Throughout its history, Tejon Ranch has actively and willingly assisted various governmental and nonprofit conservation organizations in their efforts to protect the California condor. Though Tejon Ranch contains only a small percentage of the habitat in California considered important to the condor, and has seen an even smaller percentage of condor activity, it nonetheless has a high profile. Advancing the recovery of the California condor remains at the root of Tejon Ranch’s conservation and planning efforts.
Tejon Ranch has embedded strong condor conservation measures in its community planning and wildlife management, including:
- Undergrounding of new utility lines.
- Land planning considerations that take into account the existing natural setting.
- Eliminating use of ammunition containing lead.
- Providing clean lead-free feeding stations.
- Providing a number of tracking devices that can help officials identify when birds are in trouble and where to find them.
The Ranch has also left untouched the vast majority of habitat on its property considered by experts to be important for the condor. These multiple provisions to protect the condor are the result of ongoing consultation with some of the nation’s foremost condor experts, who were also invited to review Tejon Ranch’s development plans. Their revisions and recommendations – all aimed at greater condor protections – were incorporated without condition.
