Madera County

Keeping a Promise to Protect a Family Treasure

The 1,080 acre ranch is located in the Coarsegold area of the Sierra foothills of Madera County, one of California’s fastest growing regions of the great Central Valley. Everything around the ranch is changing and pressure from developers had been intense, but owner J.B. Overstreet had always been intent on finding a way to protect the ranch from conversion to keep a promise to the Ecker Family. Through J.B.’s efforts, the Rangeland Trust received over 100 letters from the Madera County community in support of the conservation of this historical and resource-rich property. These letters, along with an application by the Rangeland Trust, garnered the needed conservation funding from the California Wildlife Conservation Board’s Rangeland, Grazing Land and Grassland Protection Program. J. B. and his wife Camille maintain that one of the greatest things about the Ecker Ranch is the opportunity to share its natural beauty and peaceful setting with others. The family especially enjoys helping young people gain a deeper appreciation for the unique resources in the valley. Each year the ranch hosts the Covey Kids Program through Ducks Unlimited and has also been home to the Tri-Lakes Hunting and Fishing Club for nearly 50 years.