The National Park Service announced an agreement to voluntarily close ranches in Point Reyes National Seashore, resolving decades of tension and litigation over land use in the Northern California site.
A multiyear mediation process between environmental groups and Point Reyes ranchers led to an agreement, released Wednesday, to close 12 out of the 14 ranches on Point Reyes within the next 15 months. Ranchers will be compensated through private funds raised by nonprofit The Nature Conservancy, which helped facilitate the mediation.
NPS released a new management plan based on the agreement, which will rezone the agricultural land into scenic landscape that prioritizes conservation. The management plan also allows tule elk numbers to expand within the park.
“This is an exciting moment for Point Reyes National Seashore,” said seashore Superintendent Anne Altman. “The NPS recognizes the important legacy of the multigenerational ranching families, whose contributions were important to the creation of Point Reyes National Seashore, and we extend our heartfelt gratitude to the ranchers, TNC, litigation parties and others who contributed to reaching this pivotal agreement.”
