POST Purchases and Permanently Protects Pescadero Ranch

Peninsula Open Space Trust Purchases and Permanently Protects 1,340-acre Pescadero Ranch in Southeastern Santa Cruz County

$15.65 million acquisition secures habitat for endangered species, wildlife connectivity, and preservation of culturally significant landscape

PALO ALTO, Calif. (October 28, 2024) — Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) today announced the purchase of the 1,340-acre Pescadero Ranch for $15.65 million. The property is located along Pescadero Creek at the southeast edge of Santa Cruz County, southwest of Gilroy. It is home to multiple at-risk species and provides critical habitat and wildlife connectivity for the region. Pescadero Ranch is part of a critical landscape linkage between the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Gabilan Range, providing numerous environmental benefits such as watershed protection, carbon sequestration, and scenic beauty to the surrounding communities.

“Pescadero Ranch is a biological and cultural treasure. Its location at the southern terminus of the Santa Cruz Mountains provides core habitat and connections for wildlife moving between mountain ranges to the east and south, which is vital to the biodiversity and climate resilience of our region,” said Walter T. Moore, president of POST. “Additionally, this property is part of the broader Juristac Tribal Cultural Landscape, a uniquely meaningful place that integrates spiritual, cultural, and natural components essential to the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band.”

The Conservation Vision

Pescadero Ranch is part of an ecologically significant landscape for multiple at-risk species. The grassy, oak-dotted hillsides are foraging grounds for golden eagles and northern harriers; the streams, ponds, and wetlands in the valleys are suitable homes to California red-legged frogs, California tiger salamanders, steelhead trout, and may provide habitat for yellow-legged frogs and southwestern pond turtles.

Located at the southern end of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Pescadero Ranch provides important connections for wildlife south to the Gabilan Range through the Aromas Hills and east to the Diablo Range through the Upper Pajaro Valley, facilitating movement for species such as mountain lions and badgers.

As the climate changes, maintaining connected habitats is key to avoiding genetic isolation and the possible local extinction of species in the Santa Cruz Mountains and beyond. Recent research has found that mountain lions in the Santa Cruz Mountains are already largely isolated and at risk for population decline over time.

“Protecting apex predators like mountain lions promotes the health and biodiversity of our local landscape,” said Marian Vernon, wildlife linkages program manager for POST. “Their decline could have cascading impacts on other species, affecting the broader community of plants and animals that make our region unique. It’s essential that we protect and maintain healthy, intact habitats for all our native species.”

Property History

Pescadero Ranch was previously part of the adjacent 5,200-acre Sargent Ranch, which runs east to Highway 101 through Santa Clara County. Both properties are part of the Juristac Cultural Landscape. For thousands of years prior to the arrival of European settlers, Indigenous ancestors of today’s Amah Mutsun Tribal Band lived in, gathered, foraged, and held sacred ceremonies on these lands in the southern foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, above the Pajaro and San Benito rivers. The Tribal Band refers to the area as Juristac (or “Place of the Big Head”), which they believe is the home of a spiritual being known as Kuksui.

In 2020, California native and long-time Bay Area resident Dave Wallace led a team of investors to acquire the Pescadero Ranch property.

“Our initial goal was to develop the property in a way that respected the land while simultaneously pursuing the best economic return. But the more time I spent there, the more it became evident that preservation was the only thoughtful path forward,” said Wallace. “Pescadero Ranch is completely unspoiled. Our group is grateful that POST shared our perspective on how special this land is. Knowing it is permanently preserved leaves us with a great sense of satisfaction and serves as evidence that sometimes the best land development strategy is no development at all.”

POST purchased the Pescadero Ranch property from Wallace’s investment group for $15.65 million. It will retain ownership of the property until it can be transferred to a permanent steward.

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About Peninsula Open Space Trust

POST protects open space on the Peninsula and in the South Bay for the benefit of all. As a private nonprofit land trust, POST has been responsible for saving more than 89,000 acres since its founding in 1977. POST works with private landowners and public agencies to create a network of protected lands so that present and future generations may benefit from the careful balance of rural and urban landscapes that makes our region extraordinary. Visit openspacetrust.org for more information.