Environmental deal sets aside L.A.-sized tract (AP/CNN)

[eppur_se_muova]

LEBEC, California (AP) -- A group of environmentalists and the owners of a large stretch of wilderness have reached a deal that would set aside the largest parcel of land for conservation in California history.

After years of legal tussles, conservationists including the Sierra Club have agreed not to challenge proposed development on the sprawling Tejon Ranch north of Los Angeles in exchange for close to 240,000 acres, in a deal to be announced Thursday.

At 375 square miles, the preserve of desert, woodlands and grasslands would be eight times the size of San Francisco and nearly the size of Los Angeles, said Bill Corcoran, the Sierra Club's senior regional representative.

"There is, in my opinion, no other place like it in California. It's unrivaled in the diversity of native wildlife and plants," said Corcoran, who helped negotiate the deal. "Tejon is key to us because it's the only place where the Sierra Nevadas, the coastal range and Mojave Desert and Central Valley all meet."

Tejon Ranch sits atop the Tehachapi Mountains, 60 miles north of Los Angeles, and is home to elk, wild turkeys, coyotes, bears and eagles, as well as a critical habitat for condors.
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more: http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/05/08/conservation.deal.ap/index.html

[kestrel91316]

1. Holy moley!!!!! I never thought I'd live to see the day!

This is a fabulous tract of land..........IIRC the Pacific Crest Trail goes through part of it and that has been a bone of contention for years, with hikers being thrown off the trail by overzealous ranch employees......

OTOH, they do have a persistent wild pig problem so there are environmental issues - pig hunting is currently allowed there and I assume it will have to continue.

Elk?? Who knew?

[NNadir]

2. Probably this will end up like the time that David Brower negotiated the death of Glen Canyon.

He "saved" Dinosaur National Park though.

The situation may resolve itself though. I very much doubt that the water will be there for too much more California development.

This elephant's getting bigger all the time, and may break the legs on the table.

Desalination involves energy.