A vast stretch of California ranchland once faced the prospect of becoming an industrial mining site, with a proposed 403-acre quarry threatening grasslands, oak woodland, waterways and a landscape held sacred by the ‘Amah Mutsun Tribal Band.’ The development plan triggered years of opposition, finally drawing more than 10,000 public objections to Santa Clara County. In January 2026, however, the story took a different turn. The ‘Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST)’ paid about $23 million to acquire another 2,284 acres of the historic Sargent Ranch, permanently protecting the core of the Juristac Tribal Cultural Landscape and bringing the proposed quarry project to an end. The purchase was the result of a long campaign involving tribal members, conservation groups and thousands of supporters. What had been a battle over the future of the land became one of California’s most significant conservation victories.
Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!
