State and federal wildlife officials have identified PaumaCreek, which runs through the property, as a place where the healthof the threatened species of steelhead trout could be restored.Native trout have previously been found in the creek, Becksaid. “It’s a very valuable property, both biologically andstrategically.” “We were working with the Roberts family for a couple years,” hesaid. Michael Beck, San Diego director of the Endangered HabitatsLeague, confirmed that the league had been interested in aconservation sale but lost out, limited by available funding.

The sale was firstreported by The San Diego Transcript last week.

Still, the land’s hefty $27 million price tag has both residentsand representatives of a regional conservation group scratchingtheir heads.Īlthough the sale was listed as “terms not disclosed,” theunderlying documents are considered public information, accordingto the county assessor/recorder’s office. to expand their casino into a majorresort, about the size of Pala’s.īetty Roberts, whose family bought the land in 1959 and startedorganic farming in 1996, said Pala representatives told her theywould continue to grow oranges and she is working with them tocontinue the farm’s organic certification.Ĭounty officials said the Pala tribe has not sent them anyproposals to change the farm’s land use. In June, the Pauma band announced a deal with Connecticut gaminggiant Foxwoods Development Co.

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