Protecting Land, Water, and Wild Places
About Candice Bell
I am a conservation land consultant working at the intersection of land, water, ecology, and real estate. I partner with nonprofits, private landowners, and public agencies to help protect some of California’s most vital landscapes. My focus is on the protection of rivers, watersheds, and estuaries, and ecosystems essential to species recovery, instream flow, groundwater recharge, and wildlife connectivity.
Through strategic land acquisitions, I help secure the future of threatened habitats while advancing sustainable land stewardship with organizations and land owners. I specialize in identifying best practices for soil health, water quality, habitat restoration, and public access, and I work closely with clients to align decisions with long term ecological goals.
What I Do
As the founder of Source Conservation, I bring both strategic expertise and soulful intention to every project. I specialize in guiding conservation acquisitions that protect high priority lands and waters, support habitat restoration, and ensure long term ecological stewardship.
Whether I’m shaping a conservation vision, navigating due diligence, or building collaborative partnerships, I approach this work with professionalism, care, and integrity, supported by a trusted network of specialists tailored to each project.
I hold a California real estate broker’s license with extensive experience in complex land transactions, commercial real estate, construction, and property management. I currently focus exclusively on conservation real estate, guiding projects that protect natural systems and support long-term ecological resilience.
I bring both practical experience and strategic insight to every project, and my work is rooted in integrity, professionalism, and a deep respect for the land.
My enduring love for California’s rivers and wild coastal places fuels my advocacy for healthy ecosystems and equitable access to nature. Whether navigating land deals or supporting habitat restoration with partners, I’m committed to protecting the ecological gifts that sustain us, and to contributing to a future where clean water and wild places are abundant.
I currently serve on the board of the Carrizo Plain Conservancy in San Luis Obispo County and support the land program to help preserve one of California’s most unique and expansive native landscapes through land acquisitions and other projects.
Land, Justice, and Responsibility
I approach conservation with deep respect for the ecological systems that sustain life, and an awareness of the social and historical contexts that shape our relationship to land. I believe that true stewardship includes acknowledging the harms of the past, working toward equity in the present, and honoring the Indigenous peoples whose lands we live and work on today.
I strive to partner with organizations and communities committed to environmental justice, equitable access to nature, and long-term care for land and water. I support efforts to expand access to funding, ownership, and decision making for historically excluded communities.
I also want to acknowledge that the work of conservation takes place on lands that were, and are, home to Indigenous peoples. Many of the landscapes I help protect are unceded ancestral territories, and I carry a responsibility to honor that truth. This includes listening to tribal voices, supporting tribal-led conservation efforts, and advocating for land rematriation and co-management where appropriate.
I set my personal biases aside to meet each client and landowner with respect, and am guided by values of integrity, humility, and care for people, land, and water.