NEWS: Castle Rock Hollow Purchase to Complete Protected Natural Boundary of Castle Rock State Park
Sempervirens Fund’s purchase of the $1.3 million property is intended to
expand Castle Rock State Park and protects a watershed and habitats crucial to local ecology
Contact: Blake Case, 601.832.6079, blake@emccommunications.com
Los Altos, Calif. (Sept. 12, 2023) — Sempervirens Fund announced its purchase of Castle Rock Hollow today to preserve the 51-acre property, which shares a boundary with Sempervirens Fund’s former Castle Rock West property that was recently added to Castle Rock State Park.
Map of Castle Rock Hollow in context of Castle Rock State Park, in Los Gatos, CA. Map includes recent additions to the park by Sempervirens Fund in August 2023.
The Castle Rock Hollow property, acquired by Sempervirens Fund from landowner Jim White for $1.3 million, is the largest remaining private landholding within the natural western boundary of Castle Rock State Park. Sempervirens Fund plans to eventually transfer the land to California State Parks to expand Castle Rock State Park, as they recently did when they added 222 acres to the park in August 2023.
“Without protection, the property faced the potential sale and development for housing or marijuana farming, which would have had harmful impacts on the natural resources protected nearby,” said Sara Barth, the Executive Director of Sempervirens Fund. “Acquiring the property holds significant importance for Sempervirens Fund, given the property’s considerable potential for outdoor recreation and the presence of second-growth redwoods and mature hardwoods like madrone, tan oak, and Douglas fir.”
The property is adjacent to nearly 6,000 acres of protected land and supports native and rare species like the San Francisco dusky-footed woodrat, pileated woodpecker and the Santa Cruz black salamander. It is located at the headwaters of the San Lorenzo River—a designated critical habitat for the endangered coho salmon and Central Coast steelhead trout.
Prior to the devastating 2020 CZU fire that ravaged the region, State Parks had expressed a keen interest in incorporating the Castle Rock Hollow property into their strategy to reroute the Skyline-to-the-Sea trail (one of the most popular backpacking routes in the Bay Area) away from Highway 9. Under the future ownership of State Parks, the property could serve as a base for various recreational activities, including camping.
“Castle Rock State Park is the gateway to recreation in the Santa Cruz mountains and securing properties within its borders is essential for its conservation and recreation future,” said Chris Spohrer, the Santa Cruz District Superintendent of California State Parks. “We are grateful to Sempervirens Fund for protecting Castle Rock Hollow and helping complete the western border of Castle Rock State Park. We will work closely with them on stewardship of its redwoods and San Lorenzo headwaters.”
Lush green redwood trees tower over the edge of a meadow whose wildflowers stretch just into view at the bottom of the frame at Castle Rock Hollow, by Orenda Randuch
The property also contains prehistoric cultural resources, with a meadow that suggests past Indigenous use, though further investigation is necessary to determine if there are any archaeological sites on the property.
Sempervirens Fund is grateful for the many donors that stepped up to support this project and the future care of the land. Stewardship efforts will include removal of debris and non-native plants as well as restoration of fish habitat.
Sempervirens Fund helped establish Castle Rock State Park in 1968, realizing the vision of Dr. Russell Varian, a pioneer of x-ray and radar technology. Over the decades, the organization has expanded the park, purchasing 42 properties and protecting more than 4,200 acres.
In the mid-2010s, and in response to fears that Castle Rock State Park might close, Sempervirens Fund stepped in, guiding Castle Rock into a new era, planning and funding modernized facilities at the Robert C. Kirkwood entrance and a sustainable funding model, with operational support from Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks.