By Ellie Routt

The Mother Lode Land Trust was established in 1990 by a coalition of ranchers, conservationists and other concerned citizens to preserve the landscape of California's Central Sierra Nevada. It was here that gold was discovered in 1849 and a state was born, fortunes made and lost, and the rugged beauty of the Sierra Nevada foothills introduced to millions.

MLLT was established to help protect foothill lands from the pressures of urbanization and development. While in the 1800s the term "mother lode" referred to the rich veins of gold found throughout the mountains, today the term now describes the region's breathtaking landscape of farms, ranches, forests and scenic vistas.

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Source: http://www.ledger-dispatch.com/