A landmark conservation agreement in California’s Napa Valley will permanently protect much of the sprawling landscape surrounding the di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art, while potentially providing the institution with up to $1.85 million to support its cultural mission.
Announced on August 25 by the Land Trust of Napa County, the agreement brings together the di Rosa Center and the Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District to preserve 162 acres of the centre’s 217-acre property in the Carneros region. The deal effectively places nearly 75% of the estate beyond future private development.
The protected landscape includes Milliken Peak, a 732-foot summit offering sweeping views across Carneros, along with watershed areas, wildlife habitat and hillsides surrounding the centre’s cultural campus.
The agreement is particularly significant for di Rosa, whose identity has long been shaped by the relationship between art and nature. The centre describes its property as a 217-acre destination featuring galleries, a lake, walking trails and outdoor sculptures. Preserving the surrounding landscape as public open space will help safeguard the setting that has defined the institution for decades.
What happens to the remaining land?
The agreement does not mean di Rosa is abandoning its Napa operation. The centre will retain ownership and continue its programming on approximately 53.5 acres that make up its main cultural campus, including galleries and facilities used for exhibitions and public programmes.
The Land Trust of Napa County will hold a permanent conservation easement over the 162 protected acres, while the Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District is expected to take ownership of and manage the future public parkland.
The financial arrangement could also provide an important boost to di Rosa. The agreement guarantees an initial $500,000 allocation for the arts centre, while an additional $1.35 million could become available if voters approve Measure B in November. If approved, the total financial support linked to the deal could reach $1.85 million.
A trail to Milliken Peak
One of the most anticipated elements of the plan is the proposed creation of a roughly two-mile public trail leading to the summit of Milliken Peak. If completed, the trail would open a new hiking destination and provide visitors with access to panoramic views currently unavailable to the public.
Art will remain an important part of the landscape. di Rosa has long integrated large-scale sculptures into its grounds, including works in its Sculpture Meadow that stretches towards Milliken Peak. The centre also offers guided hikes that combine its art collection with the surrounding natural environment.
Under the future plans, additional large sculptures from the di Rosa collection could be installed along the new trail, extending the centre’s unique blend of art and nature into the protected landscape.
For now, the ridge remains temporarily closed as planning for the future park continues. di Rosa is expected to maintain its regular hiking programmes in the meantime.
Protecting more than a picturesque landscape
The conservation agreement goes beyond preserving a scenic Napa Valley ridgeline. According to the Land Trust, the property forms part of an important ecological corridor, and the conservation easement will help protect wildlife habitat and local watersheds.
The agreement also builds on a long history of conservation around di Rosa. The centre says its property has been protected through Napa County land-trust measures while continuing to operate as an important destination for contemporary art.
For Napa Valley, the agreement represents an unusual balance between conservation, public access and culture. If Measure B wins voter approval in November, the additional funding would give di Rosa more resources to sustain its artistic mission while the surrounding hillsides gradually transition into public open space.
In a region where development, environmental protection, culture and land use often compete for space, the di Rosa agreement offers a model in which all four can coexist across the same 217-acre estate.
