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For Immediate Release
Tuesday, September 28, 2004 Contact: Paul Hardy 530-283-5758 The Feather River Land Trust and Nature
Conservancy Partner to Protect Heart K Ranch in Genesee Valley
The Quincy-based Feather River Land Trust announced today that it partnered with The Nature Conservancy, an international conservation organization, to help acquire the 960-acre Heart K Ranch in Plumas County on September 8th. The Heart K Ranch includes approximately 880 acres in Genesee Valley and the 80-acre Taylor Lake Property. The Nature Conservancy purchased the property, which was christened the Heart K Ranch by its long-time previous owner, Kathleen Garr, from John Reininghaus of Anacordes, Washington. The Land Trust worked closely with the Conservancy on the acquisition and stated its intention to work with the Conservancy to develop a plan for the management and restoration of the property. The property is currently being leased to a local rancher for cattle grazing. The Heart K Ranch contains important wildlife habitat, spectacular scenery, and Maidu cultural sites, and extends nearly three miles along Indian Creek, just below its confluence with Last Chance Creek and Red Clover Creek. Riparian habitat along the creek supports a diversity of breeding migratory birds. The ranch also provides important wintering and breeding habitat for the Sloat mule deer herd, and is home to river otters, black bear, beaver, mountain lions, golden eagles, willow flycatchers, osprey, and a host of other wildlife species. The ranch falls within the "Genesee Valley Scenic Area" as defined in the Plumas County General Plan. Taylor Lake, one of three sacred Mountain Maidu lakes at 6,803 feet in elevation, is an inholding in Plumas National Forest and is one of the few natural lakes in the Indian Creek watershed. Paul Hardy, executive director of the Feather River Land Trust, stated, "The Heart K Ranch is a very special place to the people of Plumas County and Genesee Valley. The property contains a rare combination of key wildlife habitat, Maidu cultural sites, quality agricultural land, and amazing scenery: many of the publicly-important resources that the Land Trust was formed to protect. We are excited that the character of the ranch will be protected for generations to come." The Conservancy's northern Sierra project director, Greg Low, stated that a variety of options for long-term ownership and management of the property will be explored, in consultation with the Land Trust. The Conservancy and Land Trust will be pursuing funds from varied sources to cover the purchase costs of the ranch, as well as the restoration of the stream and wildlife habitat. "We are delighted to join forces with the Feather River Land Trust to conserve this critically important habitat in the northern Sierra," Low stated. He said an announcement of long-term plans for the ranch will be made at a later date. The Feather River Land Trust and The Nature Conservancy worked together for nearly four years to protect the ranch. The original ranch had recently been divided and parcels were actively being sold. Hardy stated, "We are very grateful to The Nature Conservancy for their leadership role in this effort. Time was running short, and the acquisition simply wouldn't have happened without the Conservancy's perseverance, funding, and hard work. We'd also like to thank the members of the Feather River Land Trust, and especially the residents of Genesee Valley, for their unwavering support. It seems that whenever we started to think that it was too late to protect the Heart K, someone would call, offer encouragement, and remind us that some places are too special to ever give up on." The Nature Conservancy's mission is to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth, by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. Since 1951 the organization has conserved over 14 million acres in the United States. The Feather River Land Trust, whose mission is to conserve, restore and manage land in the Feather River region in cooperation with willing landowners for the benefit of current and future generations, has now helped protect seven properties, totaling nearly 18,000 acres, in the Feather River region. In addition to The Nature Conservancy, organizational partners have included the California Rangeland Trust and the Sierra Business Council. The Land Trust, which was formed in 2000 by a board of local citizens, is supported by a membership of more than 650 local residents and property owners. back to Press Room |
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