The District currently covers nearly 2.1 million acres of the county, including agricultural and range lands, unincorporated towns, state and federal lands and open-space. Monterey County boasts one of the richest agricultural producing regions in the world, supporting a diversity of crops include leaf and head lettuce, spring mix, broccoli and other cole crops, strawberries, nursery products, wine grapes, spinach, celery, brussel sprouts, artichokes. 

Agricultural production in Monterey County has surpassed $3.4 billion annually. The Salinas River occupies the largest watershed draining to Monterey Bay, covering approximately 4,600 square miles and including 200,000 acres of irrigated agriculture. This intensively farmed region along 100 miles of the Salinas River is the cornerstone of the local economy. 

In addition to its rich agriculture, Monterey County is home to a range of natural habitats and species.  The watersheds of Monterey County drain into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the largest marine protected area in the United States. The Sanctuary encompasses over 5000 square miles of water off California’s Central Coast, spanning from Marin to Cambria. The Sanctuary boasts the greatest biodiversity in temperate regions of the world and is home to numerous plant and animal species, including 33 species of marine mammals and 345 species of fish. Located at the center of the Monterey Bay coastline, the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve harbors the largest tract of tidal salt march in California, outside the San Francisco Bay. This ecological treasure provides habitat for plants, animals, and more than 340 species of birds, and is a major fish nursery for the region.