Spring Newsletter, MALT - 2022

Measure A Plays an Important Role in Marin’s Sustainable Agriculture

In 2012, Marin County residents voted overwhelmingly to approve Measure A, a quarter-cent sales tax dedicated to protecting the parks, open spaces, and farmland that make Marin an extraordinary place to live, work, and play. In June 2022, county voters will have the chance to renew the measure.

At MALT, we strongly support renewal because we’ve seen first-hand how this funding tool has benefitted Marin. From the start, 20% of Measure A funds have been devoted to protecting agricultural lands, primarily by helping to purchase agricultural conservation easements. These easements permanently protect agricultural land for agricultural use and preserve open spaces, while enabling Marin farmers and ranchers to keep working the land.

To date, MALT has leveraged nearly $13.3 million in Measure A funds toward 11 agricultural conservation easements,

permanently protecting almost 6,700 acres of farm and ranch land. Measure A is a great example of a public/private partnership that has doubled the value of private donations and increased the pace of protection.

Preserving agricultural land helps prevent large-scale development, with its increased traffic, fire risk, pollution, and loss of precious natural and scenic values. Well-tended agricultural land boosts the local economy through employment, production of food and fiber products, and tax revenues. And it improves the ecological health of the region through greater biodiversity, carbon sequestration, stream and creek rehabilitation, and wildfire protection.

Measure A is one way for county residents to contribute directly to our shared vision for a healthy Marin. See page 2 of this newsletter to find out how you can support Measure A.

Seeing Measure A Funds at Work in the Real World

Stanley Martinelli Ranch—Overlooking Tomales Bay, the historic 602-acre ranch has supported cattle ranching for more than 120 years.

Evans Nicasio Ranch—Owned by sisters Dolores Evans and Darlene Giacomini, the 998-acre ranch grazes a beef herd.

Furlong Ranch—Off Highway 1 overlooking Tomales Bay, the 609-acre ecologically diverse property grazes sheep and cattle.

Since 2014, Measure A funding contributed to the purchase of agricultural conservation easements on 11 properties.

Thacher Ranch—The secluded ranch, known locally as Rocky Canyon Ranch, grazes cattle and sheep on 623 acres.

Fallon Ranch—Owner Scott Murphy consistently improves his 186 acres of leased organic farmland and pasture.

Gallagher North Bend Ranch—Its 330 acres combine open grassland, flat and fertile farmland, and a shady forest.

Wilson Hill Road Ranch—Ten minutes from Petaluma, the picturesque 491-acre ranch grazes beef and dairy cattle.

Bianchini Ranch—Owners John and Karen (Bianchini) Taylor continually improve the health of their 705 acres, home to Bivalve Dairy.

McIsaac Ranch—A MALT easement saved the 527-acre ranch, which has supported dairy operations since 1881.

Millerton Creek Ranch—Andrew Zlot of buffalo-milk Double 8 Dairy and Mike Giammona, producer of grass-fed beef and pasture-laid eggs, co-own the 862-acres.

Ielmorini Back Ranch—Supporting a family dairy, the 758-acre ranch offers stunning 360-degree views of West Marin and the Bay Area.

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Black Mountain Ranch Enters an Innovative New Chapter

There’s a lot of history—and a promising future—around Black Mountain. The iconic peak, also known as Elephant Mountain, is one of the most recognizable landmarks in West Marin. Originally part of sprawling Rancho Nicasio in central Marin, the land was purchased in 1851 by James Black, one of the richest people in Marin. He led a colorful life filled with drama and intrigue.

His namesake ranch was sold off in bits and pieces over the years until the last piece—today’s Black Mountain Ranch— was sold in 1975. The current owner, Marcel Houtzager, purchased it in April 2021. He’s overseeing an innovative new era for this historic land, which has been protected by a MALT agricultural conservation easement since 1993.

Marcel’s long-time support of agriculture in West Marin, including of MALT, has helped formulate his vision of the property as home to a community of forward-thinking tenant farmers and ranchers.

