An unprecedented agreement has emerged between California’s Tejon Ranch Company and five environmental organizations, reports Gary Langham for Living Bird, a publication of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The largest privately held contiguous property in the state, Tejon hosts an abundance of bird species, including the California Condor and Spotted Owl, as well as rare pristine examples of various native grasslands, oak woodlands, and coniferous forest. This landmark agreement culminates a two-year process involving Audubon California, the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Endangered Habitats League, and the Planning and Conservation League. Critics of the deal cite the fact that it allows the Tejon Ranch Company to develop the remaining ten percent, which includes Condor habitat. However, supporters believe it will grant conservation groups unparalleled access to and influence over this prized landscape.
Sources:Living Bird, Audubon California, Sierra Club
Image by crawfish head, licensed under Creative Commons
