SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Endangered Habitats Conservancy (EHC), a nonprofit conservation organization, has partnered with the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (Department) to conserve the 955-acre Montecito Ranch near Ramona, California.
The Office of the Secretary of Defense contributed $9 million, through the U.S. Department of Defense’s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) program, on behalf of Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, to help conserve the property.
With this contribution, the Department of the Navy purchased a 715-acre restrictive use conservation easement, which covers a substantial portion of the ranch. The Service and WCB contributed $9 million in leveraged funding to complete the purchase. The Department will help develop restoration plans for the property and oversee its long-term management.
In addition to protecting threatened and endangered species, such as the coastal California gnatcatcher, golden eagle and Stephens’ kangaroo rat, this conservation effort will enhance connections between conserved open space and help protect the area’s unique vernal pools.
Montecito Ranch has a special history extending back to the late 19th century and was once owned by actor James Cagney.
This partnership preserves California’s natural heritage and sensitive biological resources while facilitating training to support military readiness at Camp Pendleton.
About the Endangered Habitats Conservancy
The Endangered Habitats Conservancy (EHC) is a 501c(3) nonprofit organization based in San Diego, California. The mission of the Endangered Habitats Conservancy is to acquire, manage, monitor and maintain land in California for habitat protection and restoration, agricultural preservation, and other conservation purposes. Incorporated in 2005, EHC currently manages 8,000 acres of conserved open space lands. Since 2007 EHC has processed and completed $65 million in open space land purchases using federal, state and regional grant funds for habitat conservation.