“Implementing regenerative and climate-friendly practices requires infrastructure investment—and that’s where I can help. Black Mountain Ranch’s tenants are all acknowledged leaders in their specialties, and it’s humbling to witness up close the depth of their expertise and their relentless effort. My role is limited and simple: try to make sure we have water, power, roads, and buildings so the tenants can work their magic.”

–Marcel Houtzager

NOTABLE BLACK MOUNTAIN RANCH TENANTS INCLUDE:

FIBERSHED

Led by Rebecca Burgess, Fibershed, which recently moved its headquarters to Black Mountain Ranch, develops regional fiber systems that build the health of soils and the biosphere. Fibershed promotes strategic grazing, conservation tillage, and other scientifically vetted soil-enhancing practices within fiber-producing communities—with the goal of creating a new standard of climate-beneficial clothing.

STEMPLE CREEK RANCH

Owners Loren and Lisa Poncia lease pastureland at Black Mountain Ranch. Devotees of sustainable ranching practices, the Poncias are known across the state and country for their carbon farming practices and for the high-quality beef they sell to restaurants, grocers, and direct to consumers.

LITTLE WING FARM

Molly Myerson’s farm on Black Mountain Ranch, run by an all-female team, produces vibrant, seasonal produce as well as fresh flowers and quail eggs, sold at her roadside farm stand on the ranch property. A recent addition to the MALT board of directors, Molly is a land steward at heart, partnering with MALT to improve her water sources and tending to the soil in her gardens with meticulous care.

Why MALT Cares About Carbon Farming

some examples of carbon farming practices that ranchers are using.

Q: Are there any direct benefits to ranchers and farmers?

A: Carbon farming and other climate-beneficial practices create healthier soils, which retain more moisture— important for supporting nutrient-rich crops, reducing water requirements, and providing some wildfire protection—and can measurably increase the productivity of agricultural land.

Q: How many ranchers on MALT-protected land are engaged in carbon farming?

Carbon farming in Marin County got a big boost in January 2022 when the Marin Resource Conservation District (Marin RCD), in collaboration with MALT and several other local agencies, was awarded a $1 million grant from the California State Coastal Conservancy to plan and implement local carbon farming projects. For the Marin RCD, the grant “marks a new era for agriculture in West Marin,” said Executive Director Nancy Scolari.

MALT, which along with the Marin RCD is a founding member of the Marin Carbon Project (MCP) consortium, supports carbon farming practices on properties protected by MALT agricultural conservation easements.

We spoke with Ladi Asgill, MALT’s Director of Science and Regenerative Agriculture, to find out more about carbon farming and the role of MALT and our partners in Marin.

Q: What exactly is carbon farming?

A: Carbon farming refers to practices that take carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere—from burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and other means—and sequester the carbon, or return it back into the soil and vegetation. Carbon farming is one way that agricultural practices can help counteract the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Q: What are some examples of carbon farming practices?

A: Not tilling the soil, planting a cover crop, rotational grazing, spreading compost, and the use of biodigesters are

A: A dozen West Marin properties protected by MALT easements have carbon farming plans in place, including 11 of the 19 under the Marin RCD’s Carbon Farm Plan program. Those dozen landowners are in various stages of implementing carbon farming practices.

Q: How is MALT involved?

A: We provide education and technical support via our stewardship programs. Through our Stewardship Assistance Program (SAP), we can connect ranchers interested in implementing carbon farming practices with our partners who can provide access to the resources needed to get started and to follow through on their carbon farming plans.

MALT’s DRAWS Initiative Continues to Boost Local Water Security

In response to historic drought conditions in Marin County and throughout California, MALT launched our Drought Resilience and Water Security (DRAWS) initiative in April 2021, kickstarted with a $250,000 investment from our generous donors and supplemented by an additional $250,000 in June 2021.

