After Years Of Fighting, A New Chapter For Napa's Contested 2,300 Acres

NAPA VALLEY, CA — The battle over more than 2,300 acres of open land — nearly three times the size of New York City's Central Park — entered a new chapter Monday as the Land Trust of Napa County officially renamed the former Walt Ranch as Osos Ridge Preserve and announced plans to open the property to the public in spring 2027.

The new name reflects the preserve's role as a wildlife corridor and honors the black bears — "osos" in Spanish — that regularly roam the rugged hills of eastern Napa County.

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"Renaming this magnificent landscape to Osos Ridge Preserve marks a defining chapter in our mission to protect Napa County's natural heritage," Land Trust CEO Melanie Parker said in a statement.

"By permanently conserving this land, we are not only securing a critical lifeline for the region's wildlife but also honoring our promise to open these 2,300 acres to the community."

The preserve stretches along the Atlas Peak ridgeline, creating an uninterrupted habitat corridor linking Foss Valley and Howell Mountain.

Land Trust officials said the property serves as a migration route for mountain lions, bobcats, black-tailed deer, and the largest population of black bears in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Meghan Walla-Murphy, founder of the North Bay Bear Collaborative, said the property has become increasingly important as wildlife escapes and returns from wildfire zones.

"This property is unique because it serves as a critical path for bears seeking refuge during wildfires — and returning when it's safe," she said. "Because just like us, wildlife needs an escape route in a crisis."

The Land Trust purchased the property in 2023 for $24 million with funding from the California State Coastal Conservancy, the Wildlife Conservation Board, and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Former owners Craig and Kathryn Hall donated $6 million toward the acquisition, ending a yearslong effort to develop commercial vineyards on the property.

Land Use Future

The proposed purchase abruptly ended one of Napa County's longest-running land-use battles after years of litigation, environmental opposition, and political controversy surrounding plans to convert portions of the property into vineyards.

At the time, the agreement also effectively halted an approved vineyard project and concluded a dispute that had drawn scrutiny over conflict-of-interest allegations involving county decision-making, Patch reported in 2023.

The area was once used as seasonal camps by the Miwok, Patwin, and Wappo peoples, the original inhabitants of what is now Napa County before colonization by Spanish, Mexican, and American settlers.

Today, descendants of all three peoples still live in Northern California and continue efforts to preserve ancestral lands.

The Land Trust had pledged when it acquired the property that it would permanently protect the land, rename the preserve, and eventually open it for public recreation in partnership with the Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District.

Chris Cahill, general manager of the Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District, said in an announcement Monday that the agency is helping design trails and visitor access.

"After a decade of contention over this land's future, I'm glad the outcome is publicly accessible open space, which is exactly what our district exists to help deliver," Cahill said.

Officials said the preserve contains rare oak woodlands, native grasslands, vernal pools, and several endangered plant species found only in Napa County, including Redwood Lily, Napa Bluecurls, Jepson's Leptosiphon, and Narrow-anthered brodiaea.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife assigned the landscape its highest biodiversity ranking under the state's "areas of conservation emphasis."

The property also protects the headwaters of the Napa River and the Putah Creek-Lake Berryessa watershed, including Milliken Creek, a key municipal water source for the City of Napa.

A $1 million gift from the William Inez Mabie Family Foundation is funding habitat restoration, volunteer projects, guided hikes, educational signage, and other early stewardship work before the preserve opens.