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Hello Friends,
Mendocino Land Trust is stepping into a milestone year in 2026, celebrating 50 years of land conservation in Mendocino County. Our mission grew from protecting a single field in Mendocino Village to an expansive, long-term vision that includes abundant public access to wild places, conserving working lands and legacy farms, and doing our part to help mitigate climate change. Since 1976, we have conserved over 40,000 acres of land in Mendocino County, built 20 miles of trails along our coastal corridor from the Lost Coast to Point Arena, opened five preserves for public access, accepted offers to dedicate numerous public access easements for pocket trails, and completed crucial habitat restoration projects for endangered salmon, pollinators, and their surrounding ecosystems. We have established dedicated funds to protect redwood forests, restore rivers, and help bring folks out onto our trails and open spaces to see for themselves exactly why we do this work. We believe that people will protect what they love, and we are working to make it easier for more people of different abilities to access these beautiful, wild places, because that’s where the love is born.
MLT is looking ahead with renewed energy. And – as you probably noticed – with a fresh, new logo to represent our steadfast dedication to this land, its life, and our unchanging values.
What is this new image? A map of the land, of course! The new logo is a topographic map representation designed by MLT Stewardship Project Manager, Anna Bride. Specifically, this image represents part of the Big River watershed in Mendocino. Back in 2002, MLT waged a campaign to protect 7,000 acres of the Big River estuary and surrounding ecosystems from commercial logging. That campaign was the success that put MLT ‘on the map’. We transferred this land to California State Parks, but we held on to our determination to protect as much land and wildlife as we possibly can. Our mission may have evolved over 50 years, but at its core, it has never wavered.
We will continue to work to hold the trust that you have shown MLT over 50 years, and into our next chapter. We know that conservation is a race to protect the natural values that define Mendocino County: our forests, coastline, and the character of our agricultural lands. Above all, we work for this land, for the quality of life for the people who live here, for the wildlife that depends on our stewardship, and for the many visitors who come here to experience the magic of Mendocino County.
We welcome your feedback! Tell us what gets you outside, what you would like to learn more about, and how we can best serve you and your community. info@mendocinolandtrust.org
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Mendocino Land Trust Protects 219 Acres of Forest along the Eel River
MLT accepted a Conservation Easement in late January that was years in the making. Windswept Ranch is located east of Willits. The Conservation Easement will protect 219 acres of forest, including about ¾ of a mile of frontage on the Eel River. The Eel River is designated as a Federal and State Wild and Scenic River, and as California’s third largest watershed, it supports significant populations of Chinook and Coho salmon, steelhead, and Pacific lamprey. The conserved property is a diverse forest, containing oak woodlands, Douglas-fir, and hardwood forest. The donation of this Conservation Easement to MLT by the landowner will protect this property from development and subdivision, and creates connectivity to adjacent protected lands, preserving sensitive species and offering an opportunity for wildlife connectivity and passage.
Conservation Easements are built on a landowner’s vision to preserve wild or working lands in perpetuity. Landowners then work with a partner organization like MLT to create the legal framework – the CE – in a way that is consistent with the owner’s intentions and supports sustainable management of their land. Sometimes this process takes years. At Windswept Ranch, the conversation began in the 1990s, when MLT’s former Executive Director Roger Sternberg first spoke to the landowner. Mr. Sternberg recalls, “Conserving Windswept Ranch has been a dream of former owner Chuck Ream for decades. Judy Tarbell, a former MLT Board member, and I met with Chuck 25 years ago to talk about protecting his beautiful property, and it has finally been accomplished, thanks to the dedication of Chuck and the new owners of the Ranch, Conrad and Gianna Smart. Conserving the Ranch is not only a testament to them, but to the longevity of MLT.”
Matt Franks, MLT’s Land Protection Manager, adds, "Windswept Ranch represents Mendocino County at its best: its rugged mountains, its beautiful forest lands, and of course its remote location on the wild and scenic Eel River, a critically important habitat for our endangered salmonid species. Protecting this property is a key piece in the puzzle to conserve these habitats and species more broadly in our area."
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MLT Receives Land Donation to Fund Albion River Restoration
Mendocino Land Trust has received a generous donation of property from longtime MLT supporter and environmental advocate Gabrielle Levine, MD, who has been a stalwart champion for the protection of the Albion River since she transitioned from a career healing people to another calling – healing the planet – when she became a full-time environmental steward.
The donated land is an undeveloped 20-acre parcel located on the east side of Highway 1 in Albion, and features meadows, wooded terrain, and ocean views from its elevated areas. The land is now listed for sale by Tracy Wolfson of Engel & Volkers. Proceeds from the sale of the land will fund MLT’s Albion River Fund. This fund focuses on MLT’s work in the Albion River watershed, including land conservation, habitat restoration, public access projects, and acquisition of conservation easements.
Matt Franks, MLT’s Land Protection Manager, worked with Dr. Levine to make this remarkable gift possible. As Matt explains, “Mendocino Land Trust is profoundly grateful not only for Gabrielle’s generous donation to support our conservation work in the Albion area, but also for the stewardship and restoration work she and her partner Dan Gates have done on this property and more broadly. Her tireless advocacy, work, and innovation continue to benefit sensitive species and habitats in Mendocino County, and MLT is thrilled to partner with her in these efforts.”
Mendocino Land Trust is honored to work with environmental champions like Gabrielle to preserve and protect vulnerable habitats, and to ensure that stewardship of these precious waterways and riparian landscapes remains in place well into the future.
