and American kestrel
nesting boxes, installing them on
Doty Ravine Preserve and Taylor
Ranch Preserve, and then monitoring the boxes for an entire nesting
season.
A total of 143 baby birds were
fledged during the year, 66 of which
owe their birth to Megan’s work.
Megan funded the project by creating an Adopt-a-Bird program, and
solicited donations
from Home Depot
and Placer Farm
Supply.
Congrats and Thanks Megan!
Bruin Ranch, Phase 1
(continued from page 1)
Placer County Supervisor Robert
Weygandt called the Board of Supervisors’ unanimous vote to support
Bruin Ranch historic, saying, “I think
100 years from now, when people look
back, they’re going to be very pleased
with some of the decisions we made.”
When combined with adjacent and
nearby lands, Bruin Ranch brings together over 3,700 acres of protected
open space in the Bear River and Coon
Creek watersheds.
According to Dave Sutton of The
Trust for Public Land:
“Bruin Ranch is among the most important conservation properties in the
region. It anchors critical north-south
and trans-Sierra wildlife corridors and
is home to the largest intact stand of
blue oak woodlands in Placer County.”
In addition to The Trust for Public
Land and our two main funders, many
organizations and individuals were
critical in making this project a success. For more than a year all of us at
Placer Land Trust have focused on protecting this magnificent property, and
our members and supporters have been
there with us all the way. We can’t
thank you enough!
Funds raised from the public through
PLT’s fundraising campaign will support our ability to steward and manage
this property in perpetuity.
“When we protect a piece of land,
we agree to preserve it forever,” said
Yeager. “That is no small commitment,
and we take it very seriously.”
Huge thanks also go out to Lloyd
Harvego and Terry Harvego, our
lanowner partners, for their patience
with this project and for helping to fund
PLT’s ongoing stewardship through
several generous charitable donations.
See the article on this page about our
next steps, including when and how
you can access Bruin Ranch in the near
future.
Thanks for your support!
Firehouse Fundraiser Assists Bruin Ranch Acquisition
Folks from all over the Sacramento
region gathered at Lloyd Harvego’s
restaurant, The Firehouse, in Old Sacramento on Sept. 27 for an evening to
benefit Bruin Ranch and Placer Land
Trust’s Bear River Protection Program.
Keynote speaker Mike Eaton, former director of the Resources Legacy
Fund, addressed a crowd of about 150
people emphasizing the importance of
conservation in the foothills for Sacramento area residents, wildlife and ecosystems health.
“What happens on Bruin Ranch affects Placer County and everything
downstream. Intact wilderness in the
foothills helps clean the water and is a
critical component of the regional flood
control plan,” said Eaton.
State Assemblyman Ted Gaines
co-hosted the event and said: “Placer
County has been among the fastest
growing counties in California, and
with that kind of growth it is very important to find opportunities to set aside
undeveloped lands. Placer Land Trust
does it right by working with willing
sellers to provide open space benefits
for the community.”
Ed Pandolfino presented a generous
$10,000 contribution from the Sierra
Foothills Chapter of the Audubon Society, and many other attendees broke out
their checkbooks to make Bruin Ranch
a reality.
Thanks to Mike, Ted, our Event Ambassadors and The Firehouse staff for a
wonderful event for a great cause!
Phase 2 of Bruin Ranch Underway
by Jeff Darlington
Remaining 527 acres, public access planned
In 2005 Bruin Ranch had the ability to hold 900 homes. Today most of
it is permanently protected - quite an
accomplishment given these tough
economic times.
With 1,773 acres of Bruin Ranch
acquired, there’s 527 remaining acres
at Bruin Ranch to protect.
This remaining 527 acres has the
densest zoning and is the most likely
to be developed. This portion of Bruin Ranch also provides the best connection with Placer Land Trust’s Big
Hill properties to the south, which can
link Bruin Ranch to Hidden Falls Regional Park and Coon Creek.
Placer Land Trust and our partner,
The Trust for Public Land, are working with the landowners to acquire or
protect the remainder of Bruin Ranch
by fee or conservation easement.
We’re also working with nearby and
adjacent landowners to protect hundreds of acres of connected land.
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Meanwhile, we’re working with
Placer County and others on a recreation plan for Bruin Ranch. Our goal
is to phase in public access and construct recreation infrastructure on the
property, which will remain a working ranch, over the next 2-3 years.
Stay tuned for more details about
visiting Bruin Ranch, and thanks
again for your ongoing support.
New opportunities for fishing in the
Bear River and upland ponds will
be an important part of the pending
Bruin Ranch public recreation plan.
Executive Director’s Report
Placer Land Trust is pleased to announce its Volunteer of the Year for
2010, Janet Voris of Newcastle.
Janet uprooted her family and moved
to Newcastle in 2000, relocating from
Portland, Oregon.
She is relatively newly involved with
Placer Land Trust, and became a member and a volunteer at the same time,
about six months ago.
Between late June and December,
Janet volunteered over 265 hours. She
has helped with various field work
like stream monitoring, habitat assessments, and residual dry matter surveys,
and events. She assisted greatly with
the Great Sierra River Clean-up in September, and helps out by soliciting donations. Many of her hours were spent
helping out with various projects in the
Placer Land Trust office.
2010 Volunteer of the Year : Janet Voris
Janet graduated from Sierra
College
with Associates Degrees
in Biological
Science, NatuJanet Voris
ral Science and
Social Science.
She recently graduated from CSU
Sacramento with High Honors and a
Bachelors Degree in Environmental
Studies.
“Janet has made an immediate impact by helping with communication,
grants and database work,” said Placer
Land Trust Assistant Director Jessica
Pierce. “Its a real blessing to have a
volunteer with her diligence, skill, and
attention to detail!”
“I volunteered all through college,
so it just seemed right to continue volunteering while looking for a job,” explains Janet. “After graduating I called
my friend Justin Wages to see if they
needed help at Placer Land Trust.
“I really like the work being done
here and being involved in the various
projects. I’m learning so much that
you can’t learn in college. The staff is
awesome and the small office is a great
environment!”
Thanks to all of our volunteers who
make what we do possible, and a special thanks to our 2010 Volunteer of the
Year, Janet Voris!
JEFF DARLINGTON
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
-8-
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
11661 Blocker Drive, Suite 110
Auburn, CA 95603
PLACER LAND TRUST
Land Lines sponsored by:
More land preserved by Placer Land Trust!
7,171 acres to date ... see inside for details!