The following is the latest news provided by the San Benito County Agricultural Land Trust:
In September, SBALT was awarded a capacity-building grant from the California Department of Conservation’s Working Lands and Riparian Corridors Program. This multi-year grant will support conservation planning, grant-writing to fund additional easements, and partnerships with agricultural organizations that help underserved farmers and ranchers.
SBALT also recently received a generous anonymous donation to help cover operating expenses. We will use these funds to develop a business plan to guide our work and expansion over the next few years, allowing us to protect more of San Benito County’s valuable farmlands and grazing lands.
On Dec. 12 and 13 volunteers of all ages are invited to join SBALT in helping local schoolchildren plant a 1,400-foot native plant hedgerow between fields on a vegetable row crop farm near the Santa Clara/San Benito County line. The native plant hedgerow will enhance erosion control and provide habitat for pollinators, beneficial insects, and wildlife. The property is farmed by UC Farms, Inc. and owned by Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority (SCVOSA).
This project is a partnership with Point Blue Conservation Science’s STRAW Program (Students and Teachers Restoring a Watershed), SCVOSA, Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County, Hedgerows Unlimited, and the San Benito Working Landscapes Group. To join the event, contact [email protected].
In November, SBALT honored Board Vice President and dedicated fundraiser Emily Renzel at the Community Foundation for San Benito County’s National Philanthropy Day dinner. Read more about Emily’s contributions on page 26 of the Mission Village Voice December issue.
