Rockville Trails Preserve Gets a New Name:

Patwino Worrtla Kodoi Dihi Open Space Park

The Solano Land Trust is continuing its work on the master plan for the space that will become Patwino Worrtla Kodoi Dihi Open Space Park.  All that remains to be completed are a permanent parking lot, restrooms, several new trails, and a new intersection on Rockville Road.

Long the summer hunting grounds of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, the name means Southern Rock Home of the Patwin People. The tribe proffered this name as tribal members and their ancestors have hunted, lived on and traversed the park land for over a century.

A bit of history:  In the mid-1970s, The White Wing development project was planned in this northeast corner of Green Valley. The project was to include 750 homes, three 9-hole golf courses, an upscale clubhouse and restaurant, and a 12-room inn. Green Valley residents objected to the development for many years. A major cause of concern was the lack of a water source and potential adverse effects on the wells of adjacent property owners; these issues were both raised in the EIR for the property.  Ongoing discussions about this project continued for almost a decade.

In the mid-2000's, a smaller residential development, Rockville Trails Estates, was reborn. This revised development and its EIR were approved by the County Board of Supervisors – setting the stage for development to begin.

However, on the grounds the revised EIR was incomplete and inaccurate, GVLA and the Sierra Club initiated a lawsuit against Solano County and the developer in 2006.  The impact of the lawsuit and 2008 recession, which slowed housing market demand, created a stalemate for the development team. This hiatus spurred then GVLA leadership into action and discussions for purchase were initiated with the developer's representative. From these negotiations a price for purchasing the undeveloped land on the “hillside” was reached.

Subsequently, the Solano Land Trust obtained a series of grants, donations, and a loan to buy the 1500-acre property for $13.5 million. GVLA members were significant donors in this fundraising effort along with the California Coastal Conservancy and the State Wildlife Conservation Board. The transaction was completed in 2012 and park development began.

Solano Land Trust protects over 22,000 acres of natural areas and agricultural lands across Solano County. Many offer public activities and events and there are frequent docent-led hikes and educational sessions at Jepson Prairie Preserve, King-Swett Ranches, Lynch Canyon, Rush Ranch and Patwino Worrtla Kodoi Dihi Open Space Park (Rockville Trails Preserve). For additional information about the park or the docent tours visit the website of the Solano Land Trust at https://solanolandtrust.org.