On April 22, the County Board of Supervisors, acting as the Board of Directors of the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, approved the purchase of a conservation easement over the 160-acre Quailbrook Ranch on Sonoma Mountain for a price of $1,600,000. This important acquisition fulfills several of the District’s goals, including preserving a scenic view shed, protecting natural resources, and providing increased public recreational opportunities.
"It is fitting that approval of this exciting acquisition occurred on Earth Day. Protection of the Quailbrook Ranch provides multiple public benefits by preserving important scenic and biotic resources, while enhancing recreational access on Sonoma Mountain,” commented First District Supervisor Valerie Brown. “I greatly appreciate the landowners’ desire to negotiate a conservation easement to permanently protect this significant property,” added Supervisor Brown.
The Quailbrook Ranch property is located on the north slope of Sonoma Mountain, adjacent to the Jacobs Ranch and Cooke Ranch, both District protected properties. The conservation easement designates the northern 80 acres of Quailbrook Ranch as “Forever Wild” to protect the site’s extensive oak woodland and other biotic resources, with the southern 80 acres remaining agricultural and residential. A proposed trail corridor traverses the northern part of the property that will ultimately connect to Jack London State Historic Park. Future trail connections could also link the Quailbrook Trail to Crane Creek Regional Park.
The County Board of Supervisors, acting as the Board of Directors of the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District (District), today approved a management plan and joint operating agreement between the District and the City of Healdsburg that will open 152-acres of ridgetop open space northeast of Healdsburg to public use this fall.
“This is an exciting new partnership made possible by voter-approval of Measure F in November 2006,” said Paul Kelley, 4th District Supervisor, “this plan ensures ongoing management and stewardship of Healdsburg Ridge and allows for public access to an amazing open space amenity so close to the City.”
Since July 1996, the District has been preserving open space along the prominent ridgeline north of Healdsburg near Parkland Farms. With voter approval of Measure F in November 2006, limited sales tax funding is now available for management and public access on District purchased recreational land. The Healdsburg Ridge Open Space Preserve includes oak woodlands, serpentine chaparral, rare plants, wetlands, forests, and a local water feature, Fox Pond. The management plan for the property recommends low-intensity public recreational uses, which will allow the public to enjoy the land while avoiding impacts to sensitive natural resources. Existing trails will be improved and new trails constructed. Trail maintenance and local volunteer patrols will be provided through a partnership with LandPaths, a non-profit that works to connect local communities to protected open space lands. After an initial start-up period of 5 years for trail construction and improvements to the preserve, title will be transferred to the City and the District will hold a conservation easement on the property. The formal opening of the Preserve is planned for September 2008.
