Welcome to The California Rangeland Trust

Kester Ranches

Monterey and Fresno Counties

Promoting regional conservation and coordination

Almost 17,500 acres were added to California Rangeland Trust's Southern Diablo Range Project in 2003 when easements closed on three separate ranches straddling the Monterey and Fresno County lines. The Kester's Bear Valley Ranches and Jacalitos Ranch easements are three cornerstone properties to our Parkfield area conservation project. The neighboring 17,000-acre Varian V6 Ranch easement, which connects the ranches to the north was purchased in March 2001 by the Trust for Public Land and transferred to California Rangeland Trust after it closed.In addition to their strategic location at the center of one of the most productive grazing regions in the state, the Bear Valley and Jacalitos Ranches are a key part of a biologically rich region that marks the intersection of the Central Valley ecosystem with that of the Coast Range.This area is home to an unusually wide variety of native flora and fauna including the protected California red-legged frog, western pond turtle, San Joaquin kit fox, and the majestic Golden Eagle. Other species include blacktail deer, mountain lions, coyotes, wild pigs, and the occasional bear. Oak and pine woodland habitat dominates the region. Major contributors to this project include the Wildlife Conservation Board, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.