NORTH COAST, Calif. — Mendocino Land Trust has finalized the purchase of the spectacular 157-acre coastal blufftop property, known as Bell Point, located just south of Westport, on the northern Mendocino Coast. 

Bell Point sits by the southern edge of the village of Westport. It consists of approximately 50 acres of open coastal headlands, coastal meadows, riparian wetland and a bishop pine forest. 

Across Highway 1, an additional 100 acres of mixed redwood-fir forest, meadowland, and ocean view ridgelines will also be preserved. 

The headlands offer a jaw-dropping 180-degree degree view of our rocky and dramatic Mendocino coastline.

Mendocino Land Trust now moves into the planning state of the project: designing and building a new portion of the California Coastal Trail, a projected parking area, and ultimately returning the property to Kai Poma, a nonprofit representing three local Native American tribes, who will also soon own the nearby Blues Beach to the south. 

Mendocino Land Trust said it is honored to work with Kai Poma to facilitate the return of this land to the Sherwood Valley Pomo Band of Indians, Round Valley Indian Tribes and the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians as a vital step towards restoration and reparation. 

“We are so thrilled to have been able to purchase this property to ensure its conservation and protect this special part of the Mendocino Coast from private development forever,” said Bell Point project lead, MLT Director of Land Protection Emily Griffen. “The property will be opened to the public for the first time, and returned to local Native American Tribes for long-term ownership and management.” 

Protecting this remarkable property has been made possible with a $2.5 million grant from the State Coastal Conservancy, as well as a $95,000 Project Advancement Grant from the California Council of Land Trusts. 

The project has the strong support of the Westport Village Society, State Sen. Mike McGuire, former Assemblymember Jim Wood, current Assemblymember Chris Rogers and Mendocino Land Trust’s project partner, Kai Poma.