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Summer 2024

July & August

"What you love, you protect"


Rosemary Gladstar

~For the Wild~


MLT & The Conservation Fund Celebrate the Conservation of 16,000 Acres

On July 18th we took time to mark the success of more than two years of collaborative work. The Conservation Fund and Mendocino Land Trust achieved the conveyance of two separate conservation easements of forestland along the Big River and Salmon Creek, totaling more than 16,000 acres of vital and diverse watershed habitats.


On July 18th, 25 dedicated conservationists from both organizations gathered deep in the Big River Forest to soak up the sun surrounded by these conserved working forests, stroll down to the river, and learn about this extraordinary project, and the work that got us here.


11,707 acres of the Big River watershed and 4,389 acres of Salmon Creek Forest are both high priority watersheds for anadromous salmonids, crucial to the Recovery Strategy for California Coho Salmon. Combined, they include 34 miles of fish-bearing streams, 41 miles of perennial streams, riparian habitats, and support coho salmon, northern spotted owls, steelhead trout, and an array of sensitive and vulnerable species.



All this is a pretty big deal. But there is another story here, and the Big River runs right through it. That story is the history of Mendocino Land Trust itself: where we live, what we love, how we protect that, and how we grew into the organization we are now. In 2002, we conserved 7,334 acres of the Big River Watershed, which then became part of the CA State Parks system. This milestone conservation project transformed a local land trust run by a fully volunteer Board of Trustees into the thriving organization we are today, employing 10 full and part time staff, summer interns, and supported by a host of dedicated volunteers.


Days like this remind us that what we do matters, to our community, to our wild unbuilt spaces, to the planet, and to you. Thanks for being here.

Big thanks to The Conservation Fund!

Celebration Hike at Shady Dell June 2024

New Trails at Shady Dell: By the Numbers


  • 5 Years in the making
  • 4 Miles of the new Ridgeline Trail
  • 0.5 Miles of the new Creekside Trail
  • 300+ Steps carved into the Ridgeline
  • Hundreds of pounds of gravel and timber hauled uphill to create
  • 1 Incredible viewing platform over the astonishing Lost Coast
  • Countless MLT staff work-hours
  • 5 California Conservation Corps Trail Crews
  • 2 American Conservation Experience Crews
  • 0 Broken bones

One Celebration Hike – June 15, 2024



Shady Dell is owned by the Save the Redwoods League (SRL), and it is adjacent to the Sinkyone Wilderness State Park at Usal. MLT designed and built the first trail at Shady Dell, the Peter Douglas Trail, which is an extension of the Lost Coast Trail. The Peter Douglas trail was completed in 2016.

MLT Awards Scholarships to College-Bound Conservationists

Mendocino Land Trust recently awarded the 2024 Natural Resources Conservation Scholarships to two graduating seniors in Mendocino County.

Ani McKay

Ukiah High School

Class of 2024


Ani heads to CSU Monterey where she will major in Marine Biology including courses in ecosystems and conservation. Her academic future reflects her passion for advocacy and a deep affinity for the water.


Ani’s accomplishments include six years participating in the Science Olympiad with the Ukiah HS STEM team, leading the varsity girls water polo and

swim teams as captain, as well as coaching the 6-16 age group at the Ukiah Kraken Aquatic Club, and of course – surfing!


“The profound impact of witnessing the pollution in our oceans firsthand while scuba diving has fueled my passion to

contribute towards marine conservation efforts. Becoming a Marine Biologist is not just a dream, but a calling that I am committed to fulfilling... My passion lies in making a positive impact on our planet and preserving our precious oceans.”

Abilene Kamstra

Fort Bragg High School

Class of 2024


Abilene will bring her passion for nature and social fairness to her studies in the Society and Environment Program at UC Berkeley in the fall.


Abilene already has considerable experience in public advocacy,

having interned with KZYX for their Disquiet Voices/Ecology Hour segment.


“I’m really passionate about the environment, especially climate change and emissions. Growing up here, it’s so beautiful and I feel like it’s really shaped a lot of who I am and I want to protect really special places like this. And thinking about my future and my peers’ future, I really want us to be able to continue to experience nature.” 

Meet the Interns!

John reports for duty

John Ebinger is our intern from Reed College where he is majoring in Economics. This fall he begins his senior year. 

Diego Ortega comes to us from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He is majoring in Environmental Earth & Soil Sciences with a Hydrology Concentration. 

Each summer MLT welcomes two interns to Fort Bragg for ten action-packed weeks of trails, coastal community, operational & outreach experience, and rustic living. We threw a few questions at them and are not at all surprised at their thoughtful answers. Interns bring fresh energy and perspective to our work and never fail to impress with their talent and dedication.


What part of the work at MLT most interests you? 

 DO: Many parts of this job are interesting to me but the most interesting has to be being able to be outdoors in nature even if it’s simply picking up trash at a public trail. I couldn't believe that we got to do a long hike where bushwhacking and a river crossing was involved, monitoring a conservation easement at the Big River buffer, as these are activities that I already do in my free time- not to mention protecting the Redwoods. It’s also great to learn new skills from all team members as they all have years of experience in many fields.

  JE:  It’s hard to pick one part of the work that most interests me, but the variety of different tasks is what stands out to me. I enjoy the trail maintenance, site visits, research, and outreach aspects of the job, and the constant variety makes the weeks feel like they fly by. Working closely with each member of the team and getting to learn more about their areas of expertise has been my favorite part of work so far. 


What is your favorite MLT trail, and why? 

(spoiler: both winners are up the Lost Coast)

    JE: My favorite trail has been the Ridgeline Trail. It was completed a short time before I arrived, so I was able to attend the celebratory hike with over a dozen staff, Board, and friends of MLT. The hike itself was beautiful and took us through a variety of environments and views, as I am learning is typical of California.

