The Dream of Preserving California's History

Erik and Sandy Gregersen

Erik Gregersen's passion for rangeland preservation led him to include the Rangeland Trust in his estate plan.
Erik Gregersen with his wife, Sandy.

As he is driving along the highway that runs through the Cuyama Valley in Central California, Erik Gregersen takes a moment to reflect on what rangeland means to him. Erik has firsthand experience of how development pressures have affected ranches and contributed to the loss of the open range in California over his lifetime. "I want to try to do whatever I can to keep some part of California like the California I loved when I was young."

Doing whatever he can to be a steward of the land has become Erik's creed in life. His grandfather acquired the family ranch in 1913, which passed down through his father to him, his brother and his cousin. Due to rising pressures, in 1982 the family regretfully had to sell 1,600 acres of the 2,100 acres he loved. Looking back on the experience of losing part of his family's land, he wishes he had known at the time about the opportunity the Rangeland Trust offers to ranch owners to conserve rangeland and its resources in perpetuity.

Now, he is helping other ranch owners to connect with the Rangeland Trust. Erik is an ambassador for the Rangeland Trust's Legacy Council, which seeks to further educate the public about the value of conserving rangeland to protect important open spaces and natural resources that people cherish in California. While he is active today in this work, he wants to ensure the resources are there for future generations to preserve rangeland. For that reason, California Rangeland Trust is now in his future estate plan.

"My dream is to continue to conserve the beautiful ranches in California and the culture of the ranching community," says Erik. It is an honor to help fulfill his dream.

Ready to Preserve Our Future?

By making a gift in your will or estate plan, you ensure that our good work continues far into the future. Contact Shannon Foucault at (916) 444-2096 or sfoucault@rangelandtrust.org to learn more about the impact you can make at the California Rangeland Trust.

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