Land is forever protected from future destruction and is the first conservation easement for Oswit Land Trust
Palm Springs, CA – Trust for Public Land (TPL) and Oswit Land Trust (OLT) announced today the acquisition of an Agricultural Conservation Easement (ACE) on Alphabet Farms Ranch A – 1,888.07 acres of productive farmland in Imperial County, CA.
This ACE protects this precious agricultural land from future development or destruction in perpetuity.
Jane Garrison, Executive Director of Oswit Land Trust said, “We have been concerned by the loss of agricultural land in Southern California for conversion to warehouses and other development. We have seen land disappearing at an alarming rate. We are thrilled to be partnering with Trust for Public Land on this project and future projects that will protect land, farmers and jobs.”
OLT will carry out the long-term management of the ACE in a historic move by the land trust to advocate for new ways to preserve sensitive lands and wildlife habitat. The acquired ACE on Ranch A is part of a larger TPL and OLT effort to place agricultural conservation easements on additional ranches which when completed will total approximately 7,600 acres in the Imperial Valley.
“Farming is vital to this community and with the fast-paced growth and development the county has seen recently, the need to preserve these farmlands for future generations, while safeguarding important wildlife habitat has never been more critical,” said Guillermo Rodriguez, California state director and vice president-Pacific Region for Trust for Public Land. “Protecting this large, productive ranch will help retain jobs and the economic value that agriculture provides this region.”
Imperial County is experiencing high rates of population growth, increasing the threat of development on agricultural lands. With a location next to Highway 86 just outside the City of Brawley, Ranch A is well positioned to support the City of Brawley’s Climate Action Plan goal to create a greenbelt around the city that will promote compact and infill development and preserve agriculture. Alfalfa, Bermuda grass, sugarbeets, and sudangrass are grown on a rotational basis at Ranch A, and it is the landowner’s intent to continue growing similar crops. The property is surrounded largely by properties in agricultural production or with agricultural zoning, and has irrigation canals along some parcel lines. The ranch is supported by a year-round growing season, good soils, and historically plentiful water supplies. Irrigation water is supplied by Imperial Irrigation District, the 4th largest irrigation district in the nation, delivering Colorado River water to a half-million acres of farmland in one of the most productive agricultural areas in the U.S.
The property is in Audubon’s Imperial Valley Globally Important Bird Area (IBA), the largest IBA in California and the nearby Salton Sea is one of the most important nesting sites and stopovers along the Pacific Flyway. The irrigation canals that crisscross Imperial Valley and border parcels of Ranch A are classified as riverine wetlands and provide important habitat. Burrowing owls (CA Species of Special Concern), Yuma clapper rails (federally endangered), and California black rails (CA threatened species) are known to use these canals. At OLT’s initial visit to the property, dozens of birds including several species of raptor and the charismatic sandhill cranes were seen taking advantage of the unique resources provided by the agricultural lands.
Acquisition of the ACE was funded through the California Department of Conservation’s Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation (SALC) program. Separately, the Department of the Navy’s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) program funded the acquisition of a Restrictive Use Easement (RUE). The RUE is being managed by the Navy through Naval Air Facility – El Centro.
About Trust for Public Land
Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. As a leader in equitable access to the outdoors, TPL works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,364 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, raised $93 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 9.4 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org.
