# Marin Audubon Society closes deal for 323 acres of baylands > Source: > Published: 2026-06-16 14:03:19+00:00 **Getting your** [Trinity Audio](//trinityaudio.ai)player ready...The Marin Audubon Society has completed its purchase of two parcels spanning 323 acres in unincorporated Novato. The nonprofit bought the diked bayland properties on Thursday, following through on a purchase agreement it signed last year. The group worked in partnership with Marin Baylands Advocates on the acquisition. **RELATED: Palo Alto group buys Coyote Valley farmland in San Jose for $5.3 million** “We’re thrilled to be able to do this,” said Barbara Salzman, president of the Marin Audubon Society. “It’s just a wonderful opportunity, and it really is on the Marin side, the last piece to make a continuous boundary of wetlands all along the Petaluma River and the land between the river and marshes.” The California Coastal Conservancy voted unanimously in February to award the nonprofit $2 million from the 2024 Climate Bond for the land purchase. The acquisition also was supported by a $1.4 million bequest from Marin Audubon Society supporter Maureen Groper. The diked parcels are on the east side of Highway 101. They are separated by Pinkston Slough. The Leveroni family has maintained the land for cattle grazing and hay production for decades. “I really give Marin Audubon and the State Coastal Conservancy credit for making sure the deal stayed on track,” said Rob Schepergerdes, the real estate agent for the Leveroni family. “The Leveroni family are pleased, and we’re all thrilled that the property was acquired by Marin Audubon for preservation.” One property comprises 153 acres east of the Gnoss Field airport and is bordered by state-owned diked baylands to the north. It abuts the Petaluma Marsh, the largest tidal marsh in the state that has never been diked. The other property comprises more than 170 acres south of the airport and north of the Rush Creek Preserve and the Cemetery Marsh. The southern property connects to the western border of the Bahia tidal marsh, which was restored by the Marin Audubon Society more than a decade ago. The organization initially purchased the 635-acre Bahia property in 2003 for $15.8 million from a Sonoma County developer who had planned to construct homes on the site. The nonprofit transferred ownership of the upland hills to Marin County Open Space District. The nonprofit restored tidal marsh on about 352 acres in two phases in 2008 and in 2013. Most of the tidal marsh was transferred to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The Marin Audubon Society retained ownership of 61 acres of seasonal wetlands and has been maintaining the site since. “We started over 20 years ago trying to preserve the baylands in this area that needed to be protected,” Salzman said. “They were all in private ownership, and we’ve done a pretty good job.” The restoration project itself is a few years away. It will take some time to select a contractor and to get community comments and design the project. It also will require extensive fundraising, Salzman said. The plan likely would involve introducing setback levees with ecotone slopes that not only would support native plants and endangered species, but provide flood protection for the airport and Binford Road. The restoration would create habitat for the endangered Ridgway’s rail and California black rail and foraging habitat for San Pablo song sparrows and salt marsh yellowthroats, among other species. Another hurdle is that the property is protected by the Williamson Act, a state law. The designation was done voluntarily by the prior owners to restrict the land for agricultural uses in exchange for reduced property taxes. Salzman said the group needs to request that designation to be removed. An application would need to be submitted to the county government. So far, the county has supported the endeavor. Marin County Supervisor Eric Lucan wrote a letter to the California State Coastal Conservancy backing Marin Audubon Society in its acquisition of the land. “This acquisition represents an important investment in the long-term health of Marin’s shoreline and baylands,” Lucan said. “I am grateful to Marin Audubon Society, the State Coastal Conservancy, and all the partners who helped make this conservation effort possible, ensuring this public benefit for generations to come.” The Marin Audubon Society was formed in 1956.