Conserved for
Freeman Ranch is the scenic backdrop to Refugio State Beach and the first conservation easement the Land Trust bought from a rancher on the scenic Gaviota Coast. Important natural resources on the ranch, including a large vernal pond, a 30-acre oak woodland, and one mile of Refugio Creek, are guarded through agricultural management practices that the Freemans follow. Under the easement, the Freemans retain their right to keep the land in agriculture and to build homes necessary for family and employees in areas outside the view of the public beach.
This purchase was supported by grants from the California Farmland Conservancy Program, California Coastal Conservancy, State Resources Agency, the County Coastal Resource Enhancement Fund, and two private foundations.
