New bills could expand public land on Central Coast. Here’s where
California lawmakers announced a package of bills on Wednesday that would conserve more than 1.7 million acres of public lands across the state.
The bills include protections for about 385,842 acres of land on the Central Coast, a news release from U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla’s office said.
“Our public lands and natural spaces are some of California’s greatest gifts — from the Northern California redwoods, to the Carrizo Plain, to the San Gabriel Mountains,” Padilla said in the release. “As the Trump administration tries to sell off our state’s precious public lands and waters, we must protect and restore these areas to mitigate wildfire risk, reach California’s conservation goals, protect our natural resources and ensure generations to come can enjoy access to the outdoors.”
If signed into law, the package would expand the Los Padres National Forest and the Carrizo Plain National Monument.
The package, called the Protecting Unique and Beautiful Landscapes by Investing in California Lands Act, includes the Northwest California Wilderness, Recreation and Working Forests Act; the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act; and the San Gabriel Mountains Foothills and Rivers Protection Act.
The package is supported by a handful of lawmakers, including Rep. Salud Carbajal, who represents Santa Barbara County and parts of San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties.
“From the rugged trails of the Los Padres National Forest to the sweeping Carrizo Plain, the Central Coast is home to some of the most pristine public lands in the country,” Carbajal said in the release. “We must act now to permanently protect these landscapes, which sustain local watersheds, provide opportunities for outdoor recreation and strengthen both our public health and economy.”
Package could expand conservation on the Central Coast
The package proposes seven major expansions of land protection on the Central Coast, including:
- Adding 54,036 acres to the Dick Smith Wilderness Area in the Los Padres National Forest. The expansion would include Bear Canyon and Cuyama Peak.
- Adding 35,116 acres to the Caliente Mountain Wilderness Area in the Carrizo Plain National Monument in San Luis Obispo County.
- Adding 30,184 acres to the Matilija Wilderness Area in Ventura County.
- Adding 23,969 acres to the San Rafael Wilderness Area in the Los Padres National Forest in Santa Barbara County.
- Adding 41,082 acres to the Fox Mountain Special Management Area in the Los Padres National Forest.
- Adding 18,666 acres to the Condor Ridge Scenic Area in the Los Padres National Forest in Santa Barbara County.
- Adding 16,216 acres to the Black Mountain Scenic Area in the Los Padres National Forest in San Luis Obispo County.
This story was originally published December 17, 2025 at 1:40 PM.
