Meeting Cancellation, January 8, 2007

COACHELLA VALLEY MOUNTAINS CONSERVANCY

Memo
To: CVMC Governing Board Members
From: Bill Havert
CC: Katie Barrows, John Saurenman, Kerrie Marshall
Date: December 29, 2006

Re: Cancellation of January Board Meeting

Because there are no items requiring action, the January meeting of the Governing Board has been cancelled.

A brief summary of Conservancy activities in 2006 is attached for your reference. In the first months of the new year staff will be coordinating with other entities and experts in various disciplines to develop a set of recommendations regarding priorities for acquisition with Proposition 84 funds, which should become available July 1st. Staff will present the recommendations to the Board for consideration at the next meeting, which is scheduled for March 12.

In the meantime, Happy New Year to you all from Bill, Katie, and Kerrie.

2006 Year End Summary

The 291 acre Whitewater Trout Farm acquisition, funded in part by a Conservancy grant, closed escrow. The new owners, the Friends of the Desert Mountains, subsequently conveyed the property to the Wildlands Conservancy, which is actively pursuing habitat restoration on much of the property and renovating the historic lodge and other structures to use the facility as an environmental education/interpretation facility for school groups and the general public. A conservation easement granted from the Wildlands Conservancy to the Friends ensures the permanent conservation of the property.

The 640 acre Valeur property in the Pinyon area of the National Monument, being acquired by the Friends with a grant from the Conservancy and other funding sources, is scheduled to close escrow on January 3rd.

Conservancy staff assisted CVAG in the acquisition of several key parcels in the Willow Hole Conservation Area, including the last private inholding in the original Willow Hole Fringe-toed Lizard Preserve. Three acquisitions totaled 251 acres and provided mitigation credit to CVAG for freeway interchange projects.

Conservancy staff also assisted the Center for Natural Lands Management with several acquisitions in the Willow Hole and Edom Hill Conservation Areas, including the first phase, 80 acres, of a larger 560 acre acquisition to be completed in three additional phases.

Conservancy staff continued to work on the MSHCP, both the original plan approved by the CVAG Executive Committee in February but disapproved by Desert hot Springs in June, and the revised plan due out shortly.

The Conservancy also retained our first full time Executive Secretary in 2006, which has added significantly to our capabilities.
Finally, November will be recalled as a key month for the Conservancy with the passage of Proposition 84 providing $36 million for our land acquisition program.