Grant boosts effort to protect ‘missing mile’ on Mount Diablo
CONCORD, CA—Resources Legacy Fund (RLF) awarded Save Mount Diablo (SMD) a grant of $35,000 to help preserve a critical “missing mile” of unprotected land on Mount Diablo.
The grant will help pay for a conservation easement that SMD is raising funds for to permanently protect a highly visible, mile-wide, high-peak parcel on Mount Diablo’s North Peak.
The Concord Mt. Diablo Trail Ride Association currently owns the land. At the end of 2019, SMD signed an option agreement with the association allowing two years to secure the funds needed to purchase a perpetual conservation easement on 154 acres. RLF’s support will cover all the pre-acquisition costs.
Permanent protection
“We are most grateful for RLF’s support, which provides terrific momentum for our effort to protect critical lands on the slopes of Mount Diablo,” said Ted Clement, SMD executive director. “The permanent protection of the Concord Mt. Diablo Trail Ride Association land will secure important wildlife corridors and stunning vistas afforded to millions of people by Mount Diablo.
“This grant also brings us that much closer to completing our Forever Wild Capital Campaign set up to help us expedite our acquisition work while also building the resources required to steward and defend our conserved lands in perpetuity,” Clement added.
SMD is a nationally accredited, nonprofit land trust founded in 1971. Its mission seeks to preserve Mount Diablo’s peaks, surrounding foothills and watersheds through land acquisition and preservation strategies designed to protect the mountain’s natural beauty, biological diversity, and historic and agricultural heritage; enhance our area’s quality of life; and provide recreational opportunities consistent with the protection of natural resources.
The group needs to raise $1.04 million by December 2021 to acquire the conservation easement. Contributions can be made at savemountdiablo.org/forever-wild.
RLF is a nonprofit that works closely with philanthropists to achieve conservation of land, ocean and water resources; climate change resilience; and conservation funding and policies that benefit all communities. Learn more at resourceslegacyfund.org/.
The Concord Mt. Diablo Trail Ride Association is a family-oriented not-for-profit organization founded in 1941 dedicated to horsemanship, land preservation and fun. Visit cmdtra.org for details.
