Big Sur Land Trust Begins Construction of Ensen Community Park

Starting with 6-acre traditional park at the 73-acre site in the center of Salinas SALINAS, CA — Big Sur Land Trust has begun the first stage of construction on Ensen Community Park, a new park in the center of Salinas. Located at the Land Trust’s 73-acre site at Carr Lake, this 6-acre traditional park will include amenities such as a children’s playground, … Read More

Great news for the Ensen Community Park and CR FREE projects!

This week has been full of great news for Big Sur Land Trust projects! We’re so excited and grateful that on March 19 the Salinas City Council unanimously approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City and Big Sur Land Trust regarding the long-term ownership and care of the future Ensen Community Park at Carr Lake! Special thanks to … Read More

A name has been chosen for the future park in Salinas!

After an extensive community-based process that began in July 2023, we are excited to reveal that the name of the future park in the center of Salinas is Ensen Community Park! “Ensen” is an Indigenous word which means blackberry. The name was suggested by Louise J. Miranda Ramirez, Tribal Chairwoman of the Ohlone/Costanoan-Esselen Nation (OCEN). Blackberries were an important food … Read More

Race for Open Space Trail Highlight + More Events

A Closer Look at the Race for Open Space 35k+ Though there’s an event for everyone, the 35k+ trail run is the longest, most challenging offering of our 2024 Race for Open Space courses, boasting 5400’ of cumulative ascent! Not for the faint of heart, the Lunch Bench Lollipop is a stunning, full tour of Palo Corona Regional Park’s backcountry … Read More

New Marks Ranch Interactive Story Map + Post-Storm Update

As we celebrate our 46th anniversary this month, we’re reflecting on the many stories of the lands we all love throughout Monterey County. We are excited to share  “A Corridor of Change,” an interactive story map about the ecology and history of Big Sur Land Trust’s conserved property at Marks Ranch in Salinas. In 2023, students from the Middlebury Social … Read More

Reminder! Join our FREE “You Make It Possible” Virtual Event

Please join Jeannette Tuitele-Lewis, President and CEO and our staff on Wednesday, January 24 for a virtual celebration of all you made possible in 2023 and a look forward to the exciting actions we have planned for 2024. Sign up for the 9:00am PT Zoom meeting now! (If you tried before and saw that tickets were sold out, we’ve fixed … Read More

Thankuary gratitude event + Race for Open Space registration is live + Guided hikes

January is “Thankuary” at Big Sur Land Trust! As we continue to celebrate 45 years of conserving and caring for the lands we all love throughout Monterey County, we want you to know that your generosity is reflected in everything we do. We appreciate your help in protecting oak woodlands, forests, grasslands, water sources, and more habitats that are crucial … Read More

Help us select the name for our 73-acre park project in Salinas

Here’s your opportunity to help us select the final name for our park project in Salinas! In late summer 2023, the community submitted ideas for naming Big Sur Land Trust’s 73-acre park project at Carr Lake in Salinas. A naming committee made up of local residents and community leaders have considered all the submitted names and selected three names to … Read More