Salt Lake City — The USDA has announced that Utah will receive $2.75 million in Forest Legacy funding to preserve 379 acres of land in Kane County bordering Zion National Park. The funding is part of a larger announcement made by the USDA last week. The money for this round comes from the Inflation Reduction Act.
“The Division commends the private landowners and their partnership with The Conservation Fund in prioritizing the protection of these forests in this stunning viewshed of Zion National Park. The benefits to the recreating public are outstanding, and the protection of critical habitat for the endangered California Condor is nationally significant,” said Natalie Conlin, the Forest Legacy Coordinator for the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands.
This round of funding is meant to strengthen the financial incentives for private forest landowners to manage their forests sustainably and permanently conserve private forests in partnership with their respective states.
Through the Forest Legacy Program, nearly $125 million will be spent conserving 105,000 acres of forestlands in 10 states in this third round of awards through IRA in 2024.
Utah’s Forest Legacy Program is designed to protect and manage, for future generations, environmentally important forest areas threatened by conversion to non-forest uses, such as development and subdivision. Conservation easements are used to achieve this goal. Using a conservation easement, a legal agreement between a willing-seller landowner and the state, allows the land to remain in private ownership while ensuring that its environmental values are retained. Instead of making a costly outright purchase of forest land, conservation easements limit development rights. This ensures that the land will remain in forest cover while private landowners continue to own, manage and use their lands and natural resources.
Both of the properties chosen in Utah will preserve public hiking and biking trails running through the properties and connecting to over 86 miles of trails linking to Zion National Park and the planned visitor center at the east entrance.
Zion Cave Canyon, Kane County, UT – $1,250,000
This 177-acre conservation easement is located on the eastern border of Zion National Park, adjacent to Bureau of Land Management lands and the Zion Clear Creek Canyon tract. Preserving the tract will secure 1.1 miles of public hiking and mountain biking trails and a segment of Cave Creek.
Zion Clear Creek Canyon, Kane County, UT – $1,500,000
This 202-acre conservation easement is located on the eastern border of Zion National Park, adjacent to the Zion Cave Canyon tract. The project will secure permanent access to 3.5 miles of public hiking and mountain biking trails along with a segment of Clear Creek.
Both creeks on their respective properties flow into the national park and link to the Virgin and Colorado Rivers, which support millions of people and sensitive species downstream. Both properties include critical habitat for the federally endangered California condor, the federally threatened Mexican spotted owl, and mule deer migration corridors.
Forest Legacy is one of two state programs that assist private forest landowners. Landowners interested in learning more or working with the Forest Legacy program are encouraged to visit ffsl.utah.gov.
