Funding and implementing land-conservation projects in California are vital to the long-term protection of precious natural resources, such as timber and water. Projects like Pacific Forest Trust’s recent acquisition of nearly 11,000 acres in the upper Trinity River watershed will not only conserve lush forestlands in the headwaters of the Central Valley Project, but also protect some of the most biodiverse land on the planet.
“This project will improve fire resilience, restore and protect critical water resources, improve and protect habitat for a multitude of plant and wildlife species, and improve overall habitat connectivity in a region of global ecological significance,” said Ryan Henson, senior policy director of CalWild.
Acquisition protects incredible forests, unique wildlife
Through the Conserving the Trinity Headwaters for Watershed & Community Benefit project, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) awarded $1.4 million to the Pacific Forest Trust. Combined with funding from the Wildlife Conservation Board, a federal grant, and an investment by the original owners, Acer Klamath Forests, the Pacific Forest Trust was able to acquire 10,600 acres of forestland in the upper Trinity River watershed.
This new purchase will help protect biodiversity, wildlife habitat, watershed health, and carbon stores, as well as aid in climate and fire resilience in an area known for its incredible forests, unique wildlife, and abundance of water.
“Conserving this property helps reweave whole, conserved landscapes in the globally biodiverse hotspot that is the Klamath-Cascade region,” said Laurie Wayburn, co-founder and president of the Pacific Forest Trust.
Under a conservation easement held by the Pacific Forest Trust, the Watershed Research and Training Center will own and manage the property. A nonprofit located in Trinity County, the Center has laid out a 10-year management plan that outlines the approach it will take to promote and support climate resilience, habitat restoration, mitigate extreme wildfire risks, create recreational and education opportunities, and generate sustainable jobs in an economically disadvantaged region.
“We’re excited for the opportunity to demonstrate what exemplary community-based land stewardship can accomplish for climate resilience, water resources, wildlife, and people: all guided by an innovative working forest conservation easement managed by our partners at Pacific Forest Trust,” said Watershed Research and Training Center Executive Director, Nick Goulette.
This region includes an abundance of mature forest stands, rivers, creeks, wet meadows, springs, and riparian corridors. The newly conserved land comprises 10 percent of the upper Trinity River headwaters, which provides habitat for more than 230 species, many of which are imperiled.
“The abundant water and eleven different habitats of the property support an estimated 232 species, including 41 that are rare or threatened, such as the Pacific marten, fisher, California wolverine, Cascades frog, and the Sierra Nevada red fox,” Wayburn said.
Preservation helps keep vital Central Valley Project water flowing
The water from this area is also critical to the state of California, as the flows feed the Central Valley Project, which has been called the state’s “lifeblood.” As Wayburn pointed out, this region “provides irrigation water to millions of acres of farmland, as well as drinking water to cities as far away as San Diego.”
Extending roughly 400 miles through the center of California, the Central Valley Project is a series of reservoirs, canals, and rivers that supplies water to both agricultural land and municipalities throughout the state. The water that feeds this critical system starts its journey in northern California in the upper Trinity and Sacramento River watersheds.
“For the state of California, the Trinity River represents one of its most important water resources. Trinity Lake is California’s third largest reservoir,” added Goulette. “Vital salmon and steelhead runs support downstream communities and tribes, agriculture districts and municipalities rely on clean and reliable water delivered via the Central Valley Project and clean hydropower from Trinity’s generating capacity. Our stewardship of the headwaters will bolster resilience for all of these beneficiaries.”
Located adjacent to national forests and other protected areas, the latest acquisition will not only help protect vital water supplies, but also help weave together additional private and public lands, critical for wildlife to thrive in the face of climate change.
“As climate is changing, wildlife on the move are finding themselves challenged by fragmentation. The Trinity Headwaters project will create a very large contiguous block of protected land that provides essential habitat connectivity,” added Cyndie Childress, tribal secretary for the Nor Rel Muk Wintu Nation.
There are so many benefits to the protection of forests and watersheds throughout the state. The Pacific Forest Trust’s conservation of nearly 11,000 acres of some of the most biodiverse forestlands on the planet—and a complementary multi-year plan to manage the landscape for climate adaptation, biodiversity protection, and wildfire resilience—provides incredible value for all Californians.