I was one of the founding members of the San Benito Agricultural Land Trust and am thrilled of our achievements as we celebrate our 30th anniversary! Here is to the next 30 years!
My initial experience with the San Benito Agricultural Land Trust was through the Pinnacle farm stand where we regularly buy fresh produce each Saturday. i found out that the land trust held a new agricultural easement on the family farmland that grew the fresh produce. I then learned that the san benito ag land trust has been doing the critical work of preserving the agricultural base that is critical to the culture and history of our home county. Soon after that i joined the land trust as a committee member
I’ve worked with the San Benito Agricultural Land Trust for about 7 of its 30 years and am thoroughly impressed by the impact of this grass roots conservation organization, comprised of local agriculturists and environmental advocates. Dedication of its staff, board, volunteers and conservation partners has placed it at the forefront of trusted regional agencies working to protect San Benito county’s vibrant agricultural heritage and open space beauty. SBALT’s work with ranchers and farmers, the ability to provide conservation easements, insures permanent solutions to the ever increasing pressures of urban development. Thinking globally and acting locally - supporting SBALT is crucial to permanently preserving essential food production, vital watersheds and scenic wildlife corridors.
My husband and I are thrilled to have been able to work with SBALT to preserve our beautiful 50 acre farm for agriculture forever with an Ag easement. The board, staff and volunteers work tirelessly to protect the viability of agricultural in San Benito County.
After 4 decades in New England, my wife and I moved to Hollister, in San Benito County (SBC) in California, for the next phase of our retired life. While affordable good housing was the motive for the SBC move, we soon realized the advantage of being in the midst of orchards, farms, rangelands, and wineries. We also realized that -- with the close proximity to Silicon Valley -- the agricultural green spaces were under intense pressure, to let developers move in and build and build and build. We soon came to know of the work of SBALT -- the San Benito Agricultural Land Trust -- a 30-year-old organization that has consistently championed the preservation of agricultural and open spaces in this county. It is tough going for SBALT. Not only are there pressures from developers, hungry for land, but also newer generations of farming and ranching families may not by interested in leading a "life on and for the land". This is where SBALT comes in. Once a land is put under the trusting care of SBALT, it is preserved as an open space in perpetuity. SBALT, along with other land trust type organizations, is the bulwark to stop rampant development and nondescript urbanization of this beautiful county with rolling hills of open spaces. We support SBALT to the best of our abilities; and urge all -- residents of SBC and outsiders with the ability to support open space preservation -- to pitch in strongly, to make SBALT stronger and more capable in terms of achieving its mission.
Watching the Silicon Valley go from abundant orchards to a sea of buildings makes me keenly aware of how easily San Benito County can lose its agricultural industry. I've chosen to live in this county because it has the rural landscape that I loved as a child. San Benito Agricultural Land Trust helps to protect this landscape.
SBALT has lasted the test of time--30years!!! Working to conserve and preserve agriculture lands in San Benito County for the future.
Candy C.
San Benito Agricultural Land Trust (SBALT) protected about 7000 acres with easement and fee title over its first 20 years. It has worked very hard over the last 6 years to become a more robust organization, adopting policies for prudent management in perpetuity. . SBALT joined the Land Trust Alliance and worked very hard and achieved certification in 2021. SBALT also received several grants for organization building that helped us hire an Executive Director and at the same time increase grass roots fundraising. The organization has since protected a 540 acre property held in fee title and 50 acres of prime farmland with conservation easements. Projects are underway that will protect an additional 1200 to 1800 acres of agricultural land. These accomplishments were achieved with hard work by an all-volunteer board and the tremendous contribution of our Executive Director.
My experience with SBALT has been as an active committee member as well as an active field volunteer on Ranch Days, both as a photographer and to maintain the Nyland Property and Ranch Larios easement. My experiences have been decidedly positive. I have found the Board, staff and volunteers to be positive, energetic and reliable. I have been exposed to intelligent people who are honorably trying to accomplish positive outcomes in whatever project they attempt. The SBALT community is customarily cheerful and generous with their time, energy and donations..
San Benito Agricultural Land Trust exemplifies the very essence of responsible land conservation and sustainable agriculture. Their transparent operations, strategic land acquisition, and emphasis on community involvement make them a true champion in the preservation of our agricultural heritage. By supporting the San Benito Agricultural Land Trust, we invest in the future of our planet and ensure that generations to come will have the privilege of enjoying the bountiful beauty of our agricultural heartland. I wholeheartedly recommend this exceptional organization to anyone passionate about the environment and the future of farming.
San Benito Agricultural Land Trust became an accredited land trust in February 2022, a status that can be renewed every five years. Accreditation means San Benito Agricultural Land Trust meets national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. San Benito Agricultural Land Trust demonstrated to the Land Trust Accreditation Commission its commitment to excellence. Accredited land trusts meet national quality standards for protecting important natural places and working lands forever. These land trusts demonstrate the commitment to excellence by adopting Land Trust Standards and Practices, the ethical and technical guidelines for the responsible operation of a land trust, and meeting the accreditation requirements drawn from them. To learn more about land trust accreditation and the current accreditation status of San Benito Agricultural Land Trust, visit http//www.landtrustaccreditation.org/about.