Saving Our Outside Lands
Share this page[...] The Land Trust is currently at the helm of two new and related initiatives, both aimed at preserving Santa Cruz’s natural resources for future generations. The first is Senate Bill 211, authored by State Sen. Joe Simitian and co-authored by Assembly members Bill Monning and Anna Caballero. The bill would allow Santa Cruz County residents to vote on the establishment of an Open Space district within the county lines. Put simply, the term is a legal distinction; if approved, the measure would provide funding and resources for certain parts of the county to be designated as Open Space, and thus protected from development and reserved for certain designated uses, like agriculture or recreation.
More importantly for the Land Trust, it would allow them to apply for federal, state, and foundation grants related to conservation efforts, money that they say is sorely needed. Senator Simitian agrees. “Anyone who takes a moment to look around Santa Cruz County would say that it’s really an extraordinary place,” he says. “The notion here is that an Open Space district would allow local voters to preserve that sense of place that is unique to the county … Done right, an Open Space district can strengthen the protections for working lands, including agricultural and forest lands. The Land Trust is concerned about protecting both.”
Read the full story on the Good Times Santa Cruz website