Information about the listing here
Donate to the Albion River Fund here
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Stewardship Notes
Tree work at Moat Creek/Ross Creek Trail
Anna and Chase took advantage of the unseasonably sunny January weather to tackle a big job on the Moat Creek Trail to Ross Creek. Two downed trees that had been hanging askew over the trail are now cleared. A new gate at the beach trail at Moat Creek is also being fabricated.
If you are on the South Coast, be sure to check out Moat Creek Beach and the Ross Creek Trail, located two miles south of Point Arena – with spectacular ocean views and a nice spot to enjoy lunch!
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Belinda Point Trail Upgrade Complete!
This beloved Fort Bragg trail, a .7 mile path leading out to a tiny beach and stunning view from the bluff, was upgraded with a compacted gravel trail that replaced the old boardwalk sections. MLT’s Stewardship Project Coordinator, Chase Ahrens, led the project, with funding support and lots of volunteer help from the Fort Bragg Rotary Association. Locals to Fort Bragg are delighted with the new path, which we hope will be accessible for more of our neighbors and visitors.
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Belinda Point photo credits:
Eric Lee Burch
IG @lackadaisicallyadrift
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Pollinator Planting Continues in 2026
MLT continues habitat restoration work for endangered pollinators this year as planting begins on the south coast of Mendocino. For this phase of the project, MLT’s Anna Bride is working with CA State Parks crews to establish new plots for the early blue violets (Viola adunca) required for the Behrens Silverspot butterflies’ life cycle. To ensure the delicate violets thrive, the plots are populated with native grasses and forbs, including asters, yarrow, coast goldenrod, beach strawberries, and sea thrift-12,000 plants in total! These habitats benefit all of our local pollinators, but are crucial for the Behrens’ survival. This phase of planting will continue through February. The Pollinator grant is a multi-year project funded by the Wildlife Conservation Board.
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MLT Hosts the Wild & Scenic Film Festival on Tour!
We are thrilled to bring back the Wild & Scenic Film Festival. This curated program of 11 short films takes viewers on a journey of wonder, discovery, community, and environmental activism. The films visit hidden woods in New Jersey, underwater kelp forests in California, and rewilded gardens in Ireland. In Yellowstone National Park, we meet indigenous artists sharing projects steeped in traditional ecological knowledge, ceremony, and rematriation. These stories span the globe to share the hope, work, curiosity, and imagination of folks who strive to make their communities and our planet a better and healthier place for people and wildlife, inspiring all of us to start where we are and to dream big!
Two Screenings:
Fort Bragg: Thursday, February 5, at 6:30 pm at the Coast Cinemas.
Willits: Saturday, February 7, at 6:30 pm at the Noyo Theater.
To Purchase tikets to the Wild & Scenic Film Festival on Tour, click here!
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New Lodging Partner!
Mendocino Tree House Gives Back
Mendocino Land Trust is thrilled to welcome Mendocino Tree House as its newest Every Stay Gives Back program partner. ESGB helps MLT to connect with local lodging establishments who understand the value of MLT’s conservation work and public access for their guests.
Our lodging partners turn every guest stay into an opportunity to fund MLT’s work in Mendocino County by donating to MLT at least $1 per night of every guest stay (passed on to the guest during the booking process as a “community impact program” fee). In some cases, guests may elect to match the community impact program fee with a donation of their own to double their impact, improve destination stewardship, and advance sustainable and regenerative tourism.
MLT invites local hotels, motels, inns, and other lodging businesses to partner with us to help promote sustainable tourism in Mendocino County. To learn more, or join the Every Stay Gives Back program, please reach out to our Partnership Team here.
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1% for the Planet Partners:
Wentworth Vineyards
MLT is excited to welcome Wentworth Vineyards as a 1% for the Planet Business Partner. 1% for the Planet is a global network with thousands of incredible businesses and environmental organizations working together to support people and the planet. In the 1% for the Planet model, business and individual members donate directly to the environmental partners of their choice to help drive big, positive change.
Mendocino Land Trust invites you to explore the 1% for the Planet program to see if it is the right fit for your business. If you are a Mendocino County-based business, call us today at 707-962-0470 or email us at conservation@mendocinolandtrust.org.
Learn more about 1% for the Planet and MLT partnership here
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2026 Mendocino Land Trust Trail Keepers
Trail Keepers are a vital part of our stewardship support team.
By sponsoring a trail, these businesses provide sustained support for trail upkeep and stewardship projects. MLT proudly displays these businesses on our information signage at their respective trails. We encourage you to visit these wonderful partners and thank them for their contributions to public access on the Mendocino Coast:
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C&S Waste Solutions - Belinda Point Trail, Fort Bragg
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Noyo Harbor Inn & Harbor View Bistro & Bar - Pelican Bluffs Trail, Point Arena
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Pacific Star Winery - Old Smith Ranch Trail, Fort Bragg
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Sonoma Clean Power - Pelican Bluffs Trail, Point Arena
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SunHawk Farms - Navarro Point Trail, Albion
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The Beachcomber Motel - Navarro Point Trail, Albion
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Trailborn Mendocino - Mendocino Bay Viewpoint, Mendocino
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Wentworth Vineyards - Navarro Point Trail, Albion
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Westport Hotel & Old Abalone Pub - Old Smith Ranch Trail, Fort Bragg
Thank you Trail Keepers!
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Business Sponsorships Available for
Wild & Scenic Film Festival on Tour!
Please click here to submit your sponsorship online.
Deadline for sponsors is February 4th -
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