In collaboration with The Conservation Fund and through the generosity of donors, the university has become the long-term steward of more than 200 acres of undeveloped coastal land next to our residential campus. In addition, campus and TCF are pursuing the acquisition of 200-plus acres of farmland that borders our coastal campus. This property would be managed by our Center for Agroecology. In tandem, these properties will allow us to advance our work in teaching and conservation, and expand our innovative research in sustainable organic agriculture and agtech.
Why is the university pursuing these initiatives instead of focusing on other campus needs?
UC Santa Cruz is an internationally recognized research and education institution. It has always advanced on multiple fronts at the same time and these initiatives are clearly advancing historic strengths of the campus.
These initiatives, in partnership with The Conservation Fund, are being made possible entirely through philanthropy and public and private grants, all specifically directed to these efforts. We are actively fundraising to realize the second phase of this vision by summer 2026. The campus will continuously seek resources for a range of needs and aspirations of the campus.
Why is UCSC pursuing private ranch and farm land in the county?
The opportunity of these two properties were brought to the attention of campus leadership as a once in a century opportunity to advance several significant initiatives, and on land immediately adjacent to its existing campuses. The family who owned the land was known to the campus through its historic ties. The Younger Family donated Younger Lagoon and a portion of the Long Marine Laboratory property to UC Santa Cruz in 1973. The Conservation Fund was also familiar with these properties as important lands to conserve.
UC Santa Cruz Campus Natural Reserves (CNR) currently encompasses 789 acres of protected lands dedicated to teaching, research, and interpretation. These living laboratories blend classroom learning with hands-on study of the natural world, bridging theory with field experiences. The reserves support student internships as well as undergraduate, graduate, and faculty research. In addition to stewarding the campus reserves, the UCSC CNR division manages five other UC System Natural Reserves located throughout the region. This new inland property, primarily coastal prairie, coastal scrub, and riparian habitat, creates an essential wildlife corridor and unprecedented opportunities for hands-on learning, research, and conservation.
UC Santa Cruz, with its Center for Agroecology and famous Farm, is known as a birthplace of sustainable, organic farming in the U.S. and has long supported and collaborated with regional and statewide agricultural research and education. With the campus’s recent Ag Experiment Station designation (similar to the Davis and Berkeley campuses) and active work in AgTech, UC Santa Cruz is positioned to significantly advance its work and impact on the region. Our vision is to partner with various community partners on sustainable organic coastal agriculture and provide an innovative example of such farming practices on the Central Coast.
Will these purchases reduce the city’s property tax base and hurt local services?
These properties, located in Santa Cruz county, have been held privately for multiple generations as primarily farm and ranch land. As such, the property’s contribution to the tax base has been relatively minimal. The long-term community benefits of conservation, education and research far outstrip any possible reduction.
Read more about UC Santa Cruz’s $1.35 billion in value impact to the region’s economy.
Isn’t this just land to allow the university to grow enrollment later?
The 200-plus acres, with its noted environmental sensitivity and conservation value, will be permanently protected from the development of housing or other administrative and academic facilities and maintain this important regional greenbelt. Nearly half of the property will include permanent habitat for protected species as agreed to with the National Fish and Wildlife Service. The coastal property will be deployed to advance the work of the Center for Agroecology and its famous Farm.
How does this benefit the broader Santa Cruz community, not just UCSC?
Protecting these lands conserves one of the region’s important greenbelts, safeguards watersheds and wildlife corridors, and promotes climate resilience. It preserves open space and contributes to regional conservation efforts. The community benefits from healthier ecosystems and opportunities for education and research.
UC Santa Cruz, with its Center for Agroecology and famous Farm, is known as the birthplace of sustainable, organic farming in the U.S. and has long supported and collaborated with regional and statewide agricultural research and education. With the campus’s recent Agriculture Experiment Station designation (similar to the Davis and Berkeley campuses) and active work in AgTech, UC Santa Cruz is positioned to significantly advance its work and impact on the region. Our vision is to partner with various community partners on sustainable organic coastal agriculture and provide an innovative example of such farming practices on the Central Coast.
Why pursue these properties now?
These properties were either on the market or almost on the market and at risk of being sold for other purposes forever changing the region’s coastal landscape and habitat. Acting now allows us to preserve the land for conservation, education and research rather than being lost permanently to uses that may not align with community or environmental values. Additionally, the timing is aligned with the aspirations of the university and campus units that will steward these lands going forward.
Will the university allow public access to these lands, or will it be restricted?
In this first phase, our priority is to protect species and sensitive ecosystems. As such the land will be restricted for specific conservation, education and research uses to comply with restrictions agreed to upon acquisition.
Is this really the university’s role, or should conservation be left to nonprofits and government agencies?
The University of California and its network of reserves have been long-term stewards of public lands across the state. UC Santa Cruz Campus Natural Reserves (CNR) currently encompasses 789 acres of protected lands dedicated to teaching, research, and interpretation. These living laboratories blend classroom learning with hands-on study of the natural world, bridging theory with field experiences. The reserves support student internships as well as undergraduate, graduate, and faculty research.
Partnering with conservation organizations and government agencies is part of this effort, and UCSC’s involvement ensures that these lands serve as living classrooms and laboratories that benefit both students and the community.
In addition to stewarding the campus reserves, the UCSC CNR division manages five other UC System Natural Reserves located throughout the region including the 2,400-acre Strathearn Ranch near Hollister, which was the most recent addition to UC’s natural reserve system. The ranch, as well as an operations endowment, was donated to the campus.
What will happen to the horse boarding facility on-site at the coastal land?
UC Santa Cruz is working with The Conservation Fund to explore an opportunity to secure the coastal land for a transformative expansion of its Center for Agroecology and Farm for its pioneering research and practice in sustainable organic agriculture. There’s no guarantee that UC Santa Cruz will ultimately be the stewards of the coastal property, but we are working with that intention. For this acquisition to happen, between now and that time, there will be many inspections and requirements that will need to be met. We will learn more over time as the process progresses for the transfer of ownership. However, it is not within the campus’s current mission or vision to become stewards or landlords of a horse boarding facility.
Will UC Santa Cruz collaborate with tribal and other local communities in stewarding the land?
UC Santa Cruz will continue to foster important collaborations with local communities, offering opportunities for sharing stewardship and traditional ecological knowledge to guide conservation practices. Learn more about our approach to collaborations.
Does this initiative put additional pressure on housing in the region? What is UC Santa Cruz doing about housing needs?
No. These lands will continue to be managed in ways similar to how they’ve been used for generations. Additionally, these lands include sensitive habitat and are in the coastal zone, further regulating development.
UC Santa Cruz continues to pursue an ambitious plan to provide more than 40 percent additional student housing. UC Santa Cruz is proud to provide campus housing to more than 9,300 students — more than half of its undergraduate student body — and is actively working to offer students even more opportunities to live in university housing that supports them in pursuing their educational goals. UC Santa Cruz has many projects in the works and will continue to pursue opportunities to provide more student housing to confront this urgent issue. Learn more about our housing projects that are under construction.
Did the campus issue notice to tenants currently on the Coast Road property?
As stated previously, UC Santa Cruz is not currently in contract to purchase the property, and will need to conduct due diligence regarding the property before entering into any agreement regarding the property. The University did not issue any notices to the tenants of the Coast Road property nor did it request the current property owner to do so. Any notices received by the tenants were solely from the current property owners and were not made at the request of or on behalf of the University.