PRESS RELEASE

July 2, 2001

Cherished Forestland Preserved in Sonoma County

Santa Rosa, Calif. – Today, the Pacific Forest Trust, the Sonoma Land Trust and Bohemia Ranch Company announced the protection of 1,000 acres of forestland in Sonoma County. PFT, a regional land trust known for its work with private forestland conservation, negotiated the conservation easement to protect the property’s many environmental values. The easement was then transferred to Sonoma Land Trust, which has long-term responsibility for monitoring and stewardship of the easement.

The property, known as Bohemia Ranch, is located on the outskirts of Occidental in western Sonoma County, an area increasingly vulnerable to subdivision and development, both for housing and grape cultivation. This property has been the subject of concern for various environmental and community groups for several years.

"Today, the community’s concerns can finally be put to rest," said Laurie A. Wayburn, president of PFT. "This easement ensures permanent protection of the abundant natural resources found at Bohemia Ranch."

"We’re thrilled to receive this easement because it achieves both preservation and restoration," said David Katz, executive director of the Sonoma Land Trust. "The landowner has invested in extensive forest and road restoration that is undoing years of damage."

While the Bohemia Ranch Company has consistently indicated their intention to manage the land for its conservation values, their voluntary donation of the easement provides assurance that this commitment will be permanent, because the easement stays with the property through any future ownership.

According to William Hutton of Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass LLP, the law firm representing the land owner, "the donation of this easement is the fulfillment of the landowner’s clear commitment to conservation and stewardship."

Roughly half the Ranch is covered with a mixed evergreen forest dominated by Douglas-fir and redwood. The forested landscape is highly visible from the Bohemian Highway. The other half of the ranch is covered with grassland and closed-cone pine forest, both of which contain rare native grasses. Wildlife and bird species sighted on or likely using the Ranch include mountain lion, Northern spotted owl, osprey and others. The easement ensures that this habitat will be both protected and restored under sustainable forest management that will allow only limited harvest.

The highest conservation value of the property, however, is its location relative to important watersheds. The Ranch is part of the Dutch Bill Creek watershed, which drains into the Russian River approximately eight miles from the Pacific Ocean. Restoration and protection of the Russian River watershed is of major concern to the state and the County. This watershed supports several species of fish and other aquatic life that are endangered or threatened including central California coho salmon and California central coast steelhead.

The Pacific Forest Trust, based in Santa Rosa, California, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing, restoring, and preserving the private productive forests of the Pacific Northwest.

The Sonoma Land Trust is the oldest and largest non-profit public benefit conservation group based in Sonoma County. Since 1976 it has worked with willing owners to protect more than 13,000 acres of Sonoma County open space.