The mission of the John Muir Land Trust is to protect and care for open space, ranches, farms, parkland and shoreline in California’s Contra Costa County. The organization changed its name from the Muir Heritage Land Trust in 2015 to incorporate the full name of the pioneering environmentalist.
Since 1989, the trust has protected over 2,500 acres in Contra Costa County so that they are permanently preserved for recreation, wildlife and scenic views. These 11 protected properties offer spectacular views; multi-use trails for walking, hiking, cycling, horses and dogs; productive agriculture; protected drinking water; clean air; and permanently preserved habitat for a wide variety of threatened and endangered plants and animals.
The first step in the trust’s work is the identification of critical open spaces throughout the county. Through a painstaking multi-year process, the trust negotiates fair purchase prices and ownership rights to these lands, often dealing directly with ranching families that have held the properties for generations. Individual contributions from private donors enable the organization to leverage matching funds from state and federal agencies to help secure these lands. The trust also receives support from a variety of private foundations and sponsors.
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