Preserving Legacy, Honoring Family

"It was through my family's history—learning about it and working to preserve it—that I found my own connection to the land."

Keith Mautino Moore grew up with ranchland as his playground. He recalls bicycling through the fields on his family's farm with childhood friends, picking truckloads of sweet peas and being engulfed in their fragrant aroma. Later, as he learned about his family history on California's lands, he began to truly appreciate and value their importance in his life.

The Moore family's legacy traces back to before California became a state. One ancestor purchased a Spanish rancho in Butte County in the 1840s and served as one of its first county supervisors. Another was a founding pioneer of the town of Lompoc in northern Santa Barbara County. And now that legacy is Keith's to ensure for the future. He is a sixth-generation Santa Barbara native and a proud member of the Society of California Pioneers, descended from ranchers and merchants who helped establish the California we know today.

For 25 years Keith has partnered with nonprofits to help preserve not only his family's legacy but that of our Golden State, primarily by serving on fundraising and planned giving boards. He has learned how vital both annual and estate gifts are for helping organizations to grow and become sustainable for the long term. Adding the California Rangeland Trust to his estate plan—"because of our commitment to providing families with the option to stay on their land"—was a perfect match for Keith. That, in addition to all the fun we have when we get together, is what makes the Rangeland Trust one of his favorite charities.

"My mother used to tell me about riding her horse to school every day," says Keith. "I love that image. To me, it represents perfectly that moment in our history and that simplicity of rural life."

We are honored to partner with members of our Planned Giving Society, like Keith, in celebrating California's heritage and guaranteeing we can continue to enjoy our working landscapes and traditions for many generations to come.

Create Your Legacy

Keith is honoring his family's legacy as the sole heir responsible for the family's ranch after his mother passed and serving as caregiver to his aging father.

What will be your role in continuing your family's story? Return the attached card to learn how you can have these important conversations with your loved ones. Or contact Shannon Foucault at (916) 444-2096 or sfoucault@rangelandtrust.org.