March 2024
With the acquisition of an agricultural conservation easement on a farm in Davis, YLT has now conserved over 13,000 acres of farmland on 78 farms in Yolo County. Since its founding in 1988, YLT has been conserving farmland throughout Yolo County to preserve the resources of the land and to keep local farms permanently in agriculture.
“With the addition of Conservation Easement #78, a 120-acre farm in the Woodland-Davis corridor, YLT has now conserved 13,037 total acres of farmland in Yolo County,” acknowledges Mary-Ann Warmerdam, YLT’s Board President. “What a milestone: 13,000 acres conserved in Yolo County to gift future generations the benefit of the abundant farmland we enjoy today! It is only with the help of our donors, sponsors, county and city leaders, as well as the leadership of the land trust’s Board of Directors, that we can bring the vision of our founders to life.”
In partnership with the Gill Family, City of Davis, and the Sustainable Agriculture Land Conservation Program, YLT was able to permanently protect Conservation Easement #78, a 120-acre multi-generational family almond orchard about a half-mile from the city of Davis limits in North-East Davis. The Gill family, who own and farm the property, also own an agricultural conservation easement on an adjacent 124-acre farm that was completed with YLT and the City of Davis in 2022.
This conservation easement is also the first full acquisition for YLT’s Executive Director, John Currey, who took over leadership of the organization in January 2022. “The Yolo Land Trust is thrilled to continue its partnership with Gill Family, Department of Conservation, and the City of Davis to preserve an additional 120 acre of prime farmland,” said Currey. “Yolo Land Trust’s partnership with the City of Davis has now protected 22 conservation easements totaling 3,533 acres of farmland while creating community separators and protecting our open vista.
Funding for the conservation easement project was provided by City of Davis and through a state grant. “A quarter of the purchase price was paid with funds from the City’s special open space protection parcel tax (Measure O) and open space development impact fees,” states Tracie Reynolds, City of Davis Open Space Program Manager.
The remainder was paid for with grant funds from the California Strategic Growth Council’s Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program (SALC) in collaboration with the Department of Conservation. SALC is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment – particularly in disadvantaged communities. YLT holds two additional agricultural conservation easements funded through SALC program grants.
Conservation Easement #78 has strong conservation values based on its location, agricultural productivity, prime ag soils, and open space. The farms proximity to the urban border of the City of Davis allows for the preservation of green space. Additionally, the farm is situated near other conservation easements held by YLT, creating a contiguous block of farmland that avoids fragmentation of ag land by urban sprawl and creates stability for future farming. YLT has the responsibility of monitoring the property annually to ensure agricultural productivity is upheld.
“Permanently conserving prime farmland is one of the most important things we can do as a community,” says Warmerdam. “We are delighted and honored to have worked with the Gill family and the funders to conserve this farm, which creates a larger block of contiguous farmland that will be a part of our community forever. Besides growing almonds, the orchard also provides habitat for a variety of wildlife that will continue to thrive.”
Yolo Land Trust is excited to share the addition of this new agriculture conservation easement and for conserving over 13,000 acres of total farmland in Yolo County. YLT has acquired nine agriculture conservation easements since 2021 and is making an impact on the landscape of our community.
City of Davis shared a press release announcing the conservation easement on March 18, 2024. “City of Davis Preserves Additional 120 Acres of Farmland Northeast of the City Limits” www.cityofdavis.org/Home/Components/News/News/8627/2985
