Park District Awarded a Key $7 Million Grant for Acquisition of Finley Road Ranch Property
The East Bay Regional Park District has been notified that it will receive a $7 million grant from the California State Coastal Conservancy (CSCC) for the purchase of the 768-acre Finley Road Ranch property. The property is located at the mouth of Riggs Canyon off Finley Road at the western edge of Morgan Territory Regional Preserve and the southern edge of Mount Diablo State Park.
“Acquisition of the Finley Road Ranch property will preserve forever one of the largest remaining pristine open spaces adjacent to Mount Diablo State Park,” said Park District Board President Dennis Waespi. “The California State Coastal Conservancy grant provides vital funding toward the purchase of the property. Preserving the property is also a key step toward the state’s 30x30 initiative of conserving 30 percent of the state’s lands and coastal waters by 2030.”
The Park District is a supporter of the state’s 30x30 initiative and participates in the initiative’s partnership coordinating committee, which works toward implementing the policies of the 30x30 initiative and facilitates coordination among state and federal public agencies, tribal partners, and other non-governmental partners. Park District Deputy General Manager Dr. Ana M. Alvarez was appointed to serve on the committee in August 2022 by California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot.
“The Coastal Conservancy is delighted to support acquisition of this 768-acre property and further the state’s 30x30 goals by protecting this important conservation property while also providing greater access to existing parkland,” said California State Coastal Conservancy Executive Director Amy Hutzel.
The $7 million grant for acquisition of Finley Ranch Road property was one of 12 grants recently announced by CSCC to advance restoration, protection, public access, and climate resilience along the California coast and San Francisco Bay.
“We very much appreciate the Coastal Conservancy for its leadership in preserving natural lands and shorelines throughout the state and providing this critical funding,” said Park District General Manager Sabrina Landreth. “We thank the state, our partners, and staff for their contribution toward the acquisition that supports our mission and the state’s 30x30 goals to conserve nature for future generations.”
The Park District was also recently awarded a $300,000 grant from the California State Parks Habitat Conservation Fund for acquisition of the property. Save Mount Diablo also supported the acquisition with a $50,000 contribution toward the initial purchase option.
The Finley Road Ranch property includes a flat, accessible area that provides the opportunity for a staging area at the entrance to Riggs Canyon, which would significantly improve public access to the property, Morgan Territory Regional Preserve, and adjacent Mount Diablo State Park.
The East Bay Regional Park District is the largest regional park system in the nation, comprising 73 parks, 55 miles of shoreline, and over 1,300 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and environmental education. The Park District receives more than 25 million visits annually throughout Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the San Francisco Bay Area.
