The Wildlands Conservancy and The Trust for Public Land Partner to Secure $3.2 Million for Land Conservation on the East Fork Scott River
Beaver Valley Headwaters Preserve. Photo by Landon Peppel.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 14, 2021
Public Funds create a 6,094-acre nature Preserve that highlights salmonid conservation efforts in the Scott River Valley.
Siskiyou County, Calif.― After months of combined efforts, The Wildlands Conservancy and The Trust for Public Land secured $3.2 million from The California Wildlife Conservation Board’s Streamflow Enhancement Program for the conservation of 6,094 acres in the Scott River Valley. The Beaver Valley Headwaters Preserve joins 21 other properties in the Conservancy’s system of California nature preserves.
The acquisition, which benefits regional efforts to protect the threatened Scott River coho salmon population, includes 2.5 miles of East Fork Scott River frontage, a winter blacktail deer migration corridor, conifer and oak woodland forests, and irrigated meadows.
“The Beaver Valley Headwaters Preserve is a testament to the active regional initiative for sustainable management of landscapes for environmental benefits, community values, fish and wildlife, and environmental education.” notes Landon Peppel, Resource Conservation Director for The Wildlands Conservancy.
Formerly the Hayden Ranch, the conservation acquisition of this multigeneration property includes opportunities for ecological enhancements, free public recreation, environmental education, management of livestock grazing, river and stream restoration, and most importantly streamflow benefits for fish and wildlife. While the Preserve is not currently open to public access, parties interested in access opportunities can contact The Wildlands Conservancy for more information. The Wildlands Conservancy has started the process of planning and outreach for the intended recreational uses in the coming months ahead, and as the steward of the land in perpetuity, looks forward to working closely with community partners in the Scott River Valley.
"The Trust for Public Land is proud to partner with The Wildlands Conservancy to protect this amazing habitat in the Scott River Valley,” said Guillermo Rodriguez California State Director with The Trust for Public Land. “Thanks to the early financing support from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, we were able to move quickly to acquire the Beaver Valley Headwaters Preserve that will provide protection and restoration of important spawning grounds for Coho and Chinook salmon, while also providing free public recreation access near the Pacific Crest Trail, Shasta-Trinity National Forest, and Trinity Alps Wilderness."
The Wildlands Conservancy is dedicated to preserving California’s most remarkable and important landscapes and opening them to the public free of charge. The Conservancy owns and stewards the largest nonprofit nature preserve system in the state. This system includes 22 preserves spanning 190,000 acres from San Diego County in the south to Siskiyou County in the north. To learn more about the Beaver Valley Headwaters Preserve, visit https://wildlandsconservancy.org or contact Landon Peppel, The Wildlands Conservancy’s Resource Conservation Director, at (661) 858-1115.
The Trust for Public Land creates parks and protects land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come. Millions of people live near a Trust for Public Land park, garden, or natural area, and millions more visit these sites every year. To support The Trust for Public Land and share why nature matters to you, visit www.tpl.org.