A Gathering at Grand Island
Early in Junio, Sequoia Riverlands Trust hosted Coffee & Conservation at its Grand Island easement in collaboration with Young Farmers & Ranchers of Fresno and Madera. Folks from the Young Farmers & Ranchers network, SRT staff, and the Harris family—the owners of Grand Island farm—came together to hear about conservation easements and the potential benefits of engaging in the conservation easement process.
A Farm Worth Protecting
The beautiful organic stone fruit farm in Parlier sits right on the Kings River with direct waterfront access. Many summers have seen brothers and sisters, as well as kids and grandkids playing in the water and enjoying everything the property has to offer. The Harris Family decided that the land was too beautiful and too important to risk development. With the help of SRT, Grand Island was officially preserved as a farm in 2013.
Understanding Conservation Easements
SRT’s Conservation Outreach & Resilience Manager Emily Boettger walked through a brief description of what a conservation easement is: a voluntary legal agreement that permanently protects land, as well as the changes that conservation easements do and do not make to a landowner’s rights to their land. Emily also overviewed the California Department of Conservation’s Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation (SALC) program, which provides grant funding for agricultural conservation easements and is a tool often used by SRT to obtain funding to acquire easements throughout the Southern Sierra and San Joaquin Valley region.
The Harris Family’s Conservation Journey
The Harris family then gave participants insight into their journey with their conservation easement and the benefit that it has brought their family. They told the story about how the family’s late sister urged them to think about the long-term preservation of the farm for sustainable purposes. Making the decision to engage in a conservation easement meant that they could now see their farm flourish into the future, as well as receive enough payment from the easement to pay off debt. The Harris brothers recall being apprehensive about entering into an easement, but now fully appreciate the added confidence it brings in planning for the future, knowing the land will remain intact for their family and others to enjoy forever. The easement has ensured that wildlife, water, and wonder remain a part of Grand Island’s future. Valley oaks provide shade for family gatherings and habitat for birds. Fish flood the lower field in high water years. The younger generation is able to float in kayaks. These rituals root the family even further into the land, building on a place that enables play, reflection, and belonging.
Inspiring Future Conservation
Anyone privileged to hear the Harris family’s story would be moved by how much this land meant to them. This event helped educate people about what a conservation easement is, while also allowing them to connect with those familiar with the process and experience what it’s like to be on one. Interest in conservation easements was piqued by participants, with one attending family wanting to engage in further discussion around potentially pursuing an easement on their property! Moments like this show how shared stories can inspire landowners to explore conservation tools that protect their land for future generations.
