The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County, 6/22/23, Vol. 37

GET TO KNOW YOUR LAND TRUST

THE LAND TRUST FOR SANTA BARBARA COUNTY

In addition to natural beauty, recreation, unique topography, ranching, and prime farming land, Santa Barbara is home to 7 million acres of land, 70 endangered species, 4 distinct ecoregions, and is located within the California Floristic Province, recognized as one of only 36 biodiversity hotspots on the planet.

YOU ARE MAKING IT REAL

On February 14, 2023, the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County sent a Valentine to the people of Santa Barbara County and asked for the community’s help to protect a property on the Gaviota Coast called the Gaviota Overlook.

Thanks to you and your ability to dream bigger, Gaviota Overlook will soon become a reality. The iconic Arroyo Hondo Preserve will be nearly 50 acres larger and will have trails with ocean vistas up and down the Gaviota coast.

Thank you, Santa Barbara County, for your continued help in making the dream of protecting the Gaviota coast a reality.

OUR SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR LEADERSHIP DONORS:

Anonymous (5), Susan and Jim Deacon, James S. Bower Foundation, LaCentra Sumerlin Foundation, Maurie McGuire and Scott Westlotorn, Mithun Family Foundation, Overall Family Foundation, The Santa Barbara Foundation, Judy and Jack Staplemann

Conserves natural resources, agricultural land and open spaces for the benefit of present and future generations.

For You, Your Family, and all the Creatures Who Call this Place Home

When it comes to land conservation, our enjoyment of natural places may be the first thing that comes to mind. But long-term food resiliency, strategic fire buffers, wildlife corridors, and accessibility are equally critical and are in the forefront of the Land Trust’s vision for this county. Together, all these efforts build a more stable economy, protect jobs, slow climate change, and ensure the safety of natural resources like clean water and soil biodiversity.

Sunday, Sept 10th, 2023

LAND TRUST PROGRAMS

The Land Trust seeks to protect land and its inhabitants while sharing, educating, building community, and inspiring thoughtful stewardship of natural resources through a number of programs and events.

• Treks: Guided outdoor activities for people of all ages and abilities

• Experience the beauty of the Arroyo Hondo Preserve. We offer outdoor education for school children and adults, reservations required.

• Seasonal learning opportunities with field experts on relevant topics

• Special membership experiences such as Tarantula migration hikes, farm visits, bird watching, and California Tiger Salamander round-ups

• The Picnic at the Preserve Fundraiser

• Small group gatherings

• Discover Outside: two weeks of exploration, discovery, and delight for the community free of charge

• Community partnerships

FACTS WORTH KNOWING ABOUT YOUR LAND TRUST

The Land Trust of Santa Barbara County currently stewards nearly 32,000 acres in Santa Barbara County.

They include:

• 886 acres in preserves

• 50 conservation properties

• 55 conservation easement properties

• 18 public properties for recreation, learning, and exploration

• Open Land

• Ranches

• Farms

• Mitigation properties

• Wetlands with endangered flora and fauna

Specific properties you may know that the Land Trust helped to protect:

• The Land Trust of Santa Barbara County is sometimes confused with a governmental organization when, in fact, it is a non-profit 501(C)3 organization dependent on your generous support to continue its work.

• The Land Trust has been protecting land in Santa Barbara County for 37 years.

• Accredited by the Land Trust Alliance

• Outdoor Education for children and adults: the Land Trust’s Arroyo Hondo Preserve has welcomed over 100,000 visitors through its outdoor education programs.

• The Arroyo Hondo Preserve and Gaviota Overlook on the Gaviota Coast

• The Carpinteria Salt Marsh

• The Rincon Bluffs Preserve

• The Coronado Butterfly Preserve

• The Carpinteria Bluffs

• Ennisbrook Open Space

• The Midland School Trails

• Carpinteria’s Franklin Trail

• Mackie Mountain

• The Jalama Canyon Ranch (White Buffalo Land Trust)

• The Sedgwick Reserve

MAKING THE PROTECTION OF LAND POSSIBLE

Protecting undeveloped and agricultural land (and the wildlife that inhabits it) is a multifaceted process that often takes years to complete. It requires the concentrated effort of many people with a shared vision — and the Land Trust is the trusted partner for all parties involved in getting this work done.

None of this is possible without public support. Funds raised through unrestricted donations pay for the due diligence and expertise needed to make each unique land transaction possible.

Please consider making a 100% tax deductible gift to the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County today to ensure that we can continue to protect this extraordinary place we call home for future generations.

www.sblandtrust.org

DISCOVER OUTSIDE

Two weeks of discovery, exploration, and delight the public free of charge

Thank

THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS: Patagonia, REI, J.McLaughlin, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company, McConnels Ice-Cream, Apples to Zucchini Cooking School, Santa Barbara Public Libraries, Heal the Ocean, It's the Sweet Stuff, Montecito Landscapes, The Garden Club of Santa Barbara, and others

@sblandtrust.org

WAYS TO BECOME ENGAGED WITH THE LAND TRUST’S WORK

1. GO OUTSIDE: by visiting one of our public preserves for a hike or a stroll with a friend.

2. RENEW YOUR SUPPORT: by making a gift to the Land Trust. The Land Trust puts your taxdeductible gifts straight to work to protect land in Santa Barbara County.

3. DESIGNATE: the Land Trust as the beneficiary of your company’s gift matching program or a micro-donation.

4. LEARN: about the unique nature of our county through our docent or field expert hikes, walks and talks.

5. ATTEND OUR SOCIAL EVENTS: to get to know the Land Trust better and to enjoy the camaraderie of others who care about this place in the same way you do.

6. STOP BY: the farmers and ranchers we support at your local farmer’s markets to buy and sample their goods.

7. TELL OUR STORY: help us spread the word about what we do. Help us make new friends and continue our work by introducing us to new people.

8. CARE: by considering the environment in your daily actions.

9. HIT PAUSE: Take a minute to observe and listen to the nature around you. It could be the birds outside your home window or a Red-Tailed Hawk in the distance. Better yet, take a drive up the Gaviota Coast and appreciate some of California’s last unspoiled coastline. The best marketing the Land Trust could hope for happens when people like you take notice of the natural bounty we are so fortunate to still have in this county and realize why it is worth protecting.

10. GIVE NATURE TO THE NEXT GENERATION: bGive nature to the next generation: by sharing the gift of the great outdoors with young people. Give them the opportunity to explore, discover, and delight in the natural world around them. The benefits they’ll receive from time in nature are endless and, eventually, they’ll become nature’s next stewards.

HOW IT WORKS

Since 1985, The Land Trust has worked with willing landowners, public and private granting agencies, and community organizations to protect, restore and manage open space, wildlife habitat, and agricultural land in Santa Barbara County by:

• Acquiring land and conservation easements through negotiation with willing private property owners, and through charitable donations.

• Creating conservation plans, restoration projects and incentives for landowners. Raising private donations and grants from government foundations and corporations to support land conservation.

• Promoting the preservation, stewardship, and restoration of wildlife habitat and watershed resources on the land we protect.

• Educating children and adults about ecology, agriculture, and conservation through programs and events at Land Trust preserves. To date, the Land Trust has protected over 31,890 acres of land and counting.