CONSERVANCY LEAVING NEWHALL PASS NATURAL.

Byline: Daily News

SANTA CLARITA - The gateway to the Santa Clarita Valley is an increasingly green one as the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy works to acquire open space land in the region.

Along the Golden State Freeway in the Newhall Pass, the agency has scooped up, or is in the process of obtaining, land that organizers say is key for wildlife habitat and park preservation.

Among the recent acquisitions and plans, the agency:

--Purchased 80 acres in the Newhall Pass off Coltrane Avenue in January.

--Received donations of several parcels totaling 30 acres that will be added to the Santa Clarita Woodlands Park.

--Is in the process of obtaining parcels in the Newhall Pass, south of East Canyon.

--Is continuing to work on acquiring Whitney Canyon.

``The main goal here is to make sure we preserve the critical areas for the wildlife corridor and the Santa Clarita Woodlands Park,'' said Rorie Skei, deputy director of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.

The wildlife corridor stretches from forest land to Malibu, providing a range of animals territory to roam. Mountain lions, mule deer, bobcats, coyotes and skunks are among the range of animals using the terrain, Skei said.

``This is part of the main north-south wildlife corridor,'' she said. ``That is a critical wildlife habitat linkage area. ... We're trying to secure and expand the protected land.''

The Woodlands Park is the area west of the Golden State Freeway, from Pico Canyon Road to the Newhall Pass.

The conservancy has secured funding for the land in East Canyon and is working to acquire the 500-acre Whitney Canyon for $2.5 million.