2017 Annual Report

ANNUAL REPORT 2017

Board of Directors

Scott Hein

President

Burt Bassler

Treasurer

Amara Morrison

Secretary

Heath Bartosh

Jim Felton

John Gallagher

Liz Harvey

Claudia Hein

Frank Martens

Bob Marx

Sue Ohanian

Robert Phelps

Malcolm Sproul

Jeff Stone 

Art Bonwell

Mary Bowerman

Co-Founders

EXPANSION OF PROTECTED LANDS ON MOUNT DIABLO FROM 6,788 ACRES IN 1971, WHEN SAVE MOUNT DIABLO WAS FOUNDED —

TO OVER 110,000 ACRES IN 2017.

Save Mount Diablo’s area of interest is bounded by I-680 to the west, I-580 to the south, the Carquinez Strait and Suisun Bay to the north and the Delta to the east.

Save Mount Diablo continues to monitor development projects proposed in the area, focusing on connecting and expanding new and existing parks and preserves while working with our allies to preserve, defend, restore and promote enjoyment of these natural lands.

Save Mount Diablo PRESERVES natural lands through acquisition and cooperative efforts; DEFENDS Mount Diablo and its foothills from threats through land use planning and public education; RESTORES habitat, wildlife, creeks and builds trails; So you and future generations can ENJOY Diablo’s parks and its wildlife.

Dear Friend of the Mountain,

We are so grateful for you! Because of your support, in 2017 Save Mount Diablo had a highly successful year advancing our land conservation mission for the Mount Diablo area:

• We started the public phase of Forever Wild, our $15 million capital campaign which will provide the financial resources to respond to land acquisition opportunities as they arise while also ensuring our organization has adequate funds to steward and defend our conserved lands in perpetuity. By year-end, we had raised $10.4 million against our overall campaign goal of $15 million by the end of 2019. This campaign will provide us with a Revolving Land Acquisition Opportunity Fund, a Stewardship Endowment Fund and a Legal Defense Fund.

• We completed three strategic conservation closings, the highlight of which was acquiring Anderson Ranch. For about 40 years, an approved 40-unit subdivision quietly threatened this 95-acre open space property on Morgan Territory Ridge, east of Clayton. For $800,000 we were able to buy the land and ensure its substantial natural resources remain protected (2,100 ft. of Marsh Creek, two ponds, blue oak woodland, grassland, and wildlife including the California redlegged frog).

• We used advocacy to advance three major conservation goals with our partners. In Antioch, we built momentum and awareness for the protection of a significant portion of the Sand Creek Focus Area which had been threatened by plans for 4,000 residences. In Concord, we worked to ensure plans move forward for an approximate 2,500-acre Regional Park at the Concord Naval Weapons Station. Statewide, we worked to get the Legislature and Governor to approve a $4.1 billion water and parks bond to support our underfunded state parks. That work was successful and this bond will go before voters in June 2018 as Prop 68.

• We advanced our Community Conservation work. Community Conservation is a critical long-term sustainability strategy that builds meaningful connections and relationships between Save Mount Diablo, our community, and nature. As part of this, we launched a free public hike program entitled Discover Diablo which offers two educational hikes per month. We also completed two Conservation Collaboration Agreements with local schools and businesses.

• We put our financial house in order. At the end of 2015, Save Mount Diablo was facing a debt of about $2 million due on June 1, 2016. We quickly designed and implemented a two-part strategy to pay off that debt. First, we borrowed a bridge loan from a non-profit lender known as The Conservation Fund. That enabled us to pay off the original lender ahead of schedule in May 2016. Next, we worked on generating revenue with our Conservation Buyer Program and other efforts. That enabled us to pay off the bridge loan in March 2017 ahead of the November deadline. In 2017, as part of Forever Wild, we created our first endowment fund, our Stewardship Endowment Fund, and got over $1 million committed to it. We grew our donor base by over 10% and, as in 2016, we ended 2017 in the black and ahead of our overall budget goal.

You also helped us advance our mission in other areas, such as the stewardship work on the thousands of acres under our care. Your investments are helping us create lasting green returns for our beloved mountain and community.

