STORIES FROM THE WILDLANDS CONSERVANCY
Land Return to the Esselen Tribe Moves Forward in Monterey County
We’re proud to share that a meaningful milestone is on the horizon: 1,720 acres of ancestral land along Tularcitos Creek are in the final stages of being returned to the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County. The transfer — restoring the land to Esselen stewardship — is expected to be completed by mid-July.
Opening New Lands to the Public, the Right Way
At The Wildlands Conservancy, we believe the best way to protect nature is to ensure people can experience it — with love, thoughtfulness, and a commitment to its long-term care.
This belief guides everything we do as we work to provide well-managed, free public access to the lands we’ve conserved. That’s why we’re preparing to open four new preserves to the public: Estero Americano Coast Preserve, Eel River Canyon Preserve, Rana Creek Preserve, and Enchanted Rocks Preserve. These extraordinary places — rugged canyons, desert mesas, quiet estuaries, and sublime interior ecosystems — have long been off-limits, but soon they’ll be open to all. As we prepare these landscapes for free access, we’re doing it the right way: with community, care, and stewardship.
Meet Kat Hardisty-Cranstone, New Preserve Manager for Rana Creek
A native to California, Kat has a deep respect and reverence for nature. Originally from San Diego, Kat studied fish, wildlife, and conservation biology at Colorado State University. Before attending university, she always dreamt of becoming a large animal veterinarian. However, through her ecology studies, she came to understand the connection between habitat degradation and animal extinction, a significant realization that altered her life path. “If I can restore the habitat, then the animals can restore themselves,” Kat says.