Our guest is Mike Cipra of Friends of the Dunes, a local conservation organization which is in the process of acquiring the Samoa Dunes and Wetlands Conservation Property (a.k.a. the Dog Ranch and Poovey Tract). The 357-acre property is scheduled to be purchased from Security National this fall. Friends of the Dunes has decided to be interim owner for up to 5 years while a permanent plan is developed to manage the area for habitat conservation and public access.
Just south of the Manila Dunes, this acquisition will create a continuous connected area of more than 1,600 acres of dunes, including the furthest southern extent of coastal dune forest in the world.
More on the tussle over this property:
For more info on the flora and fauna of the area: