Project Selection Criteria Guidelines
Kings River Land Trust’s service area is the King River Watershed: Roughly bounded by the east by the Sierra foothills, on the north by Dog Creek and Highway 180, on the west by the Fresno Slough and the north Fork of the Kings River, and on the south, east from Stratford to Yettem. Kings River Land Trust will seek to provide viable agricultural land and natural resources to future generations through the implementation of conservation easements. Two types of conservation easements will be used to accomplish this goal. One will be an agricultural conservation easement (ACE), intended to sustain viable farms and ranches without loss due to development into nonagricultural uses. The second type of conservation easement will be a natural habitat conservation easement (NHCE) intended to sustain native habitat for its ecological and social value. Kings River Land Trust’s priority is to conserve the prime and statewide important farmland throughout our service area as a resource. This priority is equal to the goal of conserving important habitat resources. Either resource will not impede the other, however they can be equal.
The following guidelines will be used when evaluating potential ACE projects:
- The farm/ranchland should be designated as “Prime Farmland” or “Farmland of Statewide Significance” under the California Department of Conservation’s Farmland Mapping program. Occasionally, farmland designated as property that has significant value to the regional agricultural industry regardless of soil characteristics may also be considered.
- Farm/Ranchland/Rangelan
- The property must have a dependable and sustainable supply (quantity) of high-quality water for irrigation or farm/ranch operation.
- The farm/ranchland must be agriculturally viable, meaning:
- It must be large enough to sustain commercial agricultural production on an ongoing economic basis.
- It should not be substantially surrounded, or the eminent potential to be surrounded, by urban development such that its continued agricultural viability is threatened.
- The farm or ranchland may be subject to a potential long-term threat to its agricultural productivity by mining interests or urbanization including, but not limited to, pressure from ranchette development within the foreseeable future.
- Existing community goals, plans and political boundaries are compatible with permanent agricultural use of the property. This means:
- The property must be currently zoned for agriculture
- The property is outside the primary sphere of influence of a city or a community service district unless other mitigating conditions/circumstances exist.
- An ACE on the property should impact long term urban growth or conversion by encouraging said activities on less productive ag land.
The following guidelines will be used when evaluating potential NHCE projects:
- Lands considered for Native Habitat Conservation Easements would need to be of environmental significance or have the ability to become land of environmental significance but need not be listed as high priority farmlands.
- Possesses or has a reasonable potential to develop one or more of these resources:
- Riparian ecosystem
- Critical habitat for native wildlife species
- Critical habitat for native plant species
- Wildlife corridor
- Hydrologic or watershed attributes
- Viability for natural or for managed environmental improvement
- Land connectivity
- Education use
- Likelihood of resource loss due to development
- Social value from open space or recreation
- Historical significance
- The native habitat must be environmentally viable, this means:
- If the land is applicable for environmental purposes, it must be viable to sustain that given environmental use (flora/fauna, habitat, river ecosystem, etc.).
- It should have sufficient sub-surface, surface, or natural rainfall to achieve ecosystem health.
- The native habitat may be threatened or under pressure by mining interests or urbanization including, but not limited to, pressure from ranchette development within the foreseeable future.
- Existing community goals, plans and political boundaries are compatible with permanent environmental protection of the property or site, meaning:
- Funding is available.
- The property is located in an area that is conducive to habitat protection and restoration considering sphere of influence and zoning.
- The project encourages land conversion and development of less environmentally sensitive lands.
- It aligns with environmental and social benefits in general.