Conservation Wins YOU Made Happen!
Did you hear the good news? In 2019, Bear Yuba Land Trust scored these significant conservation victories because of your support and advocacy!
Bear Yuba Land Trust introduced our Forever Farms program which was born out of a Land for Farms workgroup established with members from BYLT, Sierra Harvest, Nevada County Grown and engaged citizens. The goal of this program is to provide access to affordable land for farmers through permanent protection and long term leases.
The problem we are addressing is a huge threat to the sustainability of our community. Farmers are unable to afford to purchase land due to high land values in our region. Through a “Buy, Protect, Lease and Sell” model, BYLT can work with willing landowners to protect our most vital farmlands and Sierra Harvest can help match the farmers with the land. To date, we have protected over 4,000 acres of land that will remain as Forever Farms, where sustainable agricultural production can continue in perpetuity and where abundant water, wildlife and food can exist together.
Soon you will see Forever Farm signs (like the one pictured above) in the fields and along roadsides of these important lands as a proud display of partnerships between willing landowners and BYLT. Together, we are committed to conserving these lands forever.
NEW LANDS PROTECTED372 Additional Acres Protected! BYLT completed conservation easement transactions at:
Deer Creek Forest Reserve – 331 acres
Located on Banner Mountain, Deer Creek Reserve is now a working forest conservation easement which will be protected to reduce fire risk and enhance wildlife habitat forever. We have also received a trail easement along the Cascade Canal and D-S Canal that wind through this property – further securing the public’s access to these important trails.
White Rock Lake – 41 acres
Our highest elevation property sits near 8,000 feet just below Mount Lola in the South Yuba headwaters. This conservation easement ensures the land around White Rock Lake is never developed and that the public uses, such as camping and hiking, are forever protected.
NEW TRAILS
This summer we completed nearly 5 miles of new trails at the newly opened Rice’s Crossing North PreservePreserve. These include the Trabucco Trail and Yuba Drop Trail. You can explore this rugged river canyon today from the Yuba Rim Trailhead located just across Bullard’s Bar Dam in Yuba County. Here you will find captivating views and adventures for all user types.
In addition, the Nisenan Loop Trail, Snowdrop Trail and Wildflower Loop Trail at Rice’s Crossing South Preserve were constructed with new interpretative signs placed near the trailhead for visitors to learn more about the history of this land, including cultural heritage information about the Nisenan who have lived on these lands for thousands of years. Rice’s Cross South Preserve will be fully opened in 2020.
In October the much anticipated Wolf Creek Trail opened in Grass Valley with portions of the trail constructed by BYLT Staff and volunteers.
We also broke ground on the new Sugarloaf Mountain Trail in Nevada City and launched a campaign for enhancements to our first ever trail – Litton Trail. In early 2019, the City of Grass Valley committed $30,000 in matching funds to go towards improvements, including repaving the section from Sierra College Drive to Hughes Road. Our fundraising efforts will continue into Spring 2020. To date, with support from local businesses such as BriarPatch Food Co-op and over 100 individual donations, BYLT is just $16,000 away from meeting our goal of $60,000.
BYLT’s trail program continues to thrive thanks to the generous support of volunteers, trail users and members with over 45 miles of public trails that are enjoyed by thousands of locals and visitors annually.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
This year, BYLT partnered with local elementary and high schools to offer four BioBlitz field trips on our nature preserves in an effort to get more students outside and exploring the natural world. 120 scholarships were granted to students, made possible by the generous contributions of community members who attended BYLT’s 2018 Open Spaces, Wild Places gala.
The annual Celebration of Trails Hike-a-Thon saw a record number of hikers this year! Hikers of all ages and levels hiked 5 miles along the future Pines-to-Mines Trail off HWY 20, raising $4,000 for new trails and the maintenance of existing ones.
RECOGNIZED LEADERSHIP
The Wildlife Conservation Board awarded $226,000 in funding to support wetland restoration at Garden Bar Preserve on the Bear River. This will fund our much anticipated Beaver Dam Analog project and greatly enhance wildlife habitat. Additionally, BYLT was recognized by the Department of Conservation and national Land Trust Alliance for our strategic vision and planning efforts, receiving $92,500 in funding for technical assistance and support.
In 2019, your donations made this all possible!
Make a commitment to save the open spaces and wild places you love!
DONATE TODAY!
