of lumber before it was bought by the college. It spans roughly 1,600 acres (6.5 km2). In addition to providing the resources necessary for the expansion of the campus in its early years, the forest has also served as a site for biological research and preservation, enclosing as it does unique species and biodiversity.
In 2018, PUC partnered with the Napa County Land Trust to preserve the forest as a conservation easement; the easement is currently held by CalFire. Covering 864 acres (3.50 km2), the easement protects about half of college's total property. It was valued at $7.1 million, much of it due to vineyard potential. Attempts in the past have been made to develop or sell the land, however; most notably, the college made plans to transform the area into an ecovillage in 2006, but it ultimately chose to cancel the project.
Still, with a network of hiking trails spanning 35 miles, the forest sees regular use. In 2019, the college partnered with Napa County's Open Space District to open its trail network …
