Now the quail and foxes really are running through these areas again, reports The San Francisco Chronicle.
(Image: Janylee)
That's because the recession has mostly been a bust for prospective home buyers, but it's been a boon to regional park districts. They are wisely buying properties that developers need to unload now.
"I would not say we're always getting bargain rates, but the real estate market has created opportunities for us," Nancy Wenninger told the Chronicle. She's head of land acquisitions for the East Bay (California) Regional Park District.
Last year alone, her district purchased 3,500 acres, the largest amount of land it has bought in over a decade. The purchases aren't random either.
If all goes as planned, at least one new big regional park, Deer Valley, will result, providing habitat for rattlesnakes, songbirds and numerous other species. Hikers and equestrians are already excited about the prospects, with some horse owners presently riding or walking their charges through the purchased open land.
Private groups involved in wilderness preservation are also benefiting from the economic situation. They too are buying up real estate that's being sold below its appraised value. Groups like Save Mount Diablo are buying such properties, which they plan to turn over to local or state park districts.
Not all real estate experts are unhappy about the situation. Agent Jim Gwerder explained that the recession has brought "another buyer on the market, and that's a good thing."
Tags: Animals, Current Events, Horses, Wildlife Conservation
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