About IMCLT

Mission:

Preserving and enhancing the natural resources of Mendocino County in perpetuity for all.

History:

Inland Mendocino County Land Trust (IMCLT) was formed in 1998 as a publicly supported, nonprofit organization to promote the health and vitality of the region’s forests, oak woodlands, grasslands, and watersheds with their riparian and wildlife habitats. The land trust is also working towards preserving our natural resources and the viability and heritage of local agricultural lands. More about the founder, Phyllis Curtis, here.

IMCLT provides a variety of flexible and creative conservation methods to help the landowner preserve their land for future generations. Through conservation easements, IMCLT can help property owners restrict development of their land while continuing its use for agriculture or other purposes. At the same time these easements allow protection of critical wildlife habitat, water and fish resources, or open space.

IMCLT secured its first conservation easement in 2002 through generous donations, protecting 187 acres in the Redwood Valley watershed in perpetuity. The easement protects valuable wildlife habitat, salmon spawning streams and redwoods while allowing the owner limited cluster developments.
IMCLT has collaborated in the past with the coastal based Mendocino Land Trust that raised private funds to protect two acres of old growth redwoods and 17 acres of mature second growth redwoods while encouraging multiple uses, such as sustainable farming, timber harvesting and public access.

In 2003 IMCLT received a sizeable donation from the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, in Talmage, California towards preserving the viability of agricultural lands in the upper Russian River Basin while advancing the conservation goals of the Land Trust.

In 2008 IMCLT created a permanent 1100 acre conservation easement in Potter Valley with a donation from the landowner. This exceptional land includes active agriculture with cropland and animal grazing land on fertile flatlands, ample water, oak woodlands and conifer forests extending from bottomland river to ridge top.