With gratitude,

Edward Sortwell Clement, Jr. Executive Director

Stephen Joseph

Land Acquisition

SAVE MOUNT DIABLO ACQUIRES 95-ACRE ANDERSON RANCH, ENDING FOUR DECADES OF DEVELOPMENT THREATS

Size: 95 acres | In a historic transaction marked by years of effort, Save Mount Diablo purchased the beautiful and sought-after Anderson Ranch in Morgan Territory. Save Mount Diablo acquired the 95 acres on November 28, 2017, for $800,000. Anderson Ranch has ranked high on Save Mount Diablo’s wish list for forty years because of its unrivaled value for native plants and wildlife, its critical location, and the threat of development that had loomed over it for decades. Highly visible from the Marsh Creek Road “Scenic Route,” the property sits on a stunning plateau in our top priority acquisition area at the north end of Morgan Territory Ridge, east of Clayton and in a location with unusual geology—small volcanic domes. It is close to two of our other properties, allowing us to reconnect habitat. The property is one of the rare places in Contra Costa County outside of the Urban Limit Line where a significant major subdivision was still being considered, as it had included an approved 40-unit subdivision. Recently, it had become much more visible to potential buyers due to newly opened temporary access from the Morgan Territory Road closing. Fortunately, Save Mount Diablo’s purchase of the property will end that large-scale development threat forever.

SAVE MOUNT DIABLO PROTECTS 17-ACRE MARSH CREEK 2 WITH CONSERVATION EASEMENT

Size: 17 acres | We sold 17-acre Marsh Creek 2, located at 12271 Marsh Creek Road, to private buyers in the spring as a part of our expanded Conservation Buyer Program. The majority of the property is now protected by a perpetual conservation easement held by Save Mount Diablo and has a one-acre building envelope that allows the new owners to build a home. Connected to another SMD-owned property by a seven-foot tall cattle tunnel essential to wildlife movement under the road, it has outstanding views of Mount Diablo. It is considered part of Dark Canyon with important habitat connectivity to Marsh Creek and blue oak woodland trailing up the flanks of the hills. The property has the potential to be part of any future trail system along the Marsh Creek corridor, and to connect to East Bay Regional Park District’s Clayton Ranch and Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve to the north and to Mount Diablo State Park to the south. Save Mount Diablo reserved trail rights on the property so as not to lose future connectivity. We are excited to partner with the new owners in the protection of this property for years to come.

MYSTERY LAND TRANSACTION TO BE ANNOUNCED!

We also did another important conservation closing, but it must remain a secret as there are other related steps we want to take with this project before we make a public announcement— so stay tuned for very good news likely later this year—the kind of news that can establish a historic and very important precedent for Save Mount Diablo.

Al Johnson

Land Use Planning

Save Mount Diablo regularly monitors the agendas of 50 different planning committees and public agencies. This work can take time as we research, write letters, testify and collaborate on solutions. We responded to 30 land use projects in 2017.

Updates —We continued to respond to updates of the Antioch General Plan, which led to the update being tabled.

Concord Naval Weapons Station Reuse Plan —We set goals to achieve in the forthcoming Specific Plan for the project and made sure the Plan continues to build on past victories.

Antioch —We helped launch a formal Coalition in Antioch focused on protecting the Sand Creek Focus Area, which has thousands of acres of beautiful hills, creek and wildlife habitat in South Antioch.

Coalitions —We continued coalition work in response to ongoing efforts at the Concord Naval Weapons Station and

strengthened our Coalition in Antioch for a 2018 campaign.

Urban Limit Lines —We continued to watch for threats to the Urban Limit Line (ULL) and set a goal to make the ULL permanent (only changeable by a vote of the people) in Antioch.

Legal Review—We sponsored legal review of the Antioch General Plan Update which contributed to that Update being postponed.

East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy Plan We participated in the Public Advisory Committee of the HCP/NCCP and encouraged creation of an HCP/NCCP in Antioch.

Stewardship

Volunteers —A dedicated and talented volunteer pool supported land management and education activities throughout the year. 33 property monitors, 26 work project stewards, and 28 hike leaders completed 4,754 hours over 67 work projects and 24 hikes.

BioBlitz —Save Mount Diablo hosted its tenth annual BioBlitz in Marsh Creek State Historic Park and Marsh Creek Reservoir. With the help of scientific experts, naturalists, and enthusiastic volunteers, we recorded 348 total species.

Non-native Removal 24 workdays were organized to treat non-native, invasive species on Save Mount Diablo properties using an Integrated Pest Management approach.

Riparian Restoration Projects —With the support of the East Contra Costa Habitat Conservancy, Save Mount Diablo staff and volunteers broke ground on a new riparian restoration project in the Irish Creek corridor, downstream from the Irish Canyon planting sites. Valley oak acorns and buckeye nuts were collected and 140 total planting sites were established across 5 planting areas. We also continued to

maintain three other restoration sites on Save Mount Diablo properties along Marsh Creek and secured a grant from the Contra Costa County Fish and Wildlife Committee to initiate an additional restoration project on Marsh Creek 7.

