ABOUT THE PRESERVE
Given its location along the Grand Canyon of the Eel river, where the National Wild and Scenic Eel River carves its way through a deep and wild gorge, the Preserve provides a strategic access point to the envisioned 320-mile Great Redwood Trail along the former line of the Northwestern Pacific Railroad and the River itself.
The Eel River Canyon Preserve protects over 18 miles of river frontage, including 3 miles along the North Fork of the Eel River and its confluence with the main stem. Purchased during World War II by Dean Witter, the Witter family diligently cared for the land for over 80 years, leaving a legacy of protection, which will continue under Wildlands’ stewardship.
The diverse forests on the property include buckeye, big leaf maple, ponderosa pine, Pacific yew, Oregon white oak, Douglas fir, and madrone, which sequester tens of thousands of metric tonnes of carbon dioxide and are habitat for wildlife like the Pacific Fisher and ringtail cat. Freshwater creeks provide habitat for steelhead trout and salmon, while the perennial wetlands and vernal pools that dot the property provide habitat for foothill yellow-legged frogs and Pacific pond turtles. The rolling ridgelines produce spectacular wildflower displays and are excellent foraging areas for a variety of raptors including Northern Goshawk. Two herds of Roosevelt elk roam the property, the most southwesterly extent of their range.
FUTURE PUBLIC ACCESS
Over the next year, The Wildlands Conservancy will plan and fundraise for a ranger station, a group campground, and updates to the Witter Lodge to safely host free public access, while completing planning for ecological restoration projects to better protect wetlands and heal logged forests.
The Preserve’s well-maintained roads will provide the initial trail system, while the preserve itself will anchor and provide access to the Great Redwood Trail.
Partnerships for outdoor education, conservation projects, and cultural resource management are being formed to foster access to the Preserve from diverse communities.
THE ACQUISITION
The first phase of the acquisition was of the White Ranch, now our Emerald Waters Reserve, in late 2019, which secured a two-year window for The Wildlands Conservancy to raise $25 million dollars for the purchase of the crown jewel of the Grand Canyon of the Eel River—the 26,600-acre Dean Witter’s Lone Pine Ranch.
During the second phase, The Wildlands Conservancy was able to raise $18 million via the California State Coastal Conservancy, Wildlife Conservation Board, and Center for Biological Diversity inside the two-year window, leaving a funding shortfall of nearly $7.5 million when the option expired in October 2021. California Senator Mike McGuire, a resolute champion for the Eel River, was critical in helping to secure this support.
CONSERVATION OUTCOMES
The Eel River Canyon Preserve is among the largest contiguous pieces of land left under a single ownership in Northern California. Except for a few committed ranching families, much of the surrounding lands are being carved up for cannabis production. Preventing the parceling of these large ranches is important for wildlife corridors and landscape linkages for the region’s robust wildlife.
Ecological restoration and forest health initiatives will protect water resources and increase species resilience under a changing climate. The implementation of shaded fuel breaks along key ridgelines on the Preserve will protect tens of thousands of metric tonnes of carbon sequestered in mixed forests from wildfire.
Public access to the Eel River and Great Redwood Trail will inspire a new generation of supporters and advocates for the river, its biological diversity, and its scenic beauty.
