The Landscape
- Preservation Ranch
The Property
Preservation Ranch is a diverse landscape of 19,652 acres, with steep forested hills, streams, grasslands and oak woodlands whose rugged beauty is marred by many environmental and land use problems. To restore and protect this land, we have a vision of sustainable agriculture in harmony with forest conservation, habitat protection and public recreation. Please use the adjacent interactive maps to see how our vision unfolds on the property.
- Preservation Ranch
Forest
Conservation
Preservation Ranch will restore and protect its forest by planting over 1 million trees on more than 3,700 acres of the most depleted lands, and by creating a 17,000 + acres of conservation easements (14,921 acre working forest conservation easement and 2,739 wildlife preserve easement). The easements will be managed as One Forest, consolidating resource ownership and management into perpetuity. These steps will guarantee environmental stewardship while fulfilling key conservation and natural resource goals.
- Preservation Ranch
Sustainable
Agriculture
Preservation Ranch proposes to plant approx. 1,150 acres of premium, sustainably farmed vineyards on 1,769 acres (9% of property). Through sensitive design and best management practices, the environmental impacts will be minimized and existing habitat and water quality will be enhanced. The projected revenues of the vineyards provide the economic foundation that makes the forest conservation, protected habitats and public recreation possible.
- Preservation Ranch
Public
Recreation
Sonoma County residents have access to some of the most beautiful natural environments in the County. To increase public access to the redwood forests, Preservation Ranch proposes to donate 221 acres to the existing 40-acre Sonoma County Soda Springs Reserve. Within this expanded Reserve, hikers, picnickers and nature lovers will have access to the natural environment through the creation of a 5-mile public trail easement, accessible from the Reserve.
- Preservation Ranch
Protected
Habitats
Preservation Ranch will establish the Windy Gap Preserve, permanently protecting 2,739 acres of core wildlife habitat with mixed forests, oak woodlands and headwater streams for future generations. Habitat protection is an integral part of the Preservation Ranch mixed land use plan. The Windy Gap Preserve will be managed under a conservation easement, demonstrating PPV's commitment to environmental stewardship in Sonoma County.
- Preservation Ranch Gualala River Watershed
Preservation Ranch is a significant portion (10%) of the 300 square mile Gualala River watershed, located in the south-westerly portion of Mendocino and the northwesterly part of Sonoma County, California. The entire river basin is mountainous and rugged, through which the river and numerous tributaries flow in gorge-like valleys with narrow bottom lands. In the Gualala River drainage, there are 75 miles of salmon and 178 miles of steelhead habitat.
Current condition
The Gualala River is included on the Clean Water Act 303(d) list for impairments associated with excessive sediment and high temperatures resulting from historic intensive land use.