Debris Removal —Cleanup efforts continued on Curry Canyon Ranch, Mangini Ranch, Marsh Creek, and Kirker Creek. Contractors removed a large, failed concrete culvert from Galindo Creek on Mangini Ranch and removed a modular home from Marsh Creek 7. Save Mount Diablo hosted an annual California Coastal Cleanup event removing over 150 pounds of trash from the banks of Kirker Creek.

Maps and Trails —We convened an interagency working group to update Save Mount Diablo’s Regional Trail Map resulting in a reprint of the water-proof, tear-proof map popular with hikers, bikers, and community members of all kinds. The reprint was supported by Fremont Bank and over 1,000 copies were given away free of charge.

Education & Outreach Efforts—Staff and volunteers participated in 35 tabling and speaking engagements across 13 cities in Contra Costa County.

A Conservation Collaboration Agreement in action: Students of Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School (JMIS) help steward the land at Save Mount Diablo‘s Mangini Ranch property for the environmental service project component of the agreement between JMIS, Save Mount Diablo, and Bedell Fraizier in November 2017.

Al Johnson

Cooper Ogden

South of Antioch and east of Black Diamond Mines, the city is considering 4,000 new houses in the Sand Creek Focus Area.

Save Mount Diablo is monitoring this situation.

Al Johnson

Volunteers took to the outdoors and broke a sweat stewarding the land at SMD‘s Marsh Creek 6 property last May for the 2017 "Take It Outside California!" restoration workday.

Save Mount Diablo currently owns and/or manages 18 properties—totaling 1,980 acres.

Save Mount Diablo also monitors perpetual conservation easements on 2 properties, totalling 22 acres.

Recreation Education & Outreach

We hosted numerous events on the mountain to share the area’s wildlife and cultural history with our supporters and to encourage recreation consistent with the protection of natural resources.

Diablo Trails Challenge—Save Mount Diablo and Brazen Racing partnered again to host a 50K, half marathon, 10K and 5K. More than 1,045 people enjoyed a beautiful day out on the trails.

Four Days Diablo 22 participants enjoyed learning more about Mount Diablo’s treasures while hiking and camping along the Diablo Trail. Dedicated volunteers set up the campsites and local restaurants—including Postino, Forbes Mill Steakhouse and Sunrise Bistro & Catering—prepared delicious meals for the adventurers.

Mount Diablo Challenge—For the 36th year, over 450 cyclists rode 11.2 miles, climbing 3,249 feet in elevation, to the summit of Diablo. The oldest rider was 81 and the youngest just 11 years old. Thanks to the support of CA Technologies and the Nathan M. Ohrbach Foundation, SMD added 200 new members to our organization.

"Discover Diablo" Hikes 459 hikers attended 24 outings on Save Mount Diablo properties and collaborating agencies’ land. Staff and volunteer hike leaders hosted this series of free public hikes as part of the newly formed Discover Diablo program sponsored by the Shell Martinez Refinery.

From land management projects to supporting office operations, events, community outreach and recreation, 1,545 volunteers completed over 8,000 hours of service in 2017.

Volunteers —Our volunteers are the heroes and heroines of land preservation. They make our events possible, whether it be by becoming a hike leader, assisting with event registration, staffing aid stations, taking photos or setting up equipment. Their hard work and generosity are what make this organization’s efforts so successful.

( To all of those who shared their enthusiasm for the Diablo wild lands and volunteered in 2017, you help make our recreational opportunities possible. Thank you for your dedication!)

Dr. Mary Bowerman Science & Research Program—The Dr. Mary Bowerman Science and Research Program provides grants for research projects on Save Mount Diablo properties and the network of protected lands in the Diablo Range. In 2017, four grants were awarded to researchers from UC Berkeley, UC Davis, San Jose State University, and the San Francisco Bird Observatory. All of the studies will enhance the ecological understanding of the Diablo region and inform conservation and land management practices.

