Saving Our Land: Regional Cooperation Works

When we moved to Fresno in 1988, my wife and I inquired as to what was going to happen in the river bottom area of the San Joaquin River. Our realtor informed us that the area was prime development land and would be highly desirable for high-end homes, retail and possibly some commercial use. We wanted to purchase a home near Woodward Park and were saddened to hear about the development plans.

Fortunately, and thanks to a few visionary women (I think that it was all women, but I may be mistaken), the area was saved from development and eventually became available for purchase by State of California park bond revenues through the auspices of the San Joaquin River Conservancy. The Conservancy was signed into law by the legislature as the local area agency responsible for receiving and spending state park funds to purchase private property in the river bottom from willing senders and placing it in a public trust as part of an eventual 13-mile parkway from Friant Dam to State Highway 99. I had the privilege to sit on the Conservancy Board as the representative from the Fresno City Council. The Conservancy Board also is represented by the Fresno and Madera County Board of Supervisors, the Madera City Council, locally appointed citizen members, California Fish and Game, California Parks and the California Department of Finance. The Conservancy has a talented paid executive director and support staff.

At about the same time that the Conservancy was being formed through state action, the San Joaquin River Parkway Trust was being established. This not-for-profit 501c-3 organization, comprised of a paid staff, a board of directors and hundreds of members/volunteers, works diligently to raise funds to purchase private property in the river bottom, maintain river bottom areas purchased for public use, and promote use of those public areas and the river itself. The Trust has a beautiful historic building that is used for education purposes related to both preserving and utilizing public river parkway areas between Friant Dam and State Highway 99.

Another important regional resource that works closely with the State of California, the River Parkway Trust, and the River Conservancy is the Sierra Foothills Conservancy, a 13-year old not-for-profit organization dedicated to purchasing beautiful but sensitive land that could otherwise be developed from willing sellers areas in the Fresno-Madera foothills and placed in a trust for public use. Again, the model is similar to the nearby San Joaquin River organizations that are purchasing land that will remain in its natural state for our children and grand children to use in perpetuity.

Little did I know in 1988 that I would be able to participate in at least a small degree with these outstanding organizations. The visionary leaders and generous members of these organizations deserve our gratitude for what they have already accomplished and for what further contributions will provide. They show how cooperation can and should extend across artificial city and county boundaries.

We owe a lot to these fine people. Thank you!

Coming Soon. . .

1. Why you are safer on Fresno's streets.
2. Are local-area blogs useful?
3. Stop with the state bonds and start paying as we go!

Comments are welcome. Click on "Comments" below or e-mail me at abriancalhoun@gmail.com.