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Save Mount Diablo is seeking to acquire a sizeable chunk of land near the eastern slopes of Mount Diablo State Park, with the organization announcing a recent option payment and fundraising goal for the property’s purchase within the next year.
The 98-acre Ginochio Schwendel Ranch property on Marsh Creek Road between Clayton and Brentwood is the latest site being eyed for conservation by the organization, who announced Dec. 13 that they had put down a $30,000 payment to hold the property for the next year as they seek to raise the approximately $1.5 million needed for its acquisition.
“We are so thankful for our Save Mount Diablo team, including our amazing supporters, and the Ginochio family who together have enabled us to enjoy so much success this year in advancing our time-sensitive land conservation mission, even in the waning days of 2023,” said Ted Clement, executive director for Save Mount Diablo.
The option agreement marks the organization’s fifth planned or completed acquisition over the past year, with organizers also expecting to close on a deal for the Krane Pond property this week.
The deal is also noteworthy as the first negotiation and agreement between the organization and the Ginochio family, who have overseen the development and operation of one of the area’s largest cattle grazing ranches over the course of 156 years and several generations, currently owning nearly 7,000 acres on and surrounding Mount Diablo.
“This is the first time Save Mount Diablo has bought a property directly from the Ginochio family, the most important landowning family in Contra Costa County,” Clement said. “The Ginochios own several high priority properties on the slopes of the mountain. They’ve been amazing stewards of their land for generations.”
A portion of the ranch was initially acquired by the Ginochio family after one of their other properties was condemned following World War II. Prior to that it was known as the Schwendel Ranch, which had started off as a collection of homesteads. At the time of the purchase, part of the area was owned by Frank Schwendel and another part by Mary Barendsen, who married Schwendel after her husband died.
Ranching has grown less popular and more challenging as the years have gone on, SMD organizers noted, with the Ginochio family seeking to downsize their property and operations in the present day.
“I’m pleased to make this deal with Save Mount Diablo,” John Ginochio said. “When you think of influence, people often think about big environmental groups. Personally, I think Save Mount Diablo is the most influential environmental organization in our area.”
Ginochio added that he has been in communication with Save Mount Diablo for more than 50 years.
“They’re financially sound and have the funds to make solid deals and the integrity to go with it,” Ginochio said. “We graze cattle on a number of SMD properties. I’m happy to see this part of the Ginochio Schwendel Ranch go to Save Mount Diablo because they have always been a good neighbor.”
With much of the family’s thousands of acres situated along Marsh Creek and its surrounding watershed, the Ginochio Schwendel Ranch in particular is home to a unique volcanic habitat in the Dark Canyon section of Marsh Creek. If the acquisition is successful, the area will serve as an expansion of the neighboring Marsh Creek 5 preserve, Clement said.
“They both share very unusual volcanic geology and are in the high priority Marsh Creek wildlife corridor,” Clement said. “If we don’t protect the Ginochio Schwendel Ranch, the property will eventually be divided up and developed, causing its special conservation values to be lost. We’re going to need help from our generous donors and agency partners to fund this project in the next 12 months.”
SMD Conservation director Seth Adams also emphasized the geologic and environmental importance of the area, which is one of just a dozen documented dacitic volcanic spots in the region.
“The Ginochio Schwendel Ranch is part of the east-west Marsh Creek riparian, road, and trail corridor, and near the western end of the Dark Canyon section of the riparian corridor Solid blue oak and live oak woodland, it is part of the wooded habitat corridor from Black Diamond Mines through Clayton Ranch south to Morgan Territory Regional Preserve and Mount Diablo State Park,” Adams said. “Steep wooded slopes rise from Marsh Creek Road to flatter meadows, then climb higher in one direction, while dropping into a canyon in another. I consider John Ginochio a good friend and I hope this is just the first conservation project with the family.”
The Ginochio family will continue to own the 665 acres north of Marsh Creek, SMD organizers said.
“This parcel south of Marsh Creek Road hasn’t been especially useful for cattle grazing but it’s always been interesting because of its unusual pink soil,” Ginochio said. “I learned more about its volcanic character from Save Mount Diablo as they sponsored research on their neighboring property. I’m really happy we can help expand the protected volcanic habitat instead of more houses.”
With the option agreement effective for the next 12 months, SMD organizers have until Dec. 13, 2024 to complete their fundraising goal and move towards the next steps of acquiring the property.
