John Muir Land Trust Announces Successful Franklin Ridge Expansion
2024年7月12日 - 10:00PM
ビジネスワイヤ(英語)
Campaign Raises $6.5 Million to Acquire Two Properties and Add
234 Acres to Vital Wildlife Corridor in Contra Costa County
John Muir Land Trust (JMLT, jmlt.org) announces the successful
completion of fundraising for the Campaign to Expand Franklin
Ridge. Receiving donations from thousands of supporters across the
region, JMLT raised the $6.5 million needed to acquire and
permanently protect 100-acre Kenneth Gerlack Preserve and 134-acre
Barnett Ranch. These pristine acres will be added to the Franklin
Ridge Wildlife and Trail Corridor, a beautiful natural landscape
southwest of downtown Martinez that is a vital refuge for native
wildlife and a treasured recreational haven for outdoor
enthusiasts. In an era of global climate change, the preservation
of intact natural corridors is more crucial than ever, and this
campaign protects one of the most important in the East Bay.
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A stunning view atop Franklin Ridge.
Photo: Adam Weidenbach
“JMLT has been piecing together the Franklin Ridge Wildlife and
Trail Corridor for 35 years,” says Linus Eukel, Executive Director
of John Muir Land Trust. “The importance of adding these two new
properties cannot be overstated. Along these stunning ridgelines is
a nexus for some of our most important regional trails, including
the Bay Area Ridge Trail. It is home to over 20 local species,
including vital predators such as mountain lions, and endangered
and threatened species such as the iconic California red-legged
frog. Here it is possible to walk in the footsteps of famed
naturalist John Muir himself, who lived nearby and hiked and wrote
about its delightful ravines, hilltops, plateaus, open grasslands,
and stunning panoramic views.”
Funding came from many sources, most importantly from thousands
of local residents who contribute regularly to support JMLT’s
conservation work in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. Donations
were received in amounts large and small. Two anonymous donors
contributed an extraordinarily generous $500,000 each. A challenge
match from David and Janice Hammond of Alamo generated $300,000.
JMLT received $1,230,000 from the State Coastal Conservancy, an
agency charged with protecting and restoring California’s most
important natural and scenic resources. California’s Wildlife
Conservation Board made a grant of $2,000,000.
“The Wildlife Conservation Board allocates funds throughout the
state of California for the purchase of land and waters ideal for
recreation purposes, and for the preservation and restoration of
vital habitat for native species,” says Dr. Jennifer Norris,
Executive Director, WCB. “Supporting the expansion of a landscape
as important as Franklin Ridge is at the very core of our
mission.”
“The California State Coastal Conservancy makes grants to
improve our natural lands and waterways so that more people can
access and enjoy the outdoors,” says Amy Hutzel, Executive Officer,
Coastal Conservancy. “The opportunity for expanding, connecting,
and completing trails of such regional and historic importance as
those atop Franklin Ridge is a gift to Californians today and for
those in generations to come. This is a win for everyone.”
For the landowners whose cherished lands are now preserved for
perpetuity, this is a moment long awaited. “There is so much at the
top of the ridge to see and experience all of God's creation. My
children and their children will be immensely proud to visit. We're
preserving it for them and for everyone in the public at large,”
says Carolyn Barnett. Gay Gerlack adds, “As our lives changed and
our children grew up, we always maintained a reverence for the
property and the land. Once it’s gone, you can’t get it back. My
late husband Kenneth and I dreamed about this wonderful
outcome.”
Eukel stresses that it took many to achieve this milestone. “We
are so grateful to the donors, volunteers, and to all of JMLT’s
generous and passionate community of supporters who came together
to secure this important win in local conservation. It is ordinary
people with extraordinary vision who make such achievements
possible.”
Those seeking to visit Franklin Ridge will find information and
a trail map at jmlt.org.
About John Muir Land Trust
John Muir Land Trust (JMLT) protects and cares for open space,
ranches, farms, parkland and shoreline in Contra Costa and Alameda
Counties. John Muir Land Trust has become one of the leading forces
for conservation in northern California. With thousands of acres
protected over 35 years, many beautiful places in the East Bay are
now permanently preserved for recreation, wildlife habitat, and
spectacular scenic views. JMLT believes that the vitality of our
open spaces is essential to the health of our earth, air, water,
native plants and animals — and all of us. jmlt.org
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Linus Eukel, Executive Director (925) 228-1130 direct, (925)
788-7525 mobile linus@jmlt.org