BIG SUR LAND TRUST Year Founded: 1978 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 27 paid, 135 volunteers Budget: $12,648,805 (831) 625-5523 bigsurlandtrust.org BIG IDEA: Big Sur Land Trust nurtures and protects landmark spaces in Monterey County, including Glen Deven Ranch in Big Sur and the new Ensen Community Park at Carr Lake in Salinas. This year’s Big Idea calls attention to the connective wild spaces in between. Big Sur Land Trust’s network of preserved landscapes help keep wildlife like bobcats and badgers able to move around to locate food, shelter and mates. Donations support habitat restoration, ecological stewardship and the development of trusting partnerships with landowners and public agencies. “One of the defining challenges of modern wildlife conservation is ensuring animals can move freely across landscapes. Big Sur Land Trust recognizes that long-term conservation isn’t just about preserving individual properties; it’s about maintaining an interconnected network of habitats that allows wildlife to adapt and thrive. As development continues to fragment our landscapes, Big Sur Land Trust’s work to conserve key wildlife corridors becomes one of the most important conservation investments we can make.” -Zach Mills, California Department Fish & Wildlife Unit Wildlife Biologist for Region 4 CARMEL RIVER STEELHEAD ASSOCIATION Year Founded: 1974 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 0 paid, 115 volunteers Budget: $24,200 (831) 601-8649 carmelsteelhead.org BIG IDEA: Steelhead trout are an indicator species, which means this fish can tell the story of the health of its home. Volunteers with Carmel River Steelhead Association implant a rice grain-sized PIT (Passive Integrated Transponder) into a fish, which can then be scanned if the fish returns to its birthplace. This data helps CRSA understand the success of its rescue efforts for the species’ long-term survival. In 2025, CRSA rescued more than 13,000 steelhead and PIT-tagged 1,300. “The Carmel River Steelhead Association has been advocating for our river and its steelhead for 50 years. The Esselen Tribe of Monterey County is working with CRSA on combined efforts to restore the Carmel River and the animals that depend on it. Through our efforts and those of our partners, like CRSA, we are working to bring back a healthy environment to support what once was a thriving river with steelhead populations in the thousands.” -Tom “Little Bear” Nason, late Esselen Tribe chairman ELKHORN SLOUGH FOUNDATION Year Founded: 1982 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 33 paid, 147 volunteers Budget: $7,000,000 (831) 728-5939 elkhornslough.org BIG IDEA: Elkhorn Slough Foundation by the numbers: 4,200 acres of diverse habitat, containing 16 threatened and endangered species, 300 native plants tended by local students. Donations help support the variety of conservation and stewardship 110 Monterey County GIVES! 2026 mcgives.com ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY DONATE ONLINE MCGIVES.COM “It amazes me how many volunteers join us every Saturday and how much work we do in just two hours.” -Judith Coyle, Friends of Seaside Parks Association AG LAND TRUST Year Founded: 1984 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 3 paid, 11 volunteers Budget: $4,074,318 (831) 422-5868 aglandtrust.org BIG IDEA: The Ag Land Trust works to preserve and protect productive agricultural, open space and historical lands in Monterey County. Its Big Idea stretches across the vast cattle ranches next to Camp Roberts, located at the far southern end of Monterey County. In partnership with the U.S. military, this three-year pilot project will train veterans in rangeland management using regenerative agriculture. Veterans will live, learn and work alongside local ranchers, gaining hands-on experience and nurturing the land. Goals of the program include improved soil health, reduced wildfire risk and meaningful jobs for people who served our country. “The Marine Corps’ purpose is to make Marines into better citizens, and this program has given me the opportunity to connect back with the community.” -Omar Huerta SPOTLIGHT
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