On April 19, the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County completed an $18.4 million conservation easement for the preservation of 27,000 acres of Camatta Ranch.
Home to endangered animals, flora, fauna, and the Morrison Family who live there, the 32,000-acre ranch will now continue to support wildlife for generations to come.
Kaila Dettman, Executive Director of the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County, said she and her staff worked on the $18.4 million conservation easement to allow the family to retain the land under the condition it will not be developed.
“We like to focus on these large tracts of land where we can protect a lot of really important wildlife, habitat and water resources,” Dettman said. “This property, in particular, it was this thriving agricultural operation. It is a critical wildlife corridor, not just for animals to be able to travel from the Carrizo Plain to our coastal mountains, but for the entire state of California and even all the way down to Mexico.”
Had the Conservancy not stepped in, the Morrison family could have lost part of their land.
“This ranch was actually under imminent threat of being divided. The proceeds from the conservation easement enabled the family to buy out other family members and keep the whole ranch together,” Dettman said.
The easement ensured they could continue their daily operations caring for livestock and offering tours to the public, since it doesn’t involve altering the land.
Co-owner of Camatta Ranch, Felicia Morrison, shared what keeping the ranch together means for her family.
“They gave us the opportunity to preserve it in perpetuity. We are retiring development rights so that we'll never and no one will ever be able to develop," Morrison said.
Instead, their family and the wildlife that live there can continue to use the land.
“We're not gaining anything for ourselves, but we're saving it for future generations, for other people to enjoy, and the animals and all the wildlife that's out here,” Morrison said.
Some of the wildlife found on the ranch include mountain lions, black bears, burrowing owls, and golden eagles.
You can find more information on Camatta Ranch and their public tours, called Lazy Arrow Adventures, here.
