Board votes to buy, conserve historic Star Ranch land in Campo

San Diego County supervisors voted March 17 to buy the 2,151-acre, historic Star Ranch area in Campo, its largest acquisition of sensitive habitat, wetlands, potential passive park land and hiking trails in a decade.

County officials said the land will provide a permanent home for sensitive species and conserve important habitat including 200 acres of wetlands, and it could eventually provide a large park and connections for hikers to nearby trails such as the Pacific Crest Trail.

The board voted unanimously to buy the land for roughly $8.7 million, a figure that will be offset by a $1.28 mill...