Over half of California is covered in rangeland. Today, 15 million acres of open space are protected because of the Williamson Act, which since 1965, has offered tax relief to ranch and farm owners who preserve their land. But according to new research out of UC Davis, recent cuts to state funding for the act are putting 20 percent of this rangeland at risk for development. We’ll discuss the Williamson Act and its impact on conservation and ranching in California.
Guests:
Lauren Sommer, science and environment reporter for KQED Public Radio
Lynn Huntsinger, professor of rangeland ecology and management and chair of the division of society and environment at UC Berkeley
Daniel Sweet, fifth generation rancher in the Altamont Hills, former president of the California Cattlemen's Association, and a member of the California Rangeland Trust's Board of Directors
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