In the first phase of a campaign to preserve a large portion of the Santa Cruz Sandhills, a nonprofit citizens group is working to raise $1.2 million to purchase 189 acres of habitat north of Mt. Hermon Road between Scotts Valley and Felton.   

The total cost of the 189 acres is $5.6 million, and the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County is drumming up donations from private citizens that officials say will likely be matched on a 4-to-1 basis by other sources.   

The Land Trust wants to purchase the land to help preserve the fragile ecosystem in the Sandhills area, which is home to seven species of animals and plants found nowhere else on Earth, according to the Land Trust.

“We hope the acquisition of this large parcel will be the first step in protecting this unique and precious area,” said Terry Corwin, executive director of the Land Trust, in a prepared statement. “Buying this large parcel and protecting it from development will set the table for comprehensive protection of the Sandhills.”

Since August, when the fundraising campaign began, the Land Trust has raised nearly $1 million, but it is still $230,000 short. The project is on the fast-track, said director of development and communications Stephen Slade, who hopes to reach the targeted amount by the end of the year.    

The current owner, PCO LLC, could not be reached for comment.

The Land Trust is looking to purchase “the best 700 acres,” according to Corwin.

He also said that some of the Sandhills are already too damaged or fragmented to protect. There are 4,000 acres of Sandhills habitat. Corwin hopes the organization can purchase the targeted 700 acres in three phases during the next five years.

The Land Trust is not the only organization looking to protect the Sandhills. In June, California State Parks received 307 acres of Sandhills habitat that was paid for by a variety of funding sources and gifts.

For information, see The Land Trust's website.

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