STORIES FROM THE WILDLANDS CONSERVANCY
Opening New Lands to the Public, the Right Way
At The Wildlands Conservancy, we believe the best way to protect nature is to ensure people can experience it — with love, thoughtfulness, and a commitment to its long-term care.
This belief guides everything we do as we work to provide well-managed, free public access to the lands we’ve conserved. That’s why we’re preparing to open four new preserves to the public: Estero Americano Coast Preserve, Eel River Canyon Preserve, Rana Creek Preserve, and Enchanted Rocks Preserve. These extraordinary places — rugged canyons, desert mesas, quiet estuaries, and sublime interior ecosystems — have long been off-limits, but soon they’ll be open to all. As we prepare these landscapes for free access, we’re doing it the right way: with community, care, and stewardship.
Eastern Sierra Nevada Region Expansion
Wildlands established its first nature preserve in the Eastern Sierra Nevada back in 2015. This initial acquisition protected 150 acres of land at the confluence of the West Walker and LIttle Walker River in northern Mono County from being subdivided and developed into multiple seasonal vacation homes. In August 2023, The Wildlands Conservancy expanded this property by acquiring the neighboring 2,333-acre Bently Family Junction Ranch, expanding Two Rivers Preserve to 2,483 acres.
Grant Funding Approved for Public Access Improvements at Seawood Cape Preserve
Earlier this year, Wildlands proposed the Seawood Cape Preserve Public Access Improvements Planning Project to the California State Coastal Conservancy — a government organization and long-time partner that awards grants for projects that restore and protect the California coast, expand public access to it, and enhance its resilience to climate change. We are pleased to announce the proposed Planning Project for Seawood Cape Preserve has been approved!