Conservation News
Conservationists May Acquire Hearst Coast
By Erica Werner
LOS ANGELES -- During his lifetime, publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst built a media empire and an opulent castle. But one thing he left virtually untouched has been the subject of years of debate.
Now a deal nearing completion could preserve for the public one of Hearst's most impressive legacies: A vast, unspoiled tract of California coastline that's home to zebras, rare oaks and other exotic and endangered species.
The Hearst Corp. is close to an agreement to sell development rights at the Hearst Ranch to conservationists, a plan that could permanently preserve the land some 200 miles north of Los Angeles.
"It's remarkable that we even have this opportunity to buy 18 miles of California coastline that has been virtually untouched," said Kara Blakeslee of the American Land Conservancy. "Those kinds of opportunities today are extremely rare."
The deal would create public trails along the entire stretch of coast, and guarantee public access to much of the oceanfront acreage. Hearst would retain the right to build homes on 27 lots and an inn, and some beach areas could remain closed if they're deemed too environmentally fragile for public use.
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