In 1999, Metallica's James Hetfield bought a 1,150-acre Marin ranch, then gave up development rights. 19 years later, 1,000 acres were protected as working agricultural land forever

For Hetfield and his family, the decision was also presented as a way to maintain agriculture and the scenic character of the ranch. In a statement reported by KQED and CBS San Francisco, the Hetfields said they viewed the arrangement as a community benefit and wanted agriculture to remain on the ranch for a very long time.