The Mendocino Land Trust is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit and all donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.
The Mission of the Mendocino Land Trust is to conserve important natural resources of Mendocino County. This would include working farmlands, forests, wildlife habitat, open space, scenic vistas, watersheds, and to facilitate public access. The Mendocino Land Trust promotes healthy recreation in natural settings and sustainable experiences for residents and visitors here in Mendocino County. The Mendocino Land Trust provides stewardship and service learning opportunities on land it has conserved.
The Mendocino Land Trust has a conservation approach which includes working with private landowners, government agencies, and community groups to establish ecoregional priorities and strategies for conservation action. Conservation strategies and services range from fee acquisition to conservation easements.
The Mendocino Land Trust controls the Mendocino Bay Overlook. This 1 acre public access easement offers a spectacular view of the village of Mendocino.
History: This is a chronology of significant Mendocino Land Trust dates and accomplishments.
1998: MLT was instrumental in a land swap of Heider Field, a two acre of protected open space in the village of Mendocino, that brought its ownership to State Parks and agreed to manage Heider Field for twenty years.
1992: MLT accepted its first conservation easement of forty acres in the Commisky Creek watershed. Through 2007, the MLT has accepted nine additional conservation easements covering 3,501 acres that are stewarded annually.
1996: MLT became the first non-profit organization in California to open an offer to dedicate coastal access trail to the public at Mendocino Bay Viewpoint.
1998: MLT added its first part-time staff and assisted in the protection of the eight acre Westport Headlands at the request of the Westport Village Society.
1999: MLT purchased Caspar Beach and associated uplands in South Caspar, and has managed the area with the assistance of State Parks, local Caspar residents and the cooperation of the adjacent Caspar RV Park and Campground. The MLT acquired the fifty-five acres of Navarro Point, that offered splendid ocena views across coastal prairie. The MLT opened a second coastal access trail to the public at Cantus Cove in Caspar.
2000: MLT working wit the Caspar Community and the Trust for Public Land acquired the Caspar Headlands and managed the property until it was transferred to to State Parks in May 2002.
2002: MLT with the support of 1,400 donors, acquired7,334 acres of the Big River estuary, and conveyed the property to California State Parks. Glass Beach, the only accessible beach in the city of Fort Bragg, was purchased by California State parks October 2002. The California Coastal Conservancy, with the city of Fort Bragg and the MLT worked for over four years to assemble funding for the purchase of the 38 acre property.
2003: MLT began the Big River Steward, a volunteer group involved in helping State Parks with monitoring and restoration of the Big River State Park.
2004: MLT opened the Belinda Point Trail, thus becoming the leading non-profit manager of coastal access easement of California.
2005: MLT conserved two acres of old growth redwoods and seventeen acres of mature second growth on Ridgewood Ranch in Willits. A Big River Preliminary Plan for management of the Big River property was completed. The Navarro Point Preserve and Scenic Trail was officially opened with parking to facilitate public access. The MLT acquired fifteen coastal access easements and received funding to open them for the California Coastal Conservancy.
2007: MLT purchased a conservation easement covering 1,689 acres of aok woodlands along with four and three quarter miles of fish-bearing streams and seven miles of tributary creeks, a “wet meadow” and a vernal pool at Ridgewood Ranch wit support from the California wildlife Conservation Board; received a donated conservation easement covering twenty five acres in the Salmon Creek watershed in Albion.
2008: The Big River Interpretive Walks program was initiated in May 2008, training twelve volunteer docents to lead free interpretive walks to the public at Big River. The program is designed to educate walk participants on various aspects of Big River, including the estuary, birds and animals, local history, and redwood ecology.
2009: MLT coordinated the 25th Annual California Coastal Cleanup Day (CCD) for Mendocino County, which was a record year for CCD in Mendocino County. Over 450 volunteers picked up over 9,400 pounds of trash and recycling at thirty locations along the Mendocino County Coast and at inland Mendocino County locations. The MLT has coordinated CCD efforts for all of Mendocin oCounty since 2002.
2010: MLT purchased Hare Creek Beach, a 5.6 acre beach in Fort Bragg,for habitat conservation and public access. The MLT will permanently manage the property, will write a management plan in 2010, and will create new, legal public access.
Completed the California Coastal Trail Strategic Report for Mendocino County, which outlines the current state of the California Coastal Trail (CCT) in the county and recommends strategics for creating additional sections of the CCT in the future.
The Belinda Point Trail enables fisherman and abalone divers to access the coast
CurrentProjects:
Ridge Ranch: MLT is currently working with the owners of Ridgewood Ranch to conserve additional portions of the ranch. To date MLT has already conserved 1,722 acres at Ridgewood Ranch, located just south of Willits on Highway 101. The historic home of the racehorse Seabiscuit. The Ranch’s natural attributes include 2,250 acres of oak woodlands, prime farm land and grazing land and five miles of fish-bearing creeks.
South East Mendocino Ranch: The MLT is currently working to establish a conservation easement on a ranch located in the southeastern area of Mendocino County, near the Sonoma County border. The 1,200 acre ranch is composed of oak woodlands and mixed conifer forest.
Gleason Prescott Wildlife Refuge Project: The MLT is currently in the process of establishing a conservation easement, on a 423 acre property near Willits. A former sheep ranch, the property has oak woodlands, hilly with several streams and two beautiful year-round ponds.
South Mendocino County Coastal Ranch: MLT is working with the owner of a 850 acre coastal ranch in south Mendocino County to establish a conservation easement for the property. The ranch is primarily composed of coastal forest.
Mendocino County Coastal Conservation Plan: MLT is implementing the Mendocino County Coastal Conservation Plan that was prepared over a two year span in collaboration with over fifty experts. The plan can serve as a road map for coastal land conservation in Mendocino County for the next decade.
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Birds eye view of the meandering Big River through the redwood forest
Get Involved: With support from people like you, the MLT has been able to protect over 11,000 acres of these important lands. With your help, we can continue our conservation effort, preserving the special lands of Mendocin County for the future.
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