Farmer Road Parcels - Foot of Volcan Mountain

• 27-acre parcel on the western slope of Volcan Mountain, east of Farmer Road, links Santa Ysabel Ranch West with the Volcan Mountain Preserve
• Across and west of Farmer Road is a 95-acre protected parcel connecting Santa Ysabel Ranch West and the County’s Volcan Mountain Preserve
• Conservancy purchased property east of Farmer Road to head off sales offer for estate development
• Properties are a mixture of grasslands, oak woodlands, chaparral and riparian – with evidence of Indian occupation on the slopes east of Farmer Road
• It will become part of the Volcan Mountain Preserve linked to San Ysabel Ranch West

Location & Access

• Properties lie north of Julian on west-facing slope of Volcan Mountain, east and to the west of Farmer Road, north of Wynola Road
• Adjoin the County of San Diego’s Volcan Mountain Preserve and connect with Santa Ysabel Ranch West, purchased by Nature Conservancy, and owned and managed by the County
• Eastern property is a private residence of a River Park staff member
• Conservancy conducts member-only hikes on property west of Farmer Road up to crest of Volcan Mountain

Resource Values

• Volcan Mountain is rich in biological diversity – with a succession of habitat types, mountain lions, bobcat, deer, an abundance of birds, including raptors, and a rare-for-San-Diego four-seasons setting
• Drainage along northern boundary of property east of Farmer Road has stands of black oak – mortar and pottery shards, evidence the area was occupied by Indians probably on a seasonal or stop-over basis
• Properties provide forage and nesting for raptors that are common in the area

Conservancy Role

• Property east of Farmer Road had an offer to purchase for development as estate-type residences. Conservancy matched the offer and purchased the property as permanent open space
• Conservancy partnered with the Volcan Mountain Preserve Foundation to close the deal on the eastern property
• Funding for the property east of Farmer Road came from Conservancy member donations, which were shifted when the Santa Ysabel Ranch was purchased using State funding
• Conservancy initiated negotiation on parcel west of Farmer Road. The property was purchased using State funds in partnership with the River Park JPA, Conservancy and Trust for Public Land

Management & Related Work

• Properties are managed by the San Dieguito River Park
• The long-run plan is to transfer properties to the Volcan Mountain Preserve to consolidate under County management, and to adjoin Santa Ysabel Ranch West and East across SR 79
• Conservancy conducts guided hikes on properties for member
• The priority is to protect, as much as possible, the remaining 1,800-acres in private ownership to the north along the western slopes of Volcan Mountain