The John M Nelson Conservancy emerged due to the breakup of the Camp Nelson Resort properties in 1985. During the confusion over who would own the resort, a group of concerned people formed the John M Nelson Conservancy, a California non-profit public benefit corporation. The aim of the Conservancy was to acquire the six and a half acre meadow. After jumping through several legal hoops and raising $85,000 in donations from some very generous people, the meadow was acquired in December of 1997.