Hundreds of acres in North County will now be protected by the Escondido Creek Conservancy after the group purchased two properties recently. The land is in two separate parcels in the unincorporated area between Escondido and San Marcos – one in Harmony Grove and the other in Elfin Forest. “The se acquisitions have been years in the making,” said Ann Van Leer, executive director of the conservancy. “Purchasing and protecting these properties will create new opportunities for outdoor education and community engagement and ultimately ensure the survival of rare and threatened species in the Escondido Creek watershed for future generations.” The land was purchased with nearly $7 million in state and federal grants awarded to the conservancy in September by the California Wildlife Conservation Board, a state agency dedicated to safeguarding biological diversity and wild spaces. “Securing funding at this level is never easy,” said Richard Murphy, president of the conservancy’s board. “We are thrilled that the Wildlife Conservation Board recognizes the importance of preserving these vital wildlife corridors.” The Escondido Creek Conservancy recently purchased two North County properties. (Richard Murphy) Protecting this additional land will help the conservancy reach its goal to link fragmented native habitats so wildlife can survive in an increasingly developed region. The 160-acre White-Atterbury property connects protected lands in Harmony Grove with those in the City of San Marcos. The 96-acre Elfin Acres property is bordered on three sides by the Conservancy’s 910-acre Keithley Preserve and includes nearly two miles of Escondido Creek. Both properties contain diverse native plant and animal life, including southern mixed chaparral, coastal sage scrub, coastal California gnatcatcher, southwestern pond turtle, and western spadefoot toad. Now that the conservancy has closed escrow on the land, the next steps will be to enter it into its land management plan, create a plan to support the habitat there and connect with nearby residents, said Sheri Lees, brand and marketing director with the conservancy. The conservancy is planning a series of hikes and restoration events for next year, including a hike Jan. 3 at Frank’s Peak in the new White-Atterbury property. More information on upcoming events is available on the conservancy’s website. Established in 1991, the mission of The Escondido Creek Conservancy is to preserve and restore the Escondido Creek watershed. The Escondido Creek watershed encompasses more than 75 square miles stretching from the mountains above Lake Wolford in Escondido to the San Elijo Lagoon and shores of Encinitas and Solana Beach. ...read more read less