Duncan Ranch Another Piece of the Puzzle Protected

Ancient oak, bay laurel, and buckeye trees decorate the expansive grasslands of the 539-acre Duncan Ranch east of Tomales. Each bend and twist in this gentle landscape provides a unique microclimate for native plants and the wild and domestic life they sustain. It is a rugged western ranch that looks and feels much as it has for decades.

In March of this year we protected this ranch with an agricultural conservation easement, ensuring the landscape is protected from development and that it remains in agricultural production in perpetuity. Our success in safeguarding this ranch would not have been possible without the support and commitment of our generous donors. The future of this working landscape is secured thanks to your continued belief in MALT’s mission.

Protecting this ranch builds upon a block of more than 10,000 acres of contiguous MALT-protected land, stretching from the Marin-Sonoma county border to the mouth of Tomales Bay. Large areas of connected habitat like these are vital for the preservation of local biodiversity as they provide the habitat both flora and fauna need to move, colonize, and find what they need to survive — it’s the room to roam.

Bolstering our landscape’s health and connectivity is increasingly important as the climate continues to change and life is forced to move, migrate, and adapt to new conditions. With each acre we protect, we help secure another key piece of the puzzle in Marin’s growing network of protected lands. There has never been a more important time for MALT’s land preservation and stewardship efforts to thrive. (Cont. on pg. 7)