Conservation Collaboration Agreement—Save Mount Diablo staff and volunteers completed two Conservation Collaboration Agreements in 2017. We engaged Diablo region businesses to participate in both agreements, illustrating a dedication to land preservation and community leadership from local economic drivers. The first agreement was with CSU East Bay Concord and Mount Diablo Resource Recovery, a Garaventa Company. The second was with the EARTH class and ECO club from Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School and Bedell Frazier Investment Counselling, LLC. With both agreements, students, instructors, and employees alike got the opportunity to participate in hands on land stewardship practices— the first with a debris cleanup project on SMD's Lot 25 property and the second a bunchgrass planting project on Mangini Ranch. After the service projects, students and employees participated in a contemplative journaling exercise on the properties, reflecting on the meaning of nature and their respective roles in it.

PRESERVE

SMD acquired 95-acre Anderson Ranch in November 2017.

ENJOY 2017's heavy rains brought spectacular waterfalls & wildflowers. RESTORE A Diablo Restoration Team Volunteer workday at Big Bend. DEFEND Antioch's Sand Creek Focus Area is threatened by development.

Al Johnson

Scott Hein

Michael Amarosa

Scott Hein

Scott Hein

Scott Hein

These pie charts include financial information for Save Mount Diablo’s annual operating results (revenue and expenses), as well as land transactions such as the sale of our Marsh Creek 2 property.

Save Mount Diablo’s total revenue for 2017 was just over $2.65 million (including restricted and unrestricted funding). The pie chart shows the importance of individual contributions: three quarters of our funding comes from donors like you!

Expenditures for 2017 general operating expenses totaled approximately $2.5 million. In addition, about $1 million from existing reserves was used to purchase capital items and land, including Anderson Ranch.

Program expenses other than land acquisition includes stewardship projects, community education and outreach, and advocacy for land conservation.

Numbers are based on unaudited 2017 financials.

ToTal Revenue ReceiveD foR 2017 (Approx. $2.65 million)

Individual Contributions (77%)

Corporate Support (11%)

Foundations & Grants (7%)

Interest, fees & other (5%)

ToTal expenDiTuRes foR 2017 (Approx. $2.5 million in general operating expenses. Approx. $1 million in land/capital purchases from existing reserves.)

"We have hiked, admired and benefitted from the Mount Diablo area for decades so we were grateful for the opportunity to make an irrevocable bequest to Save Mount Diablo’s Stewardship Endowment Fund because it was the best way for us to create a lasting green legacy that will help take care of our beloved mountain for the community’s benefit for generations to come."

c Current Staff

Ted Clement Executive Director

Seth Adams

Land Conservation Director

Meredith Hendricks Land Programs Director

Land Purchase & Programs (63%)

Fundraising (21%)

Administration & Management (16%)

Monica Oei Finance & Administration Director

Jim Cartan Stewardship & Outreach Manager

Caleb Castle Communications Manager

Hidemi Crosse Bookkeeper

Karen Ferriere Assistant Development Director

Juan Pablo Galván

Land Use Manager

Shannon Grover Development Administrative Assistant

Dana Halpin General Office Manager

Katie Lopez Accounting & Administration Associate

Roxana Lucero Stewardship & Outreach Associate

Joanne McCluhan Executive Assistant

Kristen Noe Development Associate

~ DICK AND LAURIE MORRISON, 2017 FOREVER WILD DONORS

DICK & LAURIE MORRISON

Ted Clement

Fig. 1 - 2017 Revenue

Fig. 2 - 2017 Expenditures

2017 DONORS

Save Mount Diablo extends its gratitude to all donors —thank you for your support. Your generosity preserves, defends, and restores Mount Diablo and its foothills for all of us to enjoy!

Donations made between January 1-December 31, 2017. Asterisks denote donors who have given for 10+(*), 20+ (**), or 30+(***) consecutive years.

INDIVIDUALS

$250,000 & Above

Anonymous

Dana & Dave Dornsife

Shirley Nootbaar**

$100,000-$249,999

Carol Lane*

Larry & Joan Porter

Sandor & Faye Straus

$20,000-$49,999

Anonymous (2)

Malcolm & Sylvia Boyce Fund at the East Bay Community Foundation**

Bob & Cindy Brittain*

Carolyn Butler***

Joseph & Lisa Downes

Allen & Kate Flickinger

Peter & Robin Frazier*

Charles Gresham**

Carolyn H. Payne

Nicola Place & Chris Beeson

Jeanne Thomas***

$10,000-$19,999

Janet A. Berckefeldt

Ronald de Golia & Diane Longshore de Golia

Tom DeJonghe

Jim & Bette Felton*

Charla Gabert & David Frane*

Gordon & Donna Monroe***

Sylvia Simon*

Malcolm & Casey Sproul***

Gene Underwood

John F. Waggoner**

$5,000-$9,999

Anonymous (5)

