Collaborating on a public private partnership to conserve and manage the last 1,800 acres of the Volcan Mountains
Land conservation in the Volcan Mountains began in 1989, with over 9,000 acres of the former Rutherford Ranch on Volcan Mountain acquired by public agencies and nongovernmental organizations as protected open space. These efforts were complemented by conservation of tens of thousands of acres of surrounding land. As of 2005, however, the last 1,800 acres of the Ranch, in the heart of the range, were proposed for 58 estate lots, threatening the integrity of the existing conservation investments.
Because of the mountains’ geographic location, maintaining the integrity of the resources of the landscape it defines is crucial to maintaining many ecological functions and processes in the surrounding region. Additional development on the ridge could significantly affect conservation values and ecological functions of the region and preclude many educational and research opportunities.
CBI is working with a number of public and private partners to conserve and manage the last 1,800 acres of the Volcan Mountains. This document emphasizes the significance of the Volcan Mountains to conservation in San Diego County and kicked off a concerted effort to acquire the last portions of the Ranch. The Nature Conservancy has completed the first phase of the acquisition, with all remaining land on the Ranch to be conserved in 2009 and 2010.