   DO: Peter Douglas Trail is my favorite because it reminds me of Big Sur which is my favorite place in California. We went out to do trail maintenance by cutting down weeds and it was beautiful to have a view of the coast while getting the job done. Peter Douglas has beautiful habitat transitions where you are in an area of Redwood cover, then move into more of a coastal grassland environment. 


Bonus: What are your future career goals right now? 

     DO: I want to make sure that when that I am older, I have a job that I don’t need a vacation from. I hope to go to get my master’s degree in hydrology and then do nonprofit work where I can have a life of service through jobs such as getting clean accessible water to areas that lack it. After doing nonprofit work I hope to go into the classroom setting to teach environmental science and teach the younger population to take care of the earth.

    JE: Basically, everything about this job is what I want my future career to look like. Having a tight-knit office environment doing work that I look forward to every morning in support of a good cause is both how I would describe MLT as well as what I want to do in my future. 


Check out our Facebook and Instagram pages for glimpses into their experience on #TraildayTuesdays and the #FridayInternReport

You Did It!

Hathaway Creek Forest Protection Project Success


Thanks to the dedication and hard work of one visionary land owner, and the generous support of numerous donors, many anonymous, who came together to protect this South-County site, MLT was able to meet the $20,000 fundraising goal - and then some! Those donations were matched dollar for dollar (up to the 20K goal) by MLT's newly-formed Redwood Protection and Restoration Endowment. The conservation easement here will keep the forest from commercial logging.


The success of this campaign stands as an example of what we can accomplish when we work together. The conservation easement will protect 38.5 acres of second-growth forest of Redwood, Douglas Fir, and Bishop Pine from commercial logging, and keep safe rare and sensitive plant and wildlife species. Importantly, it funds the stewardship and legal defense of the site, located at the headwaters of the Hathaway Creek in Point Arena, for years to come. We are deeply grateful to our community and each one of the donors who stepped up when called. Thank you!


“I wince every time I see redwood forests cut down when I know their natural life cycle should reach more than 2,000 years. The giant, ancient trees growing in Mendocino County in the 1800s are largely gone, replaced by second-and third-growth younger forests. What if we allowed more of those trees to grow back to their full potential?”



Hathaway Creek Forest owner, Point Arena


Species Spotlight: Mylitta Crescent

Contributed by Anna Bride, Stewardship Project Manager

Phyciodes mylitta, the Mylitta crescent, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in western North America.


The wingspan is 1 - 1.5". Wings are orange with black markings and white fringe on the edges. The females are darker than the males. The butterfly flies from June until fall in California. It is found in a variety of habitats, and usually inhabits coastal and inland meadows, stream banks, and in forested areas.


The larvae are black with spines and white markings. They feed on Cirsium (Thistle) species. Adults feed on flower nectar.


Learn about this butterfly and more in our Mendocino County Local Butterfly Guide.

Visit MLT Website and Download Butterfly Guide

Audience Engagement at MFF highlights a shared passion for our forests and wild spaces

"Spending time among forests, waterways and other natural wonders is essential to our well-being on so many levels — something that we can’t afford to take for granted. So many of our wild spaces are fragmented, vulnerable to human impacts or off-limits these days, but it’s not too late to turn the tides. That’s why the efforts of the Mendocino Land Trust to preserve, restore and provide gateways to some of California’s most vital and stunning landscapes are so important." - Lisa Landers, Producer & Director, Giants Rising 


MLT sponsored film, Giants Rising, was a hit at the Mendocino Film Festival last month. Billed as "a tale of awe, wonder, and connection", the film drew an enthusiastic response from a sold-out audience, and inspired heart-felt conversation with Director Lisa Landers, featured artist Sarah Bird, and MLT Executive Director Conrad Kramer.


Audience members also shared their experiences, personal histories, healing journeys, and moments of illumination, as well as the heartbreak intrinsic to conservation work.


Produced and directed by award-winning filmmaker, Lisa Landers, the film takes the audience on a stunning journey deep into the iconic forests of Northern California, Mendocino, Sonoma, and Humboldt, and highlights the natural history, cultural significance, science, and the vital importance of some of the oldest, and largest species on earth.


To learn more about the film click here.

~ Be the change you want to see ~

MLT Board Openings


MLT is seeking to expand its Board of Trustees and encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds who can help our Board evolve to reflect the diversity of Mendocino County.



Click here for details.

Upcoming Events & Volunteer Days



Monthly Volunteer Day - Second Thursday Navarro Point Stewards

8/8/2024 10 a.m. - Information available at this link.


Monthly Volunteer Day - Second Saturday Hare Creek Beach Stewards

8/10/2024 9:30 a.m. - Information available at this link.


Donor and Volunteer Appreciation Day ~Big River Beach BBQ

9/7/2024 - 12pm - 3pm riverside - RSVP info@mendocinolandtrust.org

Big River BBQ


Monthly Volunteer Day - Second Thursday Navarro Point Stewards

9/12/2024 Information at this link


California Coastal Cleanup Day! 9/21/2024


Visit our Events Page

2024 Trail Keepers

2024 Business Sponsorships


A Business sponsorship is a great way to support MLT and let the community know your business is invested in preserving our wild and beautiful coastline, inland forests, and working farmlands. Sponsorships also help us provide public access trails for our visitors and neighbors. Trailkeeper sponsorships are also available.


Along with priceless goodwill, here are some of the perks of an MLT partnership:

Interested? Contact us at info@mendocinolandtrust.org

DONATE to MLT
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