Critical California corridor for mountain lions to be preserved
A sprawling ranch that crosses ridgetops, valleys and redwood forests in the Santa Cruz Mountains, formerly eyed for luxury homes and once part of a still-pending quarry proposal, is being spared from development and turned into a preserve. Peninsula Open Space Trust announced Monday that it has paid $15.65 million for 1,340 acres of ranchlands southwest of Gilroy with plans to permanently protect the site for wildlife, clean water, carbon sequestration and tribal value. Land trust officials say the property became a top priority for preservation because of its location along a thin corridor that animals use to get in and out of the Santa Cruz Mountains from the south. The beneficiaries, they say, include local mountain lions, which have struggled to find safe ways to leave the region to breed and stay genetically strong.
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