The Big Sur Land Trust is pleased to announce it has purchased the 32-acre Moo Land property adjacent to Garland Park in Carmel Valley, California. Moo Land is a critical link in the Carmel River Parkway, and its conservation provides a safe neighborhood park for children as well as protection of clean drinking water and natural areas.

The Big Sur Land Trust secured a grant of $1.9 million towards the acquisition and restoration of Moo Land from the voter-approved Proposition 50 California River Parkways Grant Program of the Resources Agency. The total project cost is over $2.3 million.

Moo Land is a riverfront property on the Carmel River, providing a natural area for children and families to hike, picnic, and experience nature. Conservation of Moo Land helps to ensure clean drinking water for people and natural areas for wildlife such as songbirds, steelhead trout and pond turtles.

“Our goal is to add Moo Land to Garland Ranch Regional Park”, commented Susanna Danner, Conservation Project Manager with The Big Sur Land Trust. “Without Moo Land in protected ownership, three trails in Garland Park and the seasonal bridge to the Little League Park were severed. Now, safe neighborhood access to our parkland is permanently protected.”

The Big Sur Land Trust purchased Moo Land from the descendents of the de Dampierre family in Carmel Valley. Genevieve de Dampierre was an early benefactor of Garland Ranch Regional Park, donating ~500 acres and the Little League Park to the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District. Moo Land – so named when Genevieve’s small children could not pronounce “Mom”, and created the nickname “Moo” – was the last portion of the de Dampierre ownership along Carmel River.

Moo Land is an inholding in Garland Ranch Regional Park, immediately adjacent to the Carmel Valley Trail and Saddle Club. Historically, Moo Land was leased by MPRPD and most users assumed Moo Land was part of Garland Park. Public access to Moo Land was restricted when the property was placed on the real estate market. This access restriction blocked the previously continuous Carmel River Trail through Garland Park and use of a seasonal bridge over the river to the Little League Park.

The Big Sur Land Trust will restore three acres of degraded floodplain with native trees and flowering shrubs to improve conditions for birds and fish. Walking, hiking and equestrian trails will be restored and benches and picnic tables will help families and visitors to enjoy the neighborhood park.

Moo Land is a community asset and a fitting finale to the de Dampierre family’s long philanthropic history in Carmel Valley. With the acquisition by The Big Sur Land Trust, public access to Moo Land has been restored. Restoration and revegetation work begins this winter, with a neighborhood celebration of the project planned for spring 2007.

The goal of The Big Sur Land Trust’s program in the Carmel River Valley is to:

• Facilitate the Carmel River Parkway, a 16-mile river trail system envisioned for the Carmel River Valley with areas to learn about the natural history, cultural stories and communities of Carmel Valley.
• Partner with other resource agencies in the watershed to restore critical functions of the watershed including riparian and aquatic habitat for fish and wildlife and floodplain areas for relieving flood pressures.
• Collaborate with residents and the community to protect and conserve important lands in the watershed to sustain natural areas, floodplain protection, and working farms and ranches for future generations.

Founded in 1978, The Big Sur Land Trust is a public benefit organization with more than 2,400 members and supporters. The Land Trust works to conserve the significant lands and waters of California’s Central Coast for all generations and has protected more than 25,000 acres of land since its inception. For more information, visit www.bigsurlandtrust.org.