Next Friday, the United States Court for the Northern District of California will issue a pivotal update on the lawsuit that could determine the future of the 21 ranches and dairies in the Point Reyes National Seashore. The Oct. 18 session, presided over by Judge Maxine M. Chesney, will be accessible to the public by Zoom at 10:30 a.m. The suit, filed by the Resource Renewal Institute, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Western Watersheds Project, is part of a protracted legal battle that began in 2016, when the groups sued over ranching on Point Reyes. Their first case argued that by allowing ranching within the seashore, the park service had neglected its core conservation responsibilities. That lawsuit culminated in a settlement mandating an environmental impact statement and revisions to the seashore’s outdated general management plan. After a four-year public review process, the park service approved an updated management plan in 2021, authorizing 20-year lease extensions for ranchers. But shortly after the plan’s approval, the same groups filed another lawsuit, challenging the revised terms. In the wake of the latest legal action, ranchers, initially expecting long-term leases, were given two-year agreements to cover them through the settlement talks. Following a brief extension, these leases are now set to expire next Friday. The Nature Conservancy entered the confidential talks in 2022, joining the environmental advocates, park service officials and the ranchers, who intervened. These negotiations have continued behind closed doors for nearly three years, but the parties could announce a resolution at the upcoming session. To join the webinar, visit https://cand-uscourts.zoomgov.com/j/1606261089?pwd=Q3k3SEx5WC9BSm1FSWswOWM4bnB3Zz09. The webinar ID is 160 626 1089 and the password is 091644.