More Land Bought for River Parkway

Marking their largest acquisition in Ventura County to date, the Nature Conservancy and the California Coastal Conservancy announced Monday the purchase of more than 1,000 acres in an effort to create a 25-mile conservation zone along the Santa Clara River.

The Coastal Conservancy, which paid for the land, acquired a 770-acre tract and a 233-acre tract between Saticoy and Santa Paula for $1.28 million.

The Villanueva Living Trust sold the larger parcel, including a portion of South Mountain. Hanson Aggregates sold the smaller parcel, which once housed an asphalt plant, a concrete plant, an auto salvage yard and oil wells.

The deals protect about 1.3 miles of river channel habitat, for a total of nearly 7.5 miles acquired since the Santa Clara River Parkway project was undertaken four years ago. The state has purchased about 2,100 acres of the 6,000 acres it hopes to place in the conservation zone that extends from Sespe Creek near Fillmore to the mouth of the Santa Clara River at the ocean, between Ventura and Oxnard.

The land supports seven endangered and two threatened species, including the southern steelhead trout and the least Bell’s vireo songbird.

“I applaud the property owners who have been willing to sell,” said county Supervisor Steve Bennett. “It’s a great effort that’s probably going a bit unnoticed by most of the citizens of Ventura County. We’re all going to benefit from this conservation effort.”

By preserving and restoring land along one of the last free-flowing rivers in Southern California, environmentalists hope to replace natural vegetation lost to development, which in turn should minimize flooding and enhance water quality downstream.

“In addition to ensuring the health of various important species and flood reduction, we’re counting on real improvements to the water quality for the beaches of Ventura County,” said Peter Brand, a Coastal Conservancy senior project manager who oversees local projects.