News Archive Item
The Williamson Act and Rangeland Conservation in California
Description:
The Williamson Act enables local governments and private landowners in California to restrict specific land parcels to agricultural or open space use. Landowners receive property tax assessments lower than market value, which enables them to continue ranching or farming, and simultaneously preserves the land for conservation. Local governments receive a stipend from the state to help them recover lost property tax revenues. However, the state has reduced funding to this historic program, and concern is growing that the program may not be renewed in the future.
Students in the Responding to Rapid Environmental Change IGERT (REACH) at UC Davis have studied the impact of the Williamson Act on ranchers and ranch economies, preservation of open space, and implications of the loss of agricultural land on conservation.
The workshop on September 14th will bring together scientists from agencies and non-profits, government representatives, and landowners to present their perspectives on the Williamson Act and its impact on conservation and ranching in California.
