Palm Springs, CA

Oswit Land Trust (OLT) is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded a $250,000 grant from the Strategic Growth Council’s (SGC) Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation (SALC) Program in the fiscal year 2022-2023 (Round 9). This grant will enable Oswit Land Trust to significantly expand its conservation easement program, furthering its commitment to preserving and protecting valuable agricultural lands for future generations and building on its initial success with the Trust for Public Land, in acquiring an agricultural conservation easement on the nearly 2,000-acre Alphabet Farms Ranch. The SALC Program, administered by the California Department of Conservation (DOC), plays a crucial role in supporting efforts to combat climate change by promoting sustainable land use practices. SALC is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment – particularly in disadvantaged communities. The grant awarded to Oswit Land Trust is a testament to the organization’s dedication to environmental stewardship and its successful track record in conserving and protecting land.

With the grant funds, Oswit Land Trust plans to implement a strategic expansion of its conservation easement program, by establishing a conservation easement division that will work closely with local farmers and landowners to permanently protect agricultural lands from development. This initiative
aligns with the SALC Program’s goal of preventing the conversion of vital farmlands into nonagricultural
uses, thus contributing to the overall sustainability of California’s agricultural landscape.

Jane Garrison, Executive Director of Oswit Land Trust said “We are honored to receive this grant from
the State of California’s SALC Program. This funding will allow us to expand our efforts to conserve
agricultural lands, ensuring that they remain a vital part of our community and contribute to a
sustainable and resilient future for people and wildlife.”

Oswit Land Trust extends its gratitude to the State of California and the Strategic Growth Council for
their support and recognition of the organization’s commitment to sustainable land use. The grant
award will have a lasting impact on the preservation of agricultural heritage in our region. 

Jeff Faxon, Co-Director of Oswit Land Trust’s Conservation Easement Division added, “Our initial
success with the Alphabet Farms conservation easement is an outstanding model for us to build on,
and with the gracious funding from the SALC program we will now be able to significantly expand our
capacity to establish additional conservation easements throughout Southern California, in turn
strengthening our communities and the environment.”

For more information about Oswit Land Trust and its conservation efforts, please visit
http://www.oswitlandtrust.org.