The Coastal Conservancy acts with others to preserve, protect and restore the resources of the California Coast. Our vision is of a beautiful, restored and accessible coastline.

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In 2003 the California State Coastal Conservancy authorized the use of over $168 million for over 150 projects, leveraging almost $133 million of non-State funding from the federal, local government, and private sectors. The great majority of the Conservancy’s funding came from resources bond acts approved by the State’s voters in 2000 and 2002, so it had no direct effect on the State’s budget deficit.

In 2003 the Conservancy supported projects in every county along California’s coast and around San Francisco Bay. Conservancy funding approved in 2003 helped purchase almost 53,000 acres of land for recreational use and protection of wildlife habitat, scenic open space, and farmland. An additional 5,000 acres of farmland and forested properties were protected through purchase of conservation easements, allowing continued economic use of the land by private owners.

In 2003 the Conservancy published its report to the State Legislature, Completing the California Coastal Trail. The report provides a strategic blueprint for a recreational facility that will connect coastal communities, better enable Californians to enjoy our coastal treasures, and attract visitors from around the world. The Conservancy also funded projects that will improve and add to the Coastal Trail in many parts of the coast.

With a $275,000 grant to the nonprofit organization Commonweal, the Conservancy initiated a statewide Coastal Ocean Currents Monitoring Program to help State agencies combat pollution of ocean waters. The program’s primary purpose is to provide equipment for researchers to learn how coastal currents transport pollutants, enabling better decisions on how to improve water quality and protect public beaches.

In late 2003 the Conservancy completed a comprehensive inventory of barriers to fish passage on coastal streams, which identified over 20,000 potential and known barriers. A report on the inventory will be published in early 2004, but the knowledge gained has already resulted in block grants from the Conservancy and its partners for removal of barriers in several parts of the coast.

To do its work, the Conservancy has long relied on close relationships with over 100 nonprofit organizations situated throughout the coast, and on partnerships with local governments. This integrated network keeps the Conservancy apprised of needs and opportunities in coastal areas, and ensures that local voices inform the Conservancy about the appropriate direction of its actions.

Selected Projects 2003: South Coast

• San Diego County
  • The Coastal Conservancy authorized almost $2 million to improve the estuary and watershed of the Tijuana River . Conservancy funding is supporting a binational effort to control erosion and manage stormwater that flows from Mexico, and to plan and design improvements for wildlife habitat and public trails in Tijuana River Valley Regional Park and the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve.
  • Local and State agencies used over $26 million of Conservancy-approved funding to add hundreds of acres to Otay River Valley Regional Park and purchase almost 3,300 acres of natural lands in the river's upper watershed.
  • Over $7 million from the Conservancy was approved for purchase of a 100-acre property in Lakeside, the first on-the-ground step in the establishment of San Diego River Park . The park will eventually contain several properties in strategic locations to benefit communities and wildlife along the entire length of the river.
• Orange County
• A $12.5-million Conservancy grant to Orange County is being used to launch the long-planned restoration of Upper Newport Bay , Southern California's largest tidal wetland. The restoration is aimed at managing sediment that is filling the bay and improving habitat for a wide variety of birds and fish.
• The Huntington Beach Wetlands Conservancy used $1.2 million provided by the Coastal Conservancy to purchase 45 acres of wetlands along the shore of Huntington Beach . The property is now part of over 100 acres of wildlife habitat that provide sanctuary for endangered species in a densely populated urban area.

• The City of Huntington Beach is using $2 million from the Conservancy for public access improvements at South Beach . The improvements include new restrooms, showers, and seating areas, and refurbishment of 1/3 mile of the Coastal Trail.

