Donna Saufley and Mike Dawson at Tejon Ranch.

“We are excited that the Pacific Crest Trail will have a secure and permanent corridor as part of the Tejon Ranch Conservancy. This reroute of the PCT will allow a much improved user experience in this wonderful region of California.”

Liz Bergeron, Executive Director

Governor Schwarzenegger addressing the crowd at Tejon Ranch

The Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA) extends its congratulations to Tejon Ranch and the environmental community for collaborating on a monumental conservation plan. Working in partnership with several environmental groups, including The Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, Audubon California, the Planning and Conservation League and the Endangered Habitats League, Tejon Ranch Co. unveiled a landmark conservation and land use agreement on May 8. This agreement provides the framework for conserving up to 90% of Tejon Ranch’s landholding, amounting to 240,000 acres. 

This agreement is great news for the PCT!

• A significant part of the plan includes a conservation easement for the trail that will allow the PCT to be relocated from the floor of the Mojave Desert to the crest of the Tehachapi Mountains, in keeping with the original vision for the PCT and following the preferred route agreed upon by the U.S. Forest Service and the Pacific Crest Trail Association (see the future route of the PCT on the map below).

• The easement will permanently protect 37 miles of trail and 10,000 acres of trail corridor.

• This is the largest relocation project since the trail’s official completion in 1993, and will fill the largest gap where the PCT does not follow the originally designated trail route or the crest of a mountain range.

At the press conference on May 8, PCTA’s Executive Director Liz Bergeron, Trail Operations Director Mike Dawson and Volunteer and Trail Angel Donna Saufley, along with the U.S. Forest Service’s PCT Program Manager Beth Boyst, were on hand to thank Tejon Ranch for agreeing to donate this conservation easement, valued by the U.S. Forest Service at an estimated $12 million. 

Speaking to the press at Tejon Ranch, Governor Schwarzenegger praised the corporation and the environmental groups for coming together to come to an agreement that will be beneficial to both California’s economy and its environment:  “…when forward-thinking people, like the people that are standing here with me today, are willing to sit down and make something positive happen, those old battle lines can be terminated. In other words, there is a better way and that better way is in full display right here today at this stunning California landscape.” 

Next steps: Tejon Ranch’s communications materials state that “Phase One [of the conservation plan] provides for the realignment of the Pacific Crest Trail through Tejon Ranch. It will be dedicated as soon as feasibly possible.” There are several steps to be taken throughout this process, but it may only be a couple of years before PCTA’s dedicated volunteers are able to break ground on the first steps of the new trail. 

For more information on this historic agreement, please visit www.tejonpreserve.com

Click for large scale.