$42M grant moves Wild Cherry Canyon toward permanent protection

The State Coastal Conservancy authorized a $42 million grant to The Wildlands Conservancy to secure Wild Cherry Canyon near Avila Beach, a move that could permanently block development on about 2,060 acres in San Luis Obispo County. The acquisition is expected to close in two steps through mid-2027 and set up future conservation, Tribal access and public access planning.

Why it matters: - The $42 million grant advances permanent protection for one of the Central Coast’s largest undeveloped coastal properties. - The deal would remove a long-term development threat and add a new preserve near Avila Beach in San Luis Obispo County. - The acquisition also strengthens protection across the larger Diablo Canyon Lands and opens the door to future public and Tribal access.

What happened: - The Board of the State Coastal Conservancy authorized the grant on Sept. 17, 2026. - The Wildlands Conservancy will use the funding to acquire the leasehold interest and fee title to the roughly 2,060-acre Wild Cherry Canyon property. - The property sits just inland of Avila Beach and overlooks San Luis Obispo Bay. - Wild Cherry Canyon is part of the approximately 12,000-acre Diablo Canyon Lands.

The details: - The property has been vulnerable to residential development because of a long-term private lease. - Buying both the leasehold and the underlying fee title will permanently eliminate that development risk. - The acquisition will happen in two transactions. - The Wildlands Conservancy will buy the leasehold interest by the end of the year. - Acquisition of the underlying fee title is expected to close by mid-2027. - Wild Cherry Canyon includes coastal prairie, oak woodlands, chaparral, riparian habitat and headwater streams. - Those habitats support wildlife and improve ecological connectivity across the region. - The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County could be a partner on a future conservation easement for the property. - The California Coastal Trail could eventually include a potential five-mile segment through Wild Cherry Canyon. - That segment would connect to a planned roughly 20-mile route between Avila Beach and Montaña de Oro State Park. - Low-impact camping and outdoor education for schools, youth organizations and other organized groups are also under consideration. - Wildlands will manage the preserve in perpetuity. - Early private support from the Wild America Fund helped move the project through deposit, due diligence and project management. - Additional public and private money will be needed for initial stewardship and ongoing management. - Public access will begin after planning, resource protection measures and access improvements are complete.

Between the lines: - The project shows how long-term land protection on the Central Coast often depends on layered partnerships among state agencies, land trusts, local groups and Tribal leaders. - The emphasis on conservation easements, access planning and Tribal participation signals that the preserve is being shaped for both habitat protection and managed public use. - The broader Diablo Canyon Lands planning effort suggests Wild Cherry Canyon is one piece of a larger regional conservation strategy. - The community process could determine how much access is allowed and how that access is balanced with cultural and ecological protections.

What's next: - The Diablo Canyon Lands Conservation Planning Project will move into a broader public phase on Sept. 23 with a community-wide kickoff in downtown San Luis Obispo. - The Coastal Conservancy and The Wildlands Conservancy will work with local community members and Tribes to develop conservation, public access and Tribal access easements or other protections. - Planning will continue for future conservation and public and Tribal use at Wild Cherry Canyon. - Public access will follow once the land is ready for safe and resource-protective use.

The bottom line: - A long-running conservation push is now close to securing permanent protection for Wild Cherry Canyon, with the next phase focused on planning how people, Tribes and wildlife will share the landscape.