• Los Angeles County
• The Conservancy contributed $10 million to the State's acquisition of over 480 acres of the Ballona wetlands , and is leading the State's planning effort for restoration of the property. The restoration will be aimed at re-creating scarce habitat for a variety of wildlife while providing opportunities for people to visit and enjoy the area.
• The Conservancy contributed almost $2 million for several projects to improve the water quality and natural environment of Santa Monica Bay. The funding targeted restoration of creeks, dunes, bluffs, and kelp beds, establishment of marine science and education programs, and removal of Rindge Dam on Malibu Creek.
• The Conservancy approved the purchase of a beachfront lot at the boundary of Carbon and La Costa beaches in Malibu for $1.25 million. The lot is adjacent to a property already owned by the Conservancy, and together the properties offer the only opportunity for the public to reach the beach and the only view of Santa Monica Bay from Pacific Coast Highway within a three-mile length of the coast.
• Ventura County
• The Conservancy approved use of $600,000 to plan for restoration of wetlands and dunes at its 265-acre property at Ormond Beach, and reserved $23 million for purchase of an adjacent 500 acres in 2004. Together, the properties will provide the setting for a large-scale environmental restoration that will greatly benefit a variety of wildlife, particularly resident and migratory birds.
• The Conservancy provided $3 million for purchase of about 700 acres along two miles of the Santa Clara River . The properties will add to the Santa Clara River Parkway, created by the Coastal Conservancy and the Nature Conservancy to protect farmland, manage floodwaters, and restore the natural environment along Southern California's largest river.
• A $3.1 million grant from the Coastal Conservancy enabled the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy to purchase a 1,416-acre property on the Ventura River . The purchase is critical to plans for recovery of the river's endangered southern steelhead trout, and will allow people to experience the beauty of the county's natural lands that remain along the river. The Coastal Conservancy also provided $132,000 for removal of the invasive giant reed, Arundo donax , along the river, and continued its efforts toward removal of Matilija Dam, which blocks passage of steelhead trout to many miles of potential spawning habitat.
• The Conservancy contributed $10 million to the State's purchase of the 2,983-acre Ahmanson Ranch , enabling the protection of valuable wildlife habitat and the availability of natural park lands in a rapidly developing area. The ranch is in the upper watershed of Malibu Creek, and the purchase complements extensive restoration work being conducted downstream by the Conservancy and its partners.

Selected Projects 2003: Central Coast

• Santa Barbara County
• The Coastal Conservancy provided $1.5 million to the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County for restoration of the Carpinteria Salt Marsh , one of the Central Coast's largest coastal wetlands. The project will strengthen local flood-control efforts while greatly benefiting a wide variety of wildlife.
• The Conservancy provided Santa Barbara County with over $450,000 to plan for and design fish passage improvements on the county's south coast. The project is targeting barriers that prevent endangered southern steelhead trout from reaching many miles of high quality spawning habitat on over 50 small coastal streams.
• San Luis Obispo County
• The Conservancy provided over $6.6 million for the State's purchase of the 746-acre Sea West Ranch between Cambria and Cayucos along the Harmony coast. The purchase ensures protection of one of the largest coastal prairie grasslands in the State, and provides a site for a three-mile addition to the California Coastal Trail.
• A $1.5-million grant from the Conservancy enabled the Bay Foundation of Morro Bay to purchase a conservation easement on the 1,860-acre Maino Ranch , preventing its subdivision and development. The easement will help protect the natural and scenic resources of the Chorro Valley and Morro Bay National Estuary while enabling the Maino family to continue its ranching operation.
• The Conservancy contributed $1.25 million for a 42-acre addition to Montana de Oro State Park near the south end of Morro Bay. The purchase prevents commercial development of the site, protecting stunning coastal views and sensitive dune habitats.
Monterey County
• $12.25 million from the Coastal Conservancy was made available to the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District for purchase of a 680-acre portion of Palo Corona Ranch , known as the “Gateway to Big Sur” just south of Carmel. The purchase will help open thousands of acres of spectacularly scenic land to the public and unite several parklands adjoining the ranch.
• The Conservancy provided $300,000 for additional research aimed at removal of the San Clemente Dam on the Carmel River. The dam has been deemed “unsafe” by the State, and also blocks passage of steelhead trout to most of the river's many miles of spawning and rearing habitat. The funding continues the Conservancy's long support for improvements to the river's environmental and recreational resources
• A $273,000 grant from the Conservancy helped the Elkhorn Slough Foundation acquire a 183-acre portion of the Tottino Ranch along Moro Cojo Slough in the Elkhorn Slough watershed , for protection of wetlands and other sensitive wildlife habitats. The Conservancy also provided $110,000 for environmental education and training programs in the watershed. The grants extend the Conservancy's long history of working with the local community to protect and improve the watershed's environmental, recreational, and agricultural resources.
• Santa Cruz County
• A $4.5 million Conservancy grant to the county launched the Santa Cruz County Integrated Watershed Restoration Program , which aims to support and coordinate over 100 watershed restoration projects. The program addresses erosion control, removal of in-stream barriers to fish passage, environmental restoration, and water-quality improvements, and is expected to be a model for similar programs in other parts of the State. The Conservancy also provided over $200,000 to coordinate federal, State, and local regulations for the purpose of helping landowners and others obtain permits required for stream restoration projects.
• The Conservancy awarded a $300,000 grant to Santa Cruz County to reconstruct the 26 th Avenue beach stairway . An earlier stairway here was destroyed in storms during the winter of 1997-98, removing access down a 33-foot high bluff to a beach that is particularly popular with surfers.
• San Mateo County, Coastside
• The Conservancy provided $20 million to support Peninsula Open Space Trust acquisitions totaling over 8,000 acres of parklands, wildlife habitat, and farmland. The acquired properties include Rancho Corral de Tierra near El Granada, the Driscoll Ranch near La Honda, and the Bolsa Point ranches near the Pigeon Point Lighthouse. The Conservancy and POST are long-time partners in land protection.
• The City of Pacifica is using a $750,000 Conservancy grant to restore and improve wetlands in the lower corridor and mouth of San Pedro Creek , one of the few coastal streams in San Mateo County that supports a native population of steelhead trout. The city will use an additional $200,000 from the Conservancy to construct a new section of the Coastal Trail from the Pedro Point Headlands , just south of San Pedro Creek, to Devil's Slide.
• The Conservancy provided a big boost to longstanding local efforts to protect the 15-acre Mirada Surf property, near Half Moon Bay, with a $1.5 million grant for its acquisition by San Mateo County. Plans are underway to develop picnic areas and beach access facilities, including a new link in the Coastal Trail.

