The Big Sur Land Trust announced today the acquisition of the 816-acre Marks Ranch in Salinas, California. In 2004, The Land Trust (BSLT) secured a 3-year option to purchase the property. Since that time, BSLT has been leading a community driven effort to purchase Marks Ranch and create a vision for the property that reflected the needs of the Salinas community and preserved the intention of Herman Marks.

The Marks Ranch community park project has a $5.4 million price tag. The $4.75 million purchase price represents the most significant component of the acquisition project. The Big Sur Land Trust has secured interim financing from an anonymous source to complete the acquisition as they continue to raise private and public funds to ensure permanent protection of the ranch.

“The Marks Ranch project reflects the new vision and values of The Big Sur Land Trust,” stated Bill Leahy, Executive Director of he Big Sur Land Trust. “By helping create opportunities to get people outdoors, connect with the land and celebrate agricultural pioneers in Salinas, we will reach important conservation goals.”

“Marks Ranch offers a unique location for our community to enjoy recreation and education programs; to be healthy and enjoy the natural beauty that makes the Salinas Valley so special,” commented Basil Mills, Co-Chair of the Marks Ranch advisory Committee, “I am so happy to know that my grandchildren and great-grandchildren will get to enjoy Marks Ranch. I think Herman Marks would be proud of he Big Sur Land Trust’s efforts.”

Diverse natural features and the agricultural history of Marks Ranch allow the property to serve as a neighborhood park, a wildlands area, an important wildlife corridor, a historic landmark and a cultural resource. The opportunity to expand Toro County Park and provide a location for community serving organizations to offer a wide range of education and recreation programs motivated The Land Trust to embark on the Marks Ranch community park project.

“Marks Ranch will be a terrific addition to Toro County Park,” commented John Pinio, County Parks Director. “Anybody who visits Toro Park on the weekends knows that the ball fields and picnic areas are overextended on a regular basis. County Parks looks forward to the Land Trust being successful in raising the funds to complete the project. It will allow us to work with a diverse group of partners and offer exciting education and public park experiences to County residents.”

Connecting Salinas Valley youth to their local landscape is an important goal of the Marks Ranch community park project. The Big Sur Land Trust quickly recognized the value of engaging partners with expertise in youth and environmental education programs in the project. After school and summer camp programs offered by The Ventana Wildlife Society (VWS) at Marks Ranch for the past two years helped assess the feasibility of these types of programs on the property. The program has been highly successful VWS will continue to expand programs at Marks Ranch. Slots for this summer’s camp program are still available.

“When kids from Salinas get to the Marks Ranch overlook and see their homes in the same view of the ocean, it’s an entirely new perspective. Unlike Big Sur, Marks Ranch is a wilderness area in their backyard. It means a lot more to them,” commented Kelly Sorenson, Executive Director of The Ventana Wildlife Society.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County (BGCMC) is also participating in this project. BSLT is thrilled about the possibility to sign on BGCMC as a lead partner in this project.

“When I got to the ranch I could envision an amazing place where children and families could learn about their community and their environment,” stated Donna Ferraro, President/CEO of BGCMC. “Many of our children don’t have that opportunity. They live in overcrowded areas like Alisal, which is more densely populated than Manhattan. There are safety issues, health issues, and a significant lack of parkland.”

The Land Trust hopes to enlist many more partners in this project and envisions an ongoing opportunity for education programs in the areas of history, agriculture, and the arts to take advantage of Marks Ranch as a venue.

Located just 3.6 miles from the heart of Salinas, the Marks Ranch property features a classic Steinbeck country landscape – gently rolling hills dotted with coastal live oaks, open meadows bursting with spring wildflowers, dense grasslands and majestic sycamores.

Herman Marks was the last family member to own Marks Ranch. Herman Marks donated the property to St. John’s College, based in Annapolis, Maryland, to build a west coast campus at Marks Ranch. He left specific instructions to make sure the last piece of the Marks Family legacy remained in its natural state and offered educational programs.

“Herman Marks had a wonderful vision for this land,” said Chris Nelson, President of St. John’s College. “When we determined that it was not feasible for St. John’s College to build on this site, we were very happy to work with The Big Sur Land Trust to see that the property could be preserved as Mr. Marks would have wanted. We are pleased to contribute to the protection of such a valuable asset for the local community.”

In 1890, Salinas Valley pioneers, Benjamin and Nisene Marks, purchased a 2000-acre property which includes the tract now known as Marks Ranch. Shortly after they settled, Benjamin Marks passed away. Nisene rose to the challenge by raising their four children and creating one of the largest egg ranches in California during the first half of the 20th century, all on her own. With that success, Nisene’s children became philanthropic pioneers by donating nearly 11,000 acres for public parkland throughout Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. In fact, they donated 1200 acres of their homestead ranch to create Toro County Park. Marks Ranch represents the final piece in a legacy of parkland donated by the Marks Family.

Through the purchase of Marks Ranch, BSLT has taken an important step in protecting a wonderful community asset. The Trust is committed to raising the entire $5.4 million in order to carry out the vision for Marks Ranch in a manner that offers the greatest benefit to all members of our local community.

“The Big Sur Land Trust has done a great thing for Salinas by preserving the opportunity to protect Marks Ranch,” stated Leon Panetta, Co-chair of the Marks Ranch advisory committee. “We must act now to protect this California treasure forever and complete the vision for the property.”