Placer County Conservation Program acquires 264 acres of open space near Roseville thanks to state grant

The Placer County Conservation Program has acquired 264 acres of open space and natural resources known as Mourier West into its reserve system, an area west of Roseville, thanks to $3.2 million in state grants. The program aims to protect agriculture, open space and wildlife. The property – located in unincorporated Placer County west of Roseville on Sunset Boulevard West – contains 30 acres of vernal pools and wetlands, and more than 10 acres of Pleasant Grove Creek with a lush riparian area and naturally regenerating oak trees. The Placer Conservation Authority (a joint powers authority formed to administer the PCCP) closed escrow on the Mourier West property July 1. The property was funded with a grant of $3.2 million from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and a $41,301 contribution from the Placer Legacy Program to protect agriculture and open space. The grant from Fish and Wildlife is a Natural Community Conservation Planning 30 x 30 Grant to support the state's goal to conserve 30% of California's lands and coastal waters by 2030. The property is connected to more than 1,200 acres of existing conserved land in unincorporated Placer County, and adjacent to additional open space in Roseville. "I'm very excited and proud of the PCCP's hard work to continue conservation efforts that protect our sensitive species and Placer County's rural quality of life," said District 2 Supervisor Shanti Landon. Mourier West provides habitat for 14 special status wildlife species and has vernal pool fairy shrimp in 50 wetlands on the property. The property will be permanently protected by a recorded conservation easement, and the PCA will continue to work towards conserving neighboring properties for sensitive species and their habitat, wetlands, grazing land for cattle and open space. The PCCP reserve system currently has 4,861 acres of conserved land. The PCCP's goal is to conserve 47,300 acres in western Placer County.