Selected Projects 2003: San Francsico Bay Area

• Multi-County
• The Coastal Conservancy approved use of $2.6 million for restoration of the 15,000-acre South Bay Salt Ponds , purchased by the State and federal governments in early 2003. The Conservancy is leading the planning effort for the restoration, the largest of its kind on the West Coast. Teams of scientists and engineers assembled by the Conservancy and its public and private partners are advising the many federal, State, and local government agencies responsible for the project.
• The Conservancy authorized use of over $275,000 for projects to extend and improve the San Francisco Bay Trail in San Francisco, Marin, Napa, and Solano counties. The Conservancy has been the primary source of funds for the trail, now about half finished and envisioned to be about 450 miles long and encircling the bay shoreline.
• The Conservancy authorized use of almost $1.3 million to construct and improve trail segments and purchase properties to extend the Bay Area Ridge Trail in Santa Clara, San Mateo, Contra Costa, Solano, and Sonoma counties. The Conservancy has been a major partner in extending and improving the trail, which now runs for about 240 miles and will one day encircle the ridgelines around San Francisco Bay.
• The Conservancy approved use of over $1 million to fight the spread of invasive cordgrass, Spartina, possibly the most serious existing threat to San Francisco Bay ecosystems. Non-native Spartina overwhelms wildlife habitats and chokes navigational channels, and may spread to other areas of the coast if not eradicated. The Conservancy’s funding followed three years of regional coordination and research, and will support the efforts of several private and public organizations to remove Spartina in different parts of the bay.
• San Francisco
• The Conservancy awarded a grant of $475,000 for recreational and environmental improvements to Lake Merced . The funding will support construction of a new overlook for wildlife viewing, replacement of invasive exotic plants with native species, planning for new trails around the lake, and research to improve the lake's fish habitat.
• A $750,000 grant provided by the Conservancy will be used to restore the south windmill on the western edge of Golden Gate Park . The Conservancy's funds will be directed toward engineering and restoration of the windmill's base, and installation of public access improvements and educational materials.
• The Conservancy provided $650,000 for engineering and design of wetlands restoration and public access improvements for the Candlestick Point State Recreation Area in the Bayview-Hunters Point section of San Francisco. The work will lead to restoration of 34 acres of tidal marsh along Yosemite Canal, together with new trails and a nature center.
• San Mateo County, Bayside
  • A $400,000 grant from the Conservancy helped to inaugurate the City of San Mateo's long-term efforts to make the Shoreline Parks system more accommodating to visitors. The Conservancy's grant was directed toward construction of a covered picnic area and restroom facilities at Ryder Park, two of several renovations that will make the park the primary staging area for the San Francisco Bay Trail in the city.
• Santa Clara County
• $1.8 million contribution from the Conservancy will enable the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District to add 198 acres to the Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Reserve in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The addition contains 100-year-old redwood forests and will become a site for miles of new trails only 20 minutes by car from downtown San Jose.
• Alameda County
• The Conservancy contributed $2 million to the East Bay Regional Park District’s purchase of a 16-acre property in Berkeley for addition to the newly formed Eastshore State Park, which stretches along San Francisco Bay from Oakland to Richmond. Instead of being developed for commercial uses, the property will greatly benefit the park’s critical need for recreational land.
• A $400,000 grant from the Conservancy will enable the City of Oakland to restore a portion of Arroyo Viejo Creek in Knowland Park and construct five classrooms along the creek. The restoration will improve the creek's habitat and accessibility to the public, and the classrooms will be directed toward on-site environmental education for students
• Contra Costa County
