Story update [here].

Now go do that voodoo that you do so well: Hedley Lamarr (Harvey Korman) rallies the troops at Vasquez Rocks in Mel Brooks’ “Blazing Saddles” (1974)

County supervisors are scheduled Tuesday to consider asking the state for land conservation money to expand the Vasquez Rocks Natural Area in Agua Dulce.

The staff proposal is one of several such requests from the county Department of Parks and Recreation, one of which would add new youth programs at Castaic Lake.

Targeted for acquisition in Agua Dulce are 31 acres of land at 32820 Deerglen Lane, east of the current Vasquez Rocks park boundary. Known as the Boyle property, county assessor records show the land is owned by Iving H. Blank and Ronaye Boyle. A 2,625-square-foot, 3-bedroom home built in 1964 sits on the property.

The land would be added to the current park and used for preservation and public nature education.

The proposal calls for the county to apply for $200,000 from the state’s Habitat Conservation Fund program, which is funded by the California Wildlife Protection Act of 1990 – aka Proposition 117.

The county’s total purchase price for the property is $679,000. (The current owners purchased it in 2003 for $695,000.) If the county is successful in its bid for the $200,000, the county would make up the $479,000 difference with Proposition A park bond funds.

Also Tuesday, Supervisors will consider requesting money from the same state fund to pay for overnight youth activities at the Castaic Lake State Recreation Area.

The activities would include fishing, astronomy, animal presentations, night and day hiking, birding, outdoor cooking, entomology, camping and next-day kayaking.

Similar programs would also be offered at the Kenneth Hahn, Santa Fe Dam and Whittier Narrows recreation areas at a combined cost of $120,000 – half from the state grant and half through an in-kind match.