Today’s Los Angeles Times article about the beautiful and important Lubken Ranch in the Alabama Hills above Lone Pine is generating a lot of concerns about its future. Before it was printed I had talked with Louis Sahagen, the LA Times reporter, about Eastern Sierra Land Trust’s interest in the property and our discussions with one of the landowners, Scott Kemp, about his interest in preserving the ranch with a conservation easement. While those facts didn’t make it into the story, it is still true that Scott strongly desires to permanently preserve his ranch and Eastern Sierra Land Trust considers it a priority project. The sale of a conservation easement (a voluntary land conservation agreement) would provide revenue to the family, keep the land owned and managed by the Kemps, and maintain it on the tax rolls of Inyo County. Once the family settles on the future outcome for their land, ESLT will be happy to work with them.
Cattle grazing on Lubken Ranch
Lubken Ranch is a gorgeous part of the Alabama Hills, and it sure would be sad to see it developed into homes. There is a group currently working to give the Hills more protection by having it designated a National Monument or National Recreation Area. It would be ironic if this happened as the ranch got subdivided. Maybe the Eastern Sierra Land Trust can help devise some solution for the Kemp family that allowed for minimal subdivision and maximal open space.