• The Conservancy contributed $145,000 for planning and design of a bicycle and pedestrian trail along the Richmond and Ohlone greenways in the cities of Richmond and El Cerrito, and restoration of a neighboring section of Baxter Creek. The trail extension aims at connecting the San Francisco Bay Trail to the existing Ohlone Greenway trail, which will result in a 7.5 mile trail extending from North Berkeley to the Richmond Marina.
• The Conservancy contributed $500,000 to the purchase of 168 acres on Franklin Ridge near Briones Regional Park, and $250,000 for a conservation easement to protect 36 acres near the Northgate Road entrance to Mt. Diablo State Park. The grants continued the Conservancy’s long-term partnerships with private organizations and public agencies to protect the wildlife habitat and scenic open space of central Contra Costa County and to open more of these lands to the public.
• Solano County
• A $150,000 Conservancy grant will help the City of Benicia improve public access to the First Street Peninsula Pier on the Carquinez Strait near the city's commercial district. The Conservancy's funding will enable the paving of a degraded gravel staging area that serves the pier, which is a popular destination for fishing and viewing the strait.
• The Conservancy contributed $60,000 for construction and operation of the Forrest Deaner Native Botanic Garden in the Benicia State Recreation Area. The garden will offer programs for children and adults focusing on ecosystems, land stewardship, and native plant horticulture.
• Napa County
• Working closely with the State Department of Fish and Game and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Conservancy made $1.5 million available for the final planning and design of the Napa River Salt Marsh restoration. The State-owned marsh contains nearly 10,000 acres of wetlands and associated habitats within the former Cargill salt pond complex. The property is important habitat for a wide variety of fish, migratory waterfowl, and shorebirds, along with threatened and endangered species such as the California clapper rail and salt marsh harvest mouse.
• Sonoma County, Bayside and Inland
• A $500,000 grant awarded by the Conservancy will enable the Sonoma Land Trust to begin long-awaited construction of the Sonoma Baylands trail at the mouth of the Petaluma River. The trail will allow the public to see a wide variety of shorebirds and waterfowl and to observe the on-going restoration to wetlands of a former hayfield. The wheelchair-accessible trail will be about 1½ miles long and extend from a new parking lot off of Highway 37.
• The Conservancy awarded the Sonoma Land Trust almost $290,000 for the design and construction of wetlands improvements on over 300 acres of San Pablo Bay farmland near the intersection of Highway 37 and Lakeville Highway. The project will enhance seasonal wetlands on land farmed for oat hay and increase winter and spring habitat for shorebirds and waterfowl. Much of the property will remain farmed to demonstrate the compatibility of wetlands habitat with agricultural production. The Conservancy has been working for many years with the Land Trust and other partners to improve and protect habitats in this area.
• Local public and private organizations are using $450,000 of Conservancy funds for the planning and design of habitat restoration and flood control projects at the Laguna de Santa Rosa south of the Russian River . The 21,000-acre Laguna, the largest freshwater wetlands complex in Northern California, is habitat for hundreds of species of plants, birds, fish, and invertebrates.
• Marin County, Bayside and Inland
  • The U.S. Army transferred 630 acres at the former Hamilton Army Airfield in Novato to the Conservancy for restoration of the site’s former wetlands. The Conservancy is leading the effort to restore about 2,500 acres of wetlands at the former airfield and neighboring sites.
  • A $2.2 million Conservancy grant enabled the City of Sausalito to purchase a 2.5-acre addition to Dunphy Park , more than doubling its size . The acquisition connects the park to a segment of the San Francisco Bay Trail that is the most heavily used bicycle and pedestrian trail in Marin County. The acquired property had been the only privately owned, undeveloped land remaining on the Sausalito waterfront.
  • The Conservancy contributed $585,000 to the Marin Agricultural Land Trust to assist in its purchase of a conservation easement over the 870-acre Grossi Ranch just west of Novato near Stafford Lake. The easement will allow continued agricultural use of the property while protecting scenic open space and wildlife habitat.

