Bruin Ranch is an undeveloped 2500-acre plot in the Sierra Foothills. The Trust for Public Land and Placer Land Trust must raise at least $13 million in state and private funds to preserve it and, they hope, open it as a public park. Photo courtesy The Trust for Public Land.
It’ll take about $13 million to buy Bruin Ranch – the 2,500 acre spread outside Auburn that we featured in this piece. Two land trusts are working hard to raise the cash: Trust for Public Land, one of the largest national land conservancy organizations, and a local group, Placer County Land Trust.
If the deal goes through, Bruin Ranch will be the centerpiece of over 6,000 acres of open space in the Sierra Foothills. The plan is to open this vast spread of oak woodlands, pristine Bear River frontage, ponds and rocky peaks to the public. Local hikers, rejoice! Or… at least, prepare to.
Anyone who’s followed the state budget crisis knows that public parks are taking a major hit these days. As Andrea Kissack reported on QUEST back in October, Governor Schwarzenegger has asked California State Parks to shave $14 million dollars off its budget. Hikers will feel the pain in reduced hours and fewer restrooms, among other inconveniences.
So what does that mean for places like Bruin Ranch? Well, it’s really too soon to say. But it seems likely that TPL and PLT will have to count on less help from state agencies when it comes to opening this land to the public. There are real costs here: everything from building and maintaining bathrooms and trails to assuming legal liability for visitors. Ordinarily, these kinds of services would be fall to the local park and recreation department. But in a time of slashed budgets, can they afford to take on a new park?