Burt Bassler

Paul & Sandi Bonderson

Leslie & Sydney Dent*

John & Tena Gallagher*

Michael & JoAnn Hansen

Ann & Greg Hummel*

Giselle Jurkanin & Kristin Cooper**

John H. Kiefer***

David Lingren & Ilana Schatz*

Frank & Regina Martens

Bob & Joan Marx**

Richard & Susan Mason

Bob Ryon*

Dirk Sikkema & Linda Young**

Gregory & Cathy Tibbles

John & Gale Vocke

$1,000-$4,999

Anonymous (9)

Hanna & Gene Alger

Keith & Jill Alley

Michael Anciaux & Wendy Wolfe

May & Larry Ball

Patricia Baran*

Barger Family Fund*

Parker Barnum

Jim Baxter

Stephen & Karen Beck**

Mark & Silvia Belotz*

Jeff & Barbara Bennett

Steve & Pam Biggs*

Burt Bogardus*

Mike & Sue Brandy

Martha H. Breed

Brickyard Family Fund

John & Julie Buckley

Sally Cahill

John Campbell

Robert & Kim Carroll

Jim & Francesca Cervantes

Kristin Chambers

Mike & Beth Chase

Frances Coburn*

John Corlett & Brooke Schwartz

Tom & Cindy Crosby*

John E. Daniel

Bradley & Carol Davis*

John S. Deeming**

Lori & Ray DePole

Patricia Derickson*

David & Lee Devine***

Thomas & Marilyn Draeger

Jesse & Leigh Ann Engle

Richard Falck*

Bruce Fogel*

Kevin Fong*

Mary Furman & Dennis Whiteneck

Teresa & Michael Gerringer

Nancy A. Gibbons

Mel & Diana Haas

Laura Hall & Harold Hall, Jr.