DRAWS, an extension of our Stewardship Assistance Program (SAP), has been a huge success. Grants to Marin ranchers and farmers—whether or not they own land protected by a MALT agricultural conservation easement—have provided much-needed emergency drought relief.

DRAWS projects are also laying the groundwork for greater long-term water security throughout the county. Recent rains notwithstanding, years of low rainfall are an inevitable part of our future.

Among the 40 projects approved for DRAWS projects, 28 have been completed so far—cumulatively resulting in:

developed or re-developed springs

water distribution projects that expand and connect water systems across a ranch—often with pumps and piping, but sometimes also with gravity new water pumps, most of them solar-powered livestock water troughs

water storage tanks on 22 ranches, increasing total storage capacity by 131,850 gallons new electrical power system for a previously unproductive well water filtration system set of gutters for a rain catchment system

Nearly 50,000 feet (almost 10 miles!) of piping

• On the 600-acre MALT-protected Lanatti Ranch in Chileno Valley, owner David Lanatti installed storage tanks and piping to redevelop existing springs and transport spring water to a crucial stock pond, which animals relied on and which had nearly dried up.

• The 208-acre Leiss Ranch, protected by a MALT easement, allowed owners Nancy Chaffin and Betty Nunes to replace existing, aging pipe to increase water efficiency and long-term water security.

• On Twister Hill Ranch, 182 acres of land not protected by a MALT easement, owners Bruce and Marcia McGlochlin added storage tanks, troughs, and piping for a pump, to address short-term and long-term water security issues.

Noteworthy examples of Marin ranchers and farmers who have benefitted from the DRAWS initiative:

A Spotlight on Our Donors

MALT depends on our community to fulfill our mission to permanently protect Marin’s agricultural land for agricultural use. We appreciate everyone who supports our efforts, in whatever ways are possible. Some, like Ken and Christina Waldeck, are able to make significant, lifetime gifts to support our work, while members of our Legacy Giving Circle, like Peggy Skornia, defer gifts to be received by MALT upon their passing.

Ken and Christina Waldeck: Believing in MALT’s Mission

For more than 20 years, Ken and Christina Waldeck have brought upbeat, infectious enthusiasm to their support for MALT, as major donors and active volunteers.

It all began in 1997 when Christina was attending a 22-week Environmental Forum of Marin (EFM) program. During a course taught by Phyllis Faber, a co-founder of both MALT and EFM, Phyllis took the students on a daylong field trip to the Straus Family Dairy, where MALT’s other co-founder, Ellen Straus, “had coffee and homemade pie waiting for 40 people,” Christina said.

After spending the day at the dairy, learning about MALT from its two founders, Christina was sold. Ken, who had

taken the EFM course the previous year, was already sold. “We live in Marin, we love where we live, and we believe deeply in the mission of MALT and want to see it continue in perpetuity,” Ken said.

Christina, an amateur musician who emcees and sings at charity events, and Ken, retired from his private dental practice, added MALT to the local environmental and arts organizations they support as donors and volunteers. They also included MALT—“one of a very few, close-to-ourhearts recipients,” said Ken—to their trust.

“MALT has made it feasible for farms to exist in Marin County, and we want to invest in the ability to maintain those farms,” said Christina. “MALT and the farmers do the hard work. We’re here to serve as best we can.”

To learn more about the many ways you can support MALT’s work, visit malt.org/ways-to-give

Peggy Skornia and her husband, Tom, were in love with each other and with Marin County, where they had a second home in Inverness. When the Silicon Valley couple learned in 2002 of our mission to protect the Marin agricultural land they cherished, they added MALT to the long list of Bay Area non-profits they generously supported. After Peggy lost Tom, “the love of my life,” to cancer in 2005, she continued to give her time and money to local causes.

In 2007, Peggy underwrote and hosted a reception showcasing the West Marin art she had collected over the years, with proceeds from the sales contributed to MALT. Through Peggy’s creativity and love of art, she introduced many new MALT supporters to the organization.

