East-West Ranch

Through the efforts of Friends of the Ranchland, a community organization formed to preserve the Ranch, the American Land Conservancy came to the community's aid with the provision that a local group coordinate the transaction and fundraising. The Foundation for Small Wilderness Area Preservation helped develop North Coast Small Wilderness Area Preservation (NCSWAP), a new chapter comprised of Cambrians. This organization partnered with the American Land Conservancy, the State Coastal Conservancy, CCSD, San Luis Obispo County, businesses and residents to purchase the East-West Ranch for $11.1 million in November 2000.

In November 2000, the 430-acre East West Ranch along with several adjacent parcels, was preserved in perpetuity through a unique coalition of public and private funding. Thanks to numerous contributions--including more than $1 million raised by the community of Cambria--it will remain public open space and recreational land forever. The East West Ranch is a large open-space property that stretches approximately one mile along the ocean and includes part of Santa Rosa Creek. It contains habitat important to endangered and threatened species, including tidewater gobies, steelhead trout, red-legged frogs and Monterey pines.

On April 24, 2003, the Cambria Community Services District (CCSD) Board of Directors adopted the East West Ranch Management Plan and Conservation Easement.  Under the terms of sale, the CCSD, which acquired ownership of the Ranch in November 2000, was obligated to develop a Management Plan and Conservation Easement agreement in addition to appointing a management group and conservation easement holder. The North Coast Small Wilderness Area Preservation (NCSWAP) was selected as the easement holder for the entire Ranch. The CCSD will manage the East Ranch. It will also manage the West Ranch until NCSWAP is prepared to assume the responsibility.

For more information about the East-West Ranch, including details on the conservation easement, visit the CCSD East-West Ranch webpage or click one of the following links to directly view a specific area of the easement: