{"id":25848,"date":"2026-09-18T12:32:16","date_gmt":"2026-09-18T12:32:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=25848"},"modified":"2026-09-18T12:32:16","modified_gmt":"2026-09-18T12:32:16","slug":"california-approves-42-million-to-acquire-2060-acre-wild-cherry-canyon-after-25-years-of-conservation-efforts-the-move-would-permanently-remove-the-threat-of-residential-development","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=25848","title":{"rendered":"California approves $42 million to acquire 2,060-acre Wild Cherry Canyon; after 25+ years of conservation efforts, the move would permanently remove the threat of residential development"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-134334059,imgsize-517944,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/california-approves-42-million-to-permanently-protect-2060-acres-of-wild-cherry-canyon.jpg\" alt=\"California approves $42 million to acquire 2,060-acre Wild Cherry Canyon; after 25+ years of conservation efforts, the move would permanently remove the threat of residential development\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>After more than two decades of efforts, California approved a $42 million grant to permanently conserve Wild Cherry Canyon, a 2,060-acre stretch of coastal hills in San Luis Obispo County.<!-- --> The California State Coastal Conservancy has authorised the grant to acquire both the property\u2019s leasehold interest and underlying fee title in two transactions, with the first closing by year\u2019s end and the second anticipated by mid-2027.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"3\"\/>The land, which overlooks Avila Beach and sits within the broader 12,000-acre Diablo Canyon Lands, had remained vulnerable for decades under a long-term private lease, with the risk of residential development. <!-- -->The grant will help remove the threat of future development and eventually turn the property into a permanently protected nature preserve.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"8\"\/>\u201cThis has been 25 years in the making,\u201d Senator John Laird said in a release. \u201cI worked to protect Wild Cherry Canyon as California\u2019s Natural Resources Secretary, and many others worked on it before and since. There were plenty of times when it looked like it might not happen, but the Central Coast community never gave up. Today, we can finally celebrate a major victory for this incredible piece of our coastline.\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"12\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>The outcome of a 25-year conservation effort<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div data-pos=\"0\" class=\"id-r-component iIpbx undefined  &#10;        \">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\u200b&lt;strong&gt;2,060 acres of California coastal land set for permanent protection after 25-year effort&lt;\/strong&gt;\u200b\" msid=\"134334070\" imgsize=\"481115\" resizemode=\"4\" width=\"\" title=\"\" placeholdersrc=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/83033472.cms\" offsetvertical=\"0\" placeholdermsid=\"47529300\" type=\"thumb\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/photo\/imgsize-481115,msid-134334070\/strong2060-acres-of-california-coastal-land-set-for-permanent-protection-after-25-year-effortstrong.jpg\" data-api-prerender=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Just inland of Avila Beach, Wild Cherry Canyon is an undeveloped sweep of coastal hills and canyons overlooking San Luis Obispo Bay. Part of the 12,000-acre Diablo Canyon Lands, the property has remained vulnerable to residential development under a long-term private lease. Efforts to protect Wild Cherry Canyon have been under way for more than two decades; however, they have faced several setbacks over the years.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"17\"\/>Amy Hutzel, Executive Officer of the State Coastal Conservancy, underscored how long this battle had consumed resources and political will. \u201cThe Coastal Conservancy and many others have been working to acquire this spectacular piece of the California coast for over 20 years. This large stretch of coastal land offers rare and unique opportunities for habitat conservation, cultural resource protection, and public access.<!-- --> Today we are finally delivering the long-sought protection of this special place,\u201d she said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"21\"\/>California\u2019s grant will help acquire both the leasehold and underlying fee title. The acquisition represents far more than a real estate transaction. Wild Cherry Canyon\u2019s coastal prairie, oak woodlands, chaparral, riparian habitat and headwater streams support diverse wildlife. \u201cConserving an intact coastal landscape at this scale, bolstering protection for the larger Diablo Canyon landscape, and ultimately providing thoughtful public access is the central focus of Wildlands\u2019 mission and core values,\u201d Frazier Haney, Executive Director of The Wildlands Conservancy, said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"24\"\/>\u201cWild Cherry Canyon captures so much of what is special about San Luis Obispo County,\u201d Kaila Dettman, Executive Director of The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County, a potential partner on a future conservation easement for the property, said. \u201cThe Irish Hills, with steep oak-studded hillsides, significant biodiversity, and remarkable scenery, have been a key focus of land conservation efforts for decades.<!-- --> To have permanent protection of Wild Cherry Canyon within reach is incredibly meaningful for our community and for everyone who has worked so hard to get us here.\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"28\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>What\u2019s next?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>Plans are already under way for conservation and public and Tribal use at Wild Cherry Canyon. The Coastal Conservancy and The Wildlands Conservancy will work with the local communities and tribes to develop plans for the same.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"31\"\/>This conservation also carries profound cultural weight for the Chumash tribes, with ancestral ties to this area. <!-- -->\u201cWild Cherry Canyon is a special and spiritual place to our Tribe. It\u2019s a place we love and in our terms we belong to it,\u201d Mona Olivas Tucker, Chair of yak tit\u02b8u tit\u02b8u yak ti\u0142hini ti\u0142hini Northern Chumash Tribe San Luis Obispo County and Region, said. \u201cOur responsibility to care for Wild Cherry Canyon never ends.