Up to 240,000 contiguous acres of spectacular and ecologically significant California wildlands will be protected under a precedent-setting agreement brokered by Audubon California and five other environmental groups with the Tejon Ranch Company. The agreement will protect approximately 90 percent of Tejon’s rich natural habitat from development and open new opportunities for Californians to enjoy this tremendous landscape firsthand.

“If you look at a map of California, you can see just how big a victory this is for Californians,” said Graham Chisholm, conservation director for Audubon California. “The protected area is immense – 375 square miles – and the only place in North America where four distinct ecoregions meet on one property.”

Tejon Ranch encompasses more of California’s natural beauty and diversity than any undeveloped area of the state. Located at the junction of the Mojave Desert and the Sierra Nevada, central and coastal mountains, the enormous parcel is home to precious native grasslands, oak woodlands, Joshua tree woodlands and conifer forests. It is home to the endangered California Condor and more than two dozen state and federally listed plant and animal species.

Audubon California and its partners in the environmental community have secured a hard fought victory for California’s environment through intense negotiations. Ultimately, these negotiations presented a unique opportunity to settle the ranch’s future and avoid decades of piecemeal legal wrangling with little likelihood of gaining the extensive habitat protection and funding for long-term restoration and management that this represents.

In exchange for major conservation concessions, Audubon California and its partners will agree not to oppose three development projects on 10 percent of the Tejon Ranch. These developments will still be subject to public review and applicable federal and state environmental protection laws.

“This comprehensive negotiated solution is a window of opportunity to preserve the ecological integrity of the Tejon Ranch,” said Dan Silver, chief executive officer of the Endangered Habitats League.

Learn more about this exciting victory for Audubon California: 

Press Release

Feature story: An Audubon victory

Slide show

Maps of the conservation site are available here.

To learn more about Audubon California, click here.