Foothills Forever
haku k-ič’ -ičantik’ - Hello - Hola
WEST MESA PRESERVATION UPDATE & CARING FOR THE LAND
The Foothills Forever campaign has completed the final transactional stages for transferring the property to the County, as planned, including receiving the County's $2 million and the State's $3 million contributions which paid off the loans that helped purchase the property. In June 2023, the West Mesa was transferred to the County to be combined with the existing 200 acres to create a 301-acre San Marcos Foothills Preserve.
Exciting Update: The San Marcos Foothills Endowment Fund
At the heart of our efforts to ensure the long-term care and restoration of this vital landscape is the creation of the San Marcos Foothills Restoration Endowment Fund. Established by the Foothills Forever Campaign Leadership Council, this endowment helps provide the critical funding needed for ongoing habitat restoration projects. We are thrilled to announce that as of November 1 the Santa Barbara Foundation, the Foothills Endowment’s investment manager, has fully Invested the $1M endowment in their SRI portfolio. Foothills Forever is now an IRS recognized 501c3 non-profit organization. This new nonprofit’s board of directors currently consists of Dani Lynch, Marianne Parra, Julia Laraway, Greg Giloth, Wayne Ferren, Cindy Kimmick from Foothills Forever campaign committee, and representatives of the County of Santa Barbara and County Parks. This partnership ensures that the funds you have entrusted to us will grow and sustain the important work of the preserve for years to come.
Contribute
Make a tax-deductible contribution to the Foothills Forever Restoration Endowment today.
Make checks payable to: Foothills Forever, Inc, with “Foothills Forever Restoration Endowment” in the memo line.
Mail to: PO Box: Foothills Forever, Inc., P.O. Box 92233, Santa Barbara, CA 93190
To donate gifts of stock or other assets, please contact us for further details:
Dani Lynch (805) 617-9584 , info@foothillsforever.org
OUR VISION
Create 301 Acres of Contiguous Wildlife Habitat. Expand the existing San Marcos Foothills Preserve, preserve the native grasslands, and allow restoration to improve its wildlife habitat values.
Honor Chumash Heritage. Enable Chumash stewardship, ritual, and ceremony on the land.
Protect Open Space.
The foothills are a beautiful natural open space and fire buffer visible from throughout Santa Barbara and Goleta.
Provide Environmental Education Opportunities. Public access allows children and adults to explore and learn in nature.
Maintain the Trail Experience
in balance with the natural environment.
Community groups led by Save San Marcos Foothills and Channel Islands Restoration were successful in purchasing the 101 acres of the West Mesa at the San Marcos Preserve in June 2021. Thousands of Foothills Forever trailblazing donors and volunteers banded together in just 90 days to raise $18.6 million in cash and loans to preserve the San Marcos Foothills’ last remaining 101 acres on the West Mesa. At that time, we also initiated an effort to start a $1 million habitat restoration endowment fund.
We are so grateful for everyone’s support with this Herculean effort!
All told, over 5,500 volunteers and donors joined in, believing that together we could preserve the land to honor Chumash heritage, create 301 acres of contiguous wildlife habitat, provide environmental education, and ensure public open space during the pandemic and for future generations. Saving the San Marcos Foothills continues our community’s legacy of saving important open space lands forever, including The Douglas Family Preserve, Carpinteria Bluffs, Sperling Preserve at Ellwood, Veronica Meadows, and Elings Park.
a’ho no’no k-aq inal -iyuw - Thank you - Gracias
About Foothills Forever
Foothills Forever is a coalition between Save San Marcos Foothills, Chumash communities, Channel Islands Restoration, and a Leadership Team with expertise in fundraising and organization including the Law Office of Marc Chytilo, Legacy Works, and Mary Rose & Associates. Together, the group raised $18.6 million in 90 days from over 5,500 donors and loans from individuals and institutions including Montecito Bank & Trust. The Santa Barbara Foundation serves as our fiscal sponsor. We have been working with a well-respected Chumash Elder who serves as the spiritual leader. We have also incorporated others in the Chumash community. Our goal has been to use Chumash Protocol appropriately and we will continue to do so. Foothills Forever is dedicated to respectfully adhering to Chumash Tribal Sovereignty. The property is currently managed by Channel Islands Restoration in cooperation with Foothills Forever and the Allemall Foundation.
Donations are gratefully being accepted for Phase 2 of the overall $20M campaign.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: info@foothillsforever.org
Become A Foothills Forever Volunteer
If you would like to volunteer on the San Marcos Foothills including but not limited to, becoming a sheep docent, site steward, or weed warrior, please join our volunteer email list here.
Includes $18 million for land purchase and $600,000 for preliminary campaign/escrow closing costs
