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The sandhills, a land of endangered animals and rare plants nicknamed
“the Galapagos Islands of Santa Cruz County” will soon be a possible
field trip destination for area students.
 Part of the sandhills habitat will be preserved with more than $4 million raised by the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County. Julia Fredenburg/For the Press-Banner
“We received funds specifically aimed at education and getting the school kids out on the property,” said Stephen Slade, Land Trust of Santa Cruz County spokesman.
Some short-term cleanup and restoration work is needed before the property will be available for exploration by students, and Slade said the property might be ready by next fall at the earliest.
The sandhills are a rare habitat home to seven species found nowhere else on Earth. They are the Zayante band-winged grasshopper, Mt. Hermon June beetle, Santa Cruz kangaroo rat, Santa Cruz wallflower, Ben Lomond spineflower, Ben Lomond buckwheat and Bonny Doon manzanita.
The land is located off Geyer Road, north of Mt. Hermon Road between Scotts Valley and Felton.
The Land Trust secured the final major piece of funding, a $1.5 million grant from the California Wildlife Conservation Board, to purchase 189 acres of sandhills habitat. Over the next five years, the organization hopes to buy the “best 700” of the existing 4,000 acres.
Since August 2007, the Land Trust has secured more than $4 million in grant money and $1.2 million in community support. The Land Trust is $7,000 short of its goal and hopes to finish fundraising soon.
“It’s been a real fun campaign,” Slade said. “It’s been more about education than anything else.”
The purchase of the property is scheduled for June.
The Land Trust will purchase the land from PCO LLC, which founded the Zayante Sandhills Conservation Bank, a group dedicated to preserving the natural sandhills habitat.
“We’re excited to be part of preserving this land,” said PCO’s Owen Lawlor, who added he was impressed by the strong fundraising campaign Land Trust put together. “It’s a really great accomplishment.”
The Land Trust will set aside $800,000 to maintain the property.
“Protection doesn’t stop when you have the deed,” Slade said. “Protection is an ongoing process.”
For information: www.landtrustsantacruz.com or www.zayantesandhills.com.
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