Arroyo Hondo Creek and its resident wildlife are now fully protected, in perpetuity, under the watchful eye of the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County.
On Monday, the nonprofit conservation group announced its successful acquisition of Steelhead Lookout, an 80-acre property named after the same endangered species that may now find refuge within its boundaries.
Located in the heart of Arroyo Hondo Canyon, the property features steep, chaparral-covered hillsides, as well as two riparian corridors with oak woodlands surrounded by either the Arroyo Hondo Preserve or Los Padres National Forest, the Land Trust explained in its announcement.
But the big deal is that the property contained the final unprotected portion of Arroyo Hondo Creek.
“With this acquisition, the entire length of Arroyo Hondo Creek is now 100 percent protected — a significant milestone in watershed conservation,” the Land Trust said.
That final stretch, it continued, is modest in length but “provides vital aquatic habitat likely supporting the same sensitive species found throughout the preserve.”
That includes a potential upstream sanctuary for endangered Southern California steelhead that were recently rescued and relocated to the Arroyo Hondo Preserve after the Palisades Fire.
The acquisition, finalized on March 31, expands the Arroyo Hondo Preserve to more than 900 acres. The Land Trust negotiated a “fair market value” price for the property, appraised to be worth $90,000, with the former owners, the Cadwell family, funded completely by an anonymous donor.
“This is the second expansion of the preserve in the last three years and allows us to better manage the watershed for habitat,” said Meredith Hendricks, executive director of the Land Trust. “We are so appreciative of the philanthropic support that made this possible and for our partnership with the former landowners.”
The Cadwells, who grow organic fruits and vegetables in Lompoc Valley as “Tutti Frutti Farms,” owned the property for decades and occasionally used it as a family retreat. They worked with the Land Trust — which also holds a conservation easement on their farm — to “preserve the land’s legacy.”
The family credited their grandparents Harold and Nina Cadwell for their generosity, saying they came from a long line of pioneers whose families came out West in the 1800s.
“Being a part of the Golden State meant that they took care of the people who surrounded them and were stewards of the land that gave them their livelihood,” the family said in a statement. “Their legacy was to give to their three children and eight grandchildren. They wanted to create a playground of exploration and wonder for all to enjoy.”
With the acquisition complete, the Land Trust said its stewardship and programs staff will begin developing conservation and management plans for the new acreage, including potential trail extensions from the existing Upper Outlaw Trail.
“We are very grateful to the Cadwell family for stewarding this important completion of the Arroyo Hondo Creek corridor and the anonymous donor for partnering with the Land Trust to conserve it in perpetuity,” said Land Trust Board President Laurel Fisher Perez. “It is through partnerships with willing landowners like the Cadwell family that we have conserved nearly 58,000 acres of land in Santa Barbara County and counting!”
