(KRON) — A 1,517-acre patch of coast redwood forest in Sonoma County, thought of a haven for native crops and wildlife, is ready to be protected following a purchase order settlement introduced Tuesday by Save the Redwoods League. The property will fill a spot to hyperlink greater than 22,000 acres of conserved lands from Monte Rio to the Pacific Coast.
The Monte Rio Redwood Growth “faces a significant threat of residential development,” Save the Redwoods League stated within the announcement. The San Francisco-based nonprofit group negotiated an settlement to buy the property for $24 million from Mendocino Redwood Firm (MRC).
(Graphic: Save the Redwoods League)
The League will convey the property to Sonoma County Regional Parks for long-term stewardship, in response to the group.
The property options 3.7 miles of streams, together with spawning waters for coho salmon and steelhead trout. Its huge and ranging wildlife habitats and corridors are residence to mountain lions, northern noticed owls, San Francisco dusky-footed woodrats and California red-legged frogs.
Monte Rio Redwoods Growth property in Sonoma County. (Picture: Justin Lewis / The Coldwater Collective, courtesy of Save the Redwoods League)
Monte Rio Redwoods Growth property in Sonoma County. (Picture: Max Whittaker, courtesy of Save the Redwoods League)
“Mountain lions, bobcats, California quail, and American badgers are among the fascinating animals that move through this landscape,” Save the Redwoods League stated. “Connecting this property to other conserved lands will secure and stabilize this potential breeding habitat, while also building wildfire and climate resilience for the benefit of wildlife populations and local communities alike.”
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The 1,287 acres of coast redwoods are blended with Douglas-fir, tanoak, madrone, coast reside oak, and California bay. One notable lightning-scarred, old-growth redwood measures 14 toes throughout with a pure tunnel operating by means of its base, in response to the nonprofit.
Monte Rio Redwoods Growth property in Sonoma County. (Picture: Max Whittaker, courtesy of Save the Redwoods League)
“The opportunity to secure Monte Rio Redwoods Expansion property creates a landscape of contiguous, conserved forest and creek habitat from the coast to the Bohemian Highway,” stated Sam Hodder, president and CEO of Save the Redwoods League. “Expanding public open space in this extraordinary scenic corridor will benefit residents and visitors with new recreational trails through redwood forests and across open meadows with stunning views of the Russian River Valley.”
The nonprofit is in search of $20 million in private and non-private funding for the acquisition, with the remaining $4 million to come back from Save the Redwoods League and companion group Sonoma Land Belief.
