The East Bay Regional Park District has announced it will receive a $7 million grant from the California Coastal Conservancy to buy the 768-acre Finley Road Ranch property.
The land is located at the mouth of Riggs Canyon off Finley Road at the western edge of the Morgan Territory Regional Preserve near the southern edge of Mount Diablo State Park.
“Acquisition of the Finley Road Ranch property will preserve forever one of the largest remaining pristine open spaces adjacent to Mount Diablo State Park,” park district board president Dennis Waespi said in a statement.
“The California Coastal Conservancy grant provides vital funding toward the purchase of the property. Preserving the property is also a key step toward the state’s 30×30 initiative of conserving 30 percent of the state’s lands and coastal waters by 2030.”
“Acquisition of the Finley Road Ranch property will preserve forever one of the largest remaining pristine open spaces adjacent to Mount Diablo State Park.”
Dennis Waespi, East Bay Regional Park District
The $7 million grant to acquire the property was one of 12 grants recently announced by the conservancy to advance restoration, protection, public access, and climate resilience along the California coast and San Francisco Bay.
The district was also recently awarded a $300,000 grant from the California State Parks Habitat Conservation Fund for the property. The group Save Mount Diablo also supported the acquisition with a $50,000 contribution toward the initial purchase option.
The Finley Road Ranch property includes a flat, accessible area providing the opportunity for a staging area at the entrance to Riggs Canyon, which would significantly improve public access to the property, Morgan Territory Regional Preserve, and adjacent Mount Diablo State Park.