Farmers Face Drought Crisis

April 22, 2021

This month, MALT announced that it will provide $250,000 for longer-term water resiliency projects for coastal Marin farmers and ranchers regardless of whether their properties have land trust conservation easements. Possible projects include redeveloping existing springs that may have gone dormant, building rainwater catchment systems, and purchasing and installing water pipelines and solar pumps to help distribute water throughout a ranch to reduce the impacts of cattle on dry land. Drilling wells, though costly, would be considered, according to Eric Rubenstahl, the stewardship program manager.

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Dayna Ghirardelli leans against wooden corral rails at Duncan Ranch, wearing a black pullover and jeans, with cattle handling equipment and green pastures visible behind her

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