Peggy became a member of MALT’s Legacy Giving Circle in 2009. In December 2021, a year after she passed away, MALT gratefully received her $1 million bequest. Learn more about supporting MALT’s work and mission through our Legacy Giving Circle at malt.org/legacy, or contact Marcella Brawley at (415) 663-1158 ext. 318 or mbrawley@malt.org.

Peggy Skornia: Legacy Bequest of $1 Million

Partner Spotlights

MALT exists within a fabric of organizations focused on creating and sustaining a healthy, vibrant agricultural community for the benefit of everyone in Marin County, and beyond. Together, we apply our complementary skills and resources— our individual ‘superpowers’—toward achieving common goals. Meet two of MALT’s valued partners.

Marin Resource Conservation District (Marin RCD), Nancy Scolari, Executive Director

Executive Director Nancy Scolari has seen the partnership with MALT grow during her 23 years with the Marin Resource Conservation

District (Marin RCD). Now that MALT has established an entire stewardship team, “our organizations interact on nearly a daily basis,” Nancy said.

The Marin RCD, established in 1959, manages stewardship programs in the county. Working with agricultural

landowners at their request, the Marin RCD offers technical assistance and administers grants for conservation projects that focus on biodiversity, carbon farming, watershed conservation, riparian habitat restoration, and drought assistance.

MALT and the Marin RCD play synergistic roles on numerous projects, such as working together toward the agriculture-related goals laid out in the Marin Climate Action Plan, collaborating to secure the recent $1 million West Marin carbon farming grant from the California Coastal Conservancy, and helping local ranchers and farmers complete projects that enhance the health and productivity of their lands.

“The Marin RCD, MALT, and our other partners all share the same goal of having a huge collective impact on Marin agriculture and the land itself.” –Nancy Scolari

Another close partner of MALT, the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Marin County office provides science-based solutions for Marin’s communities, farms, and environment. David Lewis, Director of the Marin UCCE office, sees UCCE and MALT as important parts of the fabric of organizations devoted to supporting Marin’s farm and ranch lands.

UCCE’s applied science programs operate thanks to a remarkable blending of Marin County government, University of California, federal government, and private funds. “Our mission is to connect local government agencies with technical academic university research and education,” David explains.

MALT and UCCE have worked together on numerous projects over the years, from weed management and livestock pond water use monitoring on local ranches to programs that are part of the Marin Carbon Project—of which MALT, UCCE, and the Marin RCD are all founding members.

“Marin is a unique place, and we’re so fortunate to have the range of partner organizations and an agricultural community itself that really pushes us all to innovate and strive to find that next horizon of agricultural and environmental health.” –David Lewis

University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE), David Lewis, Director, Marin County

Post Office Box 809

Point Reyes Station California 94956

Protect farmland. Join our Monthly Giving Circle.

Monthly giving is an easy way to make an even bigger difference. Your gift sustains the long-term work that leads to permanent protection and innovative stewardship of farms and ranches in Marin.

With as little as $10 per month, join a select group of caring people who are making the most impact with their giving. And it’s convenient: Your credit card is billed automatically, and you can cancel at any time.

Begin your monthly gift today by calling MALT Development Coordinator Harriet Lehman at 415-663-1158 ext. 309 or visiting malt.org/monthly-giving

“I have been giving monthly for 17+ years because I know firsthand that reliable funding is critical for MALT to do its land-saving work.” –Bob Berner, Dillon Beach, Former MALT Executive Director and Monthly Giving Circle Member

Marin Agricultural Land Trust is a member-supported, nonprofit organization created in 1980 to protect Marin County farmland. Some of the Bay Area’s most highly acclaimed meats, dairy products and organic crops are produced on farmland protected by MALT's 91 agricultural conservation easements, totaling more than 54,000 acres.

To learn about Marin’s working farms and ranches and the food they produce, visit malt.org

MALT news is published quarterly by Marin Agricultural Land Trust, a nonprofit tax-exempt organization.

Editor: Martell Communications

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Photos: malt.org/photo-credits

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