CAL FIRE awards over $3 million to permanently protect Estrada Ranch in Santa Cruz County

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV)- CAL FIRE announced that they have awarded over $10 million in grants to help protect California's forests.

The Land Trust of Santa Cruz County was awarded $3,019,846 of the Forest Legacy Grant Award to help permanently protect the 1,204-acre area.

The money will be used to buy two adjacent working forest conservation easements.

"The California Forest Legacy Grants protect environmentally important forest land threatened with conversion to non-forest uses. Protection of California’s forests through these grants ensures they will continue to provide such benefits as sustainable timber production, wildlife habitat, recreation opportunities, watershed protection, carbon sequestration and storage, and open space," said CAL FIRE.

 Peninsula Open Space Trust purchased 839 acres of redwood forest, working lands, and critical wildlife habitat in the area back in Jan of 2023.