Rangeland, Grazing Land, and Grassland Protection

In September of 2002, Chapter 984, Statutes of 2002, enacted the Rangeland, Grazing Land and Grassland Protection Act of 2002. The Act designated the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) as the lead agency for carrying out the California Rangeland, Grazing Land and Grassland Protection Program. The purpose of the program is to protect California's rangeland, grazing land and grassland through the use of conservation easements.; Projects must protect the integrity of the rangeland, grazing lands and grasslands. The WCB will assist applicants interested in obtaining funding information from the different agricultural protection programs.Innovative compatible use activities address the external and internal components of sustainability.The WCB encourages projects to be developed with partners attempting to address regional landscape issues. A partnership approach brings to the project a diversity of skills, expertise, ideas and sometimes-even money that may not otherwise be available to complete a desired project. Project proposals that contain funding partners may receive a higher priority than those applicants requesting 100 percent of the necessary funds to acquire the conservation easement.The terms and conditions of the conservation easement must comply with the "Principles of Compatible Use".Landowner must disclose any known or suspected environmental conditions associated with the property.Landowner must certify the conservation easement was not, and is not, required to satisfy a condition imposed upon the landowner by any lease, permit, license, certificate, or other entitlement for use issued by one or more public agencies, including, but not limited to, the mitigation of significant effects on the environment of a project pursuant to an approved environmental impact report or mitigated negative declaration.Landowners must certify the proposed use is consistent with local land use plans and zoning requirements.Holders of mineral rights will be notified of the intent to purchase a conservation easement.