<!-- --> We\u2019re happy that it will be conserved and look forward to working with The Wildlands Conservancy and Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County for the safe keeping of this remarkable place.\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"37\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>A coastal trail on the cards?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>Along with the conservation efforts, public access is also planned, although visitors will not be able to enter the preserve immediately. A potential five-mile segment of the California Coastal Trail is also on the cards. If implemented, it could eventually form part of a 20-mile route connecting Avila Beach to Monta\u00f1a de Oro State Park. The authorities are also planning low-impact camping and outdoor education programmes for schools and youth organisations.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"42\"\/>\u201cFor Wildlands, acquisition is the beginning of our responsibility to this land. We look forward to restoring and rewilding the landscape, working with Tribes to support their access and stewardship interests, and creating thoughtful, free public access so people can experience the beauty of Wild Cherry Canyon,\u201d Haney said.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"44\"\/>Meanwhile, Wild Cherry Canyon is part of the wider Diablo Canyon Lands Conservation Planning Project, which also includes North Ranch and South Ranch near the Diablo Canyon Power Plant.<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/world\/us\/california-approves-42-million-to-acquire-2060-acre-wild-cherry-canyon-after-25-years-of-conservation-efforts-the-move-would-permanently-remove-the-threat-of-residential-development\/articleshow\/134333827.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After more than two decades of efforts, California approved a $42 million grant to permanently conserve Wild Cherry Canyon, a 2,060-acre stretch of coastal hills in San Luis Obispo County. The California State Coastal Conservancy has authorised the grant to acquire both the property\u2019s leasehold interest and underlying fee title in two transactions, with the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":25849,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25848","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/california-approves-42-million-to-permanently-protect-2060-acres-of-wild-cherry-canyon.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/california-approves-42-million-to-permanently-protect-2060-acres-of-wild-cherry-canyon.jpg","medium_large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/california-approves-42-million-to-permanently-protect-2060-acres-of-wild-cherry-canyon.jpg","large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/california-approves-42-million-to-permanently-protect-2060-acres-of-wild-cherry-canyon.jpg","1536x1536":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/california-approves-42-million-to-permanently-protect-2060-acres-of-wild-cherry-canyon.jpg","2048x2048":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/california-approves-42-million-to-permanently-protect-2060-acres-of-wild-cherry-canyon.jpg","blogsy-small":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/california-approves-42-million-to-permanently-protect-2060-acres-of-wild-cherry-canyon.jpg","blogsy-small-tall":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/california-approves-42-million-to-permanently-protect-2060-acres-of-wild-cherry-canyon.jpg","blogsy-small-square":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/california-approves-42-million-to-permanently-protect-2060-acres-of-wild-cherry-canyon.jpg","blogsy-small-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/california-approves-42-million-to-permanently-protect-2060-acres-of-wild-cherry-canyon.jpg","blogsy-medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/california-approves-42-million-to-permanently-protect-2060-acres-of-wild-cherry-canyon.jpg","blogsy-medium-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/california-approves-42-million-to-permanently-protect-2060-acres-of-wild-cherry-canyon.jpg","blogsy-large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/california-approves-42-million-to-permanently-protect-2060-acres-of-wild-cherry-canyon.jpg","blogsy-wide":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/california-approves-42-million-to-permanently-protect-2060-acres-of-wild-cherry-canyon.jpg"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"After more than two decades of efforts, California approved a $42 million grant to permanently conserve Wild Cherry Canyon, a 2,060-acre stretch of coastal hills in San Luis Obispo County. The California State Coastal Conservancy has authorised the grant to acquire both the property\u2019s leasehold interest and underlying fee title in two transactions, with the [&hellip;]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 \u0b2c\u0b3f\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36"],"magazineBlocksPostViewCount":1,"magazineBlocksPostReadTime":5,"magazine_blocks_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/california-approves-42-million-to-permanently-protect-2060-acres-of-wild-cherry-canyon.jpg",400,225,false],"medium":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/california-approves-42-million-to-permanently-protect-2060-acres-of-wild-cherry-canyon.jpg",300,169,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/california-approves-42-million-to-permanently-protect-2060-acres-of-wild-cherry-canyon.jpg",150,84,false]},"magazine_blocks_author":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/author\/admin"},"magazine_blocks_comment":0,"magazine_blocks_author_image":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g","magazine_blocks_category":"<a href=\"#\" class=\"category-link category-link-31\">\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 \u0b2c\u0b3f\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36<\/a>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25848","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=25848"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25848\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/25849"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=25848"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=25848"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=25848"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}