KCBX s Rachel Showalter reports.
The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County is in the beginning stages of assessing usage potential for the Santa Rita Ranch along Highway 46.
The Ranch sits in Northern San Luis Obispo County between Paso Robles and Cambria. It’s more than 1,700 acres and is home to a number of wildlife species like deer, turkeys, mountain lions and even black bears.
The Ranch also holds a lake reservoir surrounded by oak, bay laurel, sycamore and maple trees.
The conservancy acquired the property in December of 2020 for $8 million dollars after decades of private ownership. Almost half of that money came from the State Wildlife Conservation Board to help get the land and permanently protect water rights associated with the lake on the property.