Adanac Ranch

Working Forest Conservation Easement

Nestled in Mendocino County, Adanac Ranch is a model for a sustainably-managed cattle operation. This conservation project protects a vast 13,045 acres of oak savannah, open grasslands, and rare old-growth forests, ensuring long-term ecological resilience and preserving vital habitats while supporting organic farming and climate-smart forestry.

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In 1988, Stu Bewley purchased Adanac Ranch, a vast and rugged expanse of forest and rangeland in Mendocino County, California, that borders over a mile of the Eel River. With a deep respect for the land’s natural heritage, Bewley and his family have spent decades restoring its rich biodiversity harmed by over-grazing and intensive logging. Almost half the size of San Francisco, Adanac’s 13,405 acres include 104 legal parcels each of which could be sold off separately for ranchettes. Now, the family is working with Pacific Forest Trust to ensure the property stays in-tact with lasting protection—and public benefit—for generations to come by granting a conservation easement.

Mendocino County has been plagued with the break-up of large ranches like Adanac into small properties dotted with houses, pot farms and other dispersed development that fragment habitat, degrade streams, and increase wildfire risk – as well as take land out of active forest and range management so important for the local economy. Instead, if we can take advantage of this rare opportunity to permanently conserve Adanac in one piece as a sustainably-managed cattle ranch, we will secure the missing link in an essential wildlife corridor that crosses the entire county, connecting the Sinkyone Wilderness on the coast to Island Mountain in the interior.

Full PDF fact sheet here.

“It has long been my dream to permanently conserve this magnificent and expansive property, with its diverse wildlife, old growth douglas fir, conifer and oak woodlands. Working with Pacific Forest Trust will see this dream come true.” — Stuart Bewely

Why Conserve this Property?

Sustains Biodiversity

Adanac Ranch’s biodiversity is rooted in its complex topography, abundant water, and varied soils. These support ten different habitat types including open grasslands, oak savannah, riparian woodlands, and rare upland old-growth Douglas-fir, some of which are Terrestrial Significant Habitats identified by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The ranch ranks highly in statewide analyses for terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity, with notable importance for climate adaptation and species movement. Maintaining Adanac’s integrity helps assure lasting connectivity across fragmented landscapes in the North Coast so important for climate adaptation.

Adanac Ranch is within designated Critical Habitat for both the northern spotted owl and marbled murrelet that reside on neighboring federal land. Visitors will encounter Roosevelt Elk and watch soaring golden eagles. The Bewley’s careful range and forest management has been key in restoring degraded habitats. The conservation easement will guide future productive management to ensure habitat value is nurtured along with sustainable economic benefits for the county.

This biologically rich landscape lies at the heart of California’s North Coast Range—one of the most diverse ecosystems in the western U.S.—and provides homes for an estimated 238 species of wildlife, including seven imperiled species, from foothill yellow-legged frogs to Sonoma tree voles to threatened runs of coho, Chinook and steelhead salmon that breed in Adanac’s streams.

Why Conserve This Property?

Benefits Natural Water Systems

The ranch encompasses more than 50 miles of perennial and seasonal streams, including Blue Rock and Bell Springs Creeks — year-round, spring fed tributaries to the Eel River in which threatened salmon spawn. The Eel River itself forms the eastern boundary of Adanac Ranch and cold, clear water flows from the property support critical spawning habitat for salmonids and contribute flows that benefit communities, farms and fish across four counties. Numerous wetlands, seeps, ponds along with shady, intact riparian corridors enrich the ranch’s biodiversity.

Why Conserve this Property?

Expands Public Access to Nature Along the Great Redwood Trail

Adanac Ranch sits within the traditional territory of the Yuki people who still live nearby. With European-American settlement Adanac became a livestock ranch and was extensively logged. When the railroad that ran the length of the North Coast was built along the Eel, the property was the site of Bell Springs Station. The Eel River has long been a way to access the property and still serves as a popular route for water recreation where kayakers can enjoy Adanac’s beauty. Now the old railroad right of way through Adanac along the river is part of the route of the Great Redwood Trail—a visionary rails-to-trails project that will connect San Francisco Bay to Humboldt Bay. As part of this conservation project the Bewley family would like to provide additional public access and camping facilities to complement the Great Redwood Trail, opening new opportunities for hiking, biking, camping, nature observation, and cultural learning. This future connection will not only offer greater access to Adanac’s beauty—it will also introduce the public to a working landscape where ecological stewardship and climate resilience are actively practiced.

Connecting a Larger Forest Landscape

Located in California’s North Coast Range, Adanac Ranch is a biodiversity anchor of more than 13,000 acres. This ecologically significant working landscape spans oak woodlands, conifer forests, grasslands, and river corridors, supporting an exceptional array of wildlife. The ranch borders the Wild and Scenic Eel River, one of the West Coast’s most important salmon strongholds, and helps safeguard water quality and fisheries downstream.

Adanac Ranch’s protection adds a critical piece to the conservation puzzle of the North Coast, enhancing connectivity for species movement and climate resilience across public and private lands.