The Trust for Public Land (TPL) has announced a $15.5 million grant from the California Wildlife Conservation Board to help fund the purchase of Banning Ranch, one of the last parcels of privately owned land along the Southern California coast.

The 385-acre property and active oil field has long been eyed by conservationists for its open space potential with the opportunity to restore coastal wetlands, address climate change, and create park access for millions. Over the past five years, TPL and the Banning Ranch Conservancy have worked to secure public and private funds, including a $50 million donation from philanthropists and longtime Orange County residents Frank and Joann Randall, to complete the $97 million purchase.

For more than two decades, the Banning Ranch Conservancy, with a coalition of nonprofit organizations, government partners, and community and tribal activists, have fought to preserve Banning Ranch and transform it as a regional public asset. This is the first time the property has been for sale and under option in more than a half century.

“When Trust for Public Land first became involved in the effort to protect Banning Ranch, this is the moment we were working toward and thanks to the generosity of Randall family and support from our state and federal public funding partners, we can officially say Banning Ranch will become California’s next oceanfront park,” said Guillermo Rodriguez, California state director and vice president-Pacific Region for Trust for Public Land. “This is such an important moment in the decades-long, community-driven fight to close the park equity gap in Southern California and make Banning Ranch public, open to all, and we’re thrilled to give residents the opportunity to realize a dream about what Banning Ranch can be, and work alongside them to make their vision come to life.”

(Photo credit: Josh Van Wey)