Rocks Ranch closing celebration

The ‪@wildlifeconservationboard4859‬ (WCB) recently helped fund a critical linkage between the Santa Cruz and Gabilan Mountains to provide safe passage for mountain lions and other wildlife.

Representatives of WCB, ‪@landtrustsantacruz‬ (LTSCC), ‪@calconservation‬ (DOC), ‪@coastalconservancy2595‬ (SCC), Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, supporters, and elected officials toured the 2,600-acre Rocks Ranch Wildlife Crossing on June 9, 2023. This 4.4-mile-long stretch of intact habitat, located approximately three miles northwest of the city of San Juan Bautista in San Benito County, is now protected from intensified land use, which will help safeguard this critical landscape linkage and conserve important habitat for rare and endangered species.

These habitats include coast live oak woodland, freshwater wetlands, grasslands, extensive riparian woodland, and chaparral. Several important species are supported by these habitats, including deer, golden eagle, and mountain lion, among others. Species of special concern potentially occurring on the property include the burrowing owl, California tiger salamander, and California red legged frog.

On the northern end of Rocks Ranch, a 2.5-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 101 is currently a hot spot for wildlife/vehicle collisions. “This property, by protecting it, creates this anchor point,” said Brian Largay, Conservation Director for LTSCC. “Through collaborating with neighbors and agencies like Caltrans, the vision is to establish a landscape linkage through here with improvements to highway infrastructure and culverts. Caltrans is anticipating potentially [constructing] an overpass at Highway 101 ... collaborating with partners and neighbors to do large scale habitat restoration and create this permeable landscape right at this choke point.”

Caltrans HQ is working with conservation partners to study infrastructure improvements at various locations on the property to facilitate wildlife passage through the highway corridor which currently presents a barrier to wildlife movement. A wildlife undercrossing on State Route 17 at Laurel Curve in the Santa Cruz Mountains was completed in December. Together, the crossings will provide safe passage for mountain lions and other wildlife whose habitats have been increasingly constrained by residential development and highway barriers.

“This project checks all the boxes,” said Rebecca Fris, Acting Executive Director for WCB. “It provides protection of the biodiversity for threatened and endangered species and climate resilience for this region. That’s where WCB has been so good over the years, having the foresight to work with partners on the ground to protect those sensitive areas and allow for linkages across the landscape.”

LTSCC has an open/informal agreement with the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, whose ancestral, unceded territory includes Rocks Ranch, and its Land Trust for cultural access which includes ceremonial, native plant gathering, etc. “Since 1797, our people have not been on this landscape,” said Valentin Lopez, Chairman of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. “Our people were removed from this landscape. This represents a place The Creator gave us, very intently, to steward and take care of.”

Funding for this project came from a combination of sources. The following allocated a combined $17 million: LTSCC ($8 million), DOC ($4 million), WCB ($4 million), and SCC ($1million). The LTSCC is the sole fee title owner of the property.

WCB HONORED:
Rebecca Fris, Acting Executive Director for WCB, was presented a commemorative plaque by Sarah Newkirk, Executive Director for LTSCC, recognizing their support in funding the Rocks Ranch project. “We’re just the funder,” said Fris. “All the work that the partners are doing on the ground is what makes this so special. We appreciate you having us out here.”

For more information about WCB please visit http://wcb.ca.gov