Conserved for
In January of 2020, citing the State of California’s goal to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2045, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted to approve construction of the Strauss Wind Project. The project includes 29 wind turbines capable of generating enough energy to power about 43,000 homes. The construction and operations of the wind farm are under strict regulatory oversight, with a requirement to actively offset impacts on endangered Gaviota Tarplant and the surrounding 2,730 acres of conserved land forever.
To satisfy this requirement, the Land Trust collaborated with several ranching families and agencies to achieve the necessary balance between habitat conservation and clean energy development, forming the Tranquillon Conservation Project. The Land Trust’s easement permanently protects the land and habitat for Gaviota Tarplant—a species native to and only found on Santa Barbara County’s coast. For the Land Trust, Tranquillon was an opportunity to perpetually protect important, vulnerable species, valuable agricultural land, and open space while accommodating much-needed energy alternatives for a stronger local economy and a more climate-resilient future.
