331 Acres Of Tri-Valley Wildlife Habitat, Open Space Permanently Protected

LIVERMORE, CA — 331 acres of wildlife habitat and open space in Doolan Canyon and Springtown Preserve are now permanently protected through two new conservation easements, the Tri-Valley Conservancy announced.

The two conservation easements include a 131-acre property along Doolan Canyon that connects with 1,346 acres of already protected land, creating a wildlife corridor of nearly 1,500 acres between Dublin and Livermore where animals can travel safely between the places they live. The connection is especially important for the California tiger salamander and the California red-legged frog, two species that rely on healthy wetlands and the grasslands around them.

In Springtown, an additional 200 acres within the existing city-owned Springtown Preserve are now protected to preserve alkali wetlands and the plants and animals that depend on them. The wetlands are one of the few places where the rare Livermore tarplant and palmate-bracted bird’s-beak are able to grow.

“TVC is proud to add these open space lands to our more than 6,500 acres of protected lands in the Tri-Valley region,” said Rebecca Spector, executive director of Tri-Valley Conservancy. “These lands are home to special species including California tiger salamanders and western burrowing owls, and connect larger habitat areas ensuring wildlife can travel safely across the region.”

The process for obtaining the easements began in 2022. The East Ranch Development housing project by Trumark Homes required habitat loss mitigation, and the city of Livermore had highly sensitive, biologically diverse land that it could provide for mitigation. Trumark Homes worked with the city of Livermore (which owned the land), the Tri-Valley Conservancy (the conservation easement holder) and WRA Environmental Consultants to create a long-term management plan and fund an endowment to cover the habitat enhancement, management, and monitoring activities.

The Tri-Valley Conservancy will work to monitor the easements to make sure the land continues to be a haven for wildlife.

"Conservation is a long-term commitment. Our role is to make sure these lands stay thriving ecosystems that stand the test of time. We’re proud to work hands-on to ensure the terms of our easements are upheld, and we have staff out in the field year-round to different properties to do so,” said Diana Roberts, associate director of conservation at TVC.