Hammes Charitable Fund*

Scott & Claudia Hein**

Jerry & Kathy Hicks*

Mary P. Hicks

Margaret Holmes

Robert M. Hopfner & Mike Helm

Bill & Lesley Hunt

Andre Hunziker

Dennis & Barbara Hyland

Nambi Iyengar

Michael Jameson & Hillary Hayden

Darryl & Beverly Johnson*

Jacqueline Jones*

John & Linda Judd**

Robert Kieckhefer*

Shirley Langlois

Michael & Jane Larkin*

Gladys Laston

Jim & Sharon Lawrence

Edward & Carol Lee*

Tom & Pam Lee*

Lescure Foundation

Duane Lindner

Paul Liu & Cheryl Young*

Mark & Paula Lowery

Carol & Bob Lowitz*

Philip Matthews & Dian Heisey*

Kevin McGahan & Naheed Attari

Pat McGrath & Kyra Kennedy

Josh McLean

Frank Menkel

Paul & Nancy Meyerhofer

Alan Mitchell

Amara Morrison**

Mark Moskowitz

Bruce Muirhead & Denise Pare-Muirhead**

Robert Neumann

John & Ann Noll

Steve & Kim O'Brien Charitable

Fund

David Ogden & Sandy Biagi**

Sue & Steve Ohanian*

Charles & Anne Olsen**

Steve & Melody O'Shea

Dr. A. Scott Overfield

Donald & Georg Palmer***

Christopher & Margaret Panton***

Pease Family Fund

Lawrence & Mary Peirano**

Nadine Peterson & Michael Tuciarone*

Brad & Trish Piatt*

Ariadne Prater & Mitchell Allen

Jonathan C. Raymond

David & Becky Reeves

Sharon & Don Ritchey***

Allen Roberts

Joe & Anne Roberts

Jeanne & William Ryan

Joe & Susan Ryan

Jon & Mary Joan Sammann*

Dylan Savidge**

Dan & Janet Schalk**

Marvin & Carolyn Schick*

James & Patricia Scofield**

Adam & Nicki Scott*

Donald Seaver*

Mr. & Mrs. Alan Seidelmann*

Janine E. Senior

Joan & Lynn Seppala

Nicholas Sharrock

The Thomas & Cindy Silva Charitable

Fund, a Donor Advised Fund of The U.S. Charitable Gift Trust

Sharon Simpson

Jerry & Maren Smith

Richard & Sandra Smith***

Steve & Therese Sornsin

Tom Spelce

Richard Sproul**

Johannes & Michaela Stahl

Jeff & Lauren Stone

Brian Strom

Curtis & Christine Swanson

Tom & Sue Terrill

Stephen & Carlene Thomas*

Kenneth Tittle

Ken-ichi Ueda

Jacob Van Akkeren & Leslie

Bartholic***

Travis VanBrasch

Jean Vieth & Jan Diepersloot*

John Waterbury

Dana & Paul Weiler

Jerry Weintraub & Melody Howe

Weintraub*

Robert & Karen Wetherell**

Joseph Wettstein

Judy Whelan & Robert M. Simmons*

Martha Whittaker*

Kristen Wick*

Thomas M. Wood

Earl, Marlys & Seth Worden**

Roy & Cathy Yih

Zaitlin-Nienberg Family Fund

$500-$999

Anonymous (14)

Judy Abrams

Clyde & Lois Ambacher

Ralph & Jane Anthony

Rollin Armer*

Carol B Armstrong

Joe & Charlotte Arton

Vicky Atkinson

Carol Baird & Alan Harper

Steve & Carolyn Balling*

Christine Banducci

Lynn & Jason Baskett

Caedmon & Kathryn Bear*

Linda & Ed Best

Les & Lynn Bloch

Steve & Patty Bort*

Brent Briggs

Jerry & Carolyn Britten*

Bette Brockman & Jim Richards**

Stephen Buffi & Anne Waters*

Beth Burnside

Denece Buserwini

Michael Cass

Frank Cassal

Colin & Mila Coffey

Jim & Melissa Cole

Craig Conlon & Marcia Glick

Richard & Sandy Conti

Paul Cortese

Jacqueline Crist

John & Charlice Danielsen

Paula B. Deen

Jennell & Franklin Dill

George Doddington & Elizabeth Hudson*

Jim & Andrea Doehrman

Joan Duffield & Andy Cuellar Jr.

Phil Eager & Mimi Calter

Donald & Jeanie Egan*

Susan Fairclough

Tom Fannin & Ann Carson

Martha & Richard Fateman

Ginny Fereira

Daniel Fitzgerald & Chris Haslund

Sid & Linda Fluhrer

Jack & Maureen Fritschi*

David & Bonnie Fry

John

Clement &

Mark &

Haden-Dawson

Mike &

Ralph

Dick

Anastasia Hobbet

Mary Hook*

Don & Ann Hughes*

Ann

Johnson

Sheldon Kahn & Sarah Liron*

Dave & Lois Kail**

Pamela Kan

Richard Kawin*

Joyce Kelly*

Patricia E. Klahn**

John Kneibel

Mike & Ann Koch

Bill & Cheryl Kondrat*

Joan Kunz**

Eric & Wendy Lacy

Beverly Lane**

Terrance & Anne Langley

Marilyn Langlois

Joan & Gary Lawrence*

Marc & Patti Lewis

Tom Logue & Heidi Bosselman*

Barbara Mahler*

Doug & Sylvia Matthew

Robert & MaryAnn McCleary

Robert & Laura McCreery

John & Diane Meade*

Al & Debbie Medvin

Don & Betty Medwedeff*

Geoffrey & Valerie E. Meredith

Bob & Carolyn Mills

Melissa & Jack Moehle*

Stephen

1901 Olympic Blvd., Suite 320, Walnut Creek, California, 94596

Office Telephone: (925) 947.3535

www.SaveMountDiablo.org

Our Mission

To preserve Mount Diablo’s peaks, surrounding foothills, and watersheds through land acquisition and preservation strategies designed to protect the mountain’s natural beauty, biological diversity, and historic and agricultural heritage; enhance our area’s quality of life; and provide recreational opportunities consistent with the protection of natural resources.

What We Do

PRESERVE natural lands through acquisition and cooperative efforts.

DEFEND Mount Diablo and its foothills from threats of development through land use planning.

RESTORE habitat prior to transfer to a public agency for permanent preservation and public use.

ENJOY Diablo’s parks through events and recreational opportunities.

Why We Care

This is our home. More than half of Mount Diablo has been preserved. However, over 70,000 acres are privately owned and still threatened by development. That means risking the loss of wildlife corridors, ecosystems and recreational opportunities. Preserving natural land forever means safeguarding our quality of life, including our air, water, and views.

Students of Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School (JMIS) performed a writing exercise reflecting on "giving thanks for the land" while on a mini-solo in nature at Save Mount Diablo‘s Mangini Ranch property, as part of a conservation collaboration agreement with Save Mount Diablo for Thanksgiving, 2017.

Al Johnson