Selected Projects, 2003: North Coast

• Marin County, Coastside
• The Coastal Conservancy contributed $150,000 to the National Parks Service for its acquisition of the three-acre Whitton property near Marshall on the east shore of Tomales Bay. The purchase will protect the property’s scenic open space and wildlife habitat and allow extension of the Coastal Trail northward from Millerton Point State Park.
• Sonoma County, Coastside
• Conservancy funding totaling $550,000 will support planning for improvements to salmon and steelhead trout habitat on agricultural properties in the watershed of Salmon Creek and in the creek's estuary just north of Bodega Bay. Streambed erosion and other problems have severely degraded the creek's spawning and rearing habitat. Improvements in the upper watershed will be conducted with the voluntary participation of private landowners. The grant complements an additional $150,000 from the Conservancy being used to prepare grazing management plans for western Sonoma County to protect grasslands and reduce erosion.
• A $300,000 Conservancy grant is allowing major expansion of the “green” educational program at Salmon Creek School near Occidental. The expanded curriculum will serve students and teachers from many grade schools, high schools, and colleges in Sonoma County. With its forested areas, wetlands, streams, and nature trails, the school’s 67-acre campus is ideally suited for hands-on study of environmental systems and management.
• The Conservancy contributed $500,000 toward the eradication of giant reed on the Russian River. The invasive weed has destroyed hundreds of acres of the river’s wildlife habitat and is a flood and fire hazard. The Conservancy also provided $150,000 for construction of fish passage and habitat improvements at the Mumford Dam on the river’s west fork.
• Mendocino County
• A $10 million award from the Conservancy provided a huge boost to The Conservation Fund's purchase of over 23,500 acres of forested land in the Garcia River watershed . TCF will manage the property to protect important habitat for salmon and steelhead trout and provide an innovative demonstration project for sustainable forestry in the North Coast.
• The Conservancy contributed $4.5 million to the federal Bureau of Land Management's efforts to acquire fee and conservation-easement interests in over 1,700 acres of the Stornetta Brothers Coastal Ranch adjacent to Manchester State Park. The acquisition will protect the natural environment and prime farmland, preserve the scenic corridor along State Highway 1, and expand public access opportunities. The owner will retain a portion of the ranch and have use of almost 600 acres protected by a conservation easement, allowing the ranch's continued operation.
The Conservancy provided over $800,000 to the Mendocino County Resource Conservation District for projects in the watershed of the Navarro River designed to improve habitat for salmon and steelhead trout, replace invasive plants with native species, and involve private landowners in efforts to restore the river’s habitat.
• Almost $1.1 contributed by the Conservancy will further the restoration of historic buildings at the Point Cabrillo Light Station near Mendocino. The funding continues many years of joint Conservancy and community efforts to restore the light station and open the surrounding 300 acres for public use. The Conservancy transferred its ownership interests in the property to California State Parks in 2002.
• The Conservancy provided the City of Fort Bragg with $125,000 to conduct planning and feasibility studies for restoration and reuse of the Georgia-Pacific former mill site, which closed in 2002. The site is located in the heart of the city, and contains about one-third of its total area and nearly all its coastal waterfront.
• Humboldt County
• The Mattole Restoration Council is using $750,000 from the Conservancy to improve habitat for salmon and steelhead trout on the Mattole River and prepare a comprehensive program for improving habitat in the river’s watershed. The watershed contains almost 300 square miles and about 545 stream miles in southern Humboldt and northern Mendocino counties.
• A $215,000 Conservancy grant is enabling the Humboldt County Resource Conservation District to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of opportunities for restoring the environment along the Salt River , which flows into the Eel River delta near Ferndale . Excessive sedimentation in the river's watershed has exacerbated flooding and degraded much of the river's once-productive habitat for salmon and trout. The RCD's efforts include considerable community outreach.
• The Conservancy provided $35,000 toward restoration of coastal dune forest and salt marsh habitat at the 500-acre Lanphere Dunes in the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge on the bay’s North Spit. The funding will primarily be directed toward removing invasive plants that are damaging the local ecology. The work is part of long-term restoration efforts that thus far have been very successful.
• Del Norte
• Crescent City is using a $218,000 Conservancy grant to plan for the revitalization of the Crescent City Harbor. The aim of the plan is to diversify the harbor’s uses and income sources and provide for a balance of fishing, boating, waterfront access and recreation, and visitor-serving uses.
• The Conservancy provided $600,000 to the Yurok Tribe for restoration work in the watershed of McGarvey Creek, a tributary to the Lower Klamath River. The work aims to improve habitat for salmon and trout by repairing decades-old damage.
• The Conservancy contributed $150,000 to resolving development conflicts of the Pacific Shores subdivision near Lake Earl. Pacific Shores is a 1,535-lot subdivision, consisting largely of dunes and wetlands, that was subdivided and sold to individual buyers in the 1960s but never developed. The Conservancy’s funding is being used to identify and negotiate with lot owners for possible purchase and retirement of the lots.