$3 million awarded for Forest Legacy project north of Zion National Park
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded $3 million for a Forest Legacy project in Washington County during its latest round of funding.
Dubbed the 'Zion Connectivity Project' due to its proximity to Zion National Park, the project aims to preserve forested areas from potential fragmentation or development through conservation easements.
According to the USDA website, a conservation easement 'allows the land to remain in private ownership while ensuring that its environmental values are retained.'
Natalie Conlin, the Forest Legacy program manager for the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, said the location of the project, combined with its wildlife assets and numerous springs, garnered strong support.
The Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands will use the funding to purchase conservation easements in two properties totaling 766 acres. Landowners receive economic compensation to keep their forests as forests.
'Thanks to the efforts of these private landowners and The Conservation Fund, protecting this important forested area was recognized as a priority to the national program,' Conlin said.
The land in the Zion Connectivity Project is home to California condors — the largest land bird in North America. After becoming extinct in the wild in 1987, the condors were placed in a captive breeding program and later reintroduced, reaching a total population of over 500 today, both captive and free-flying across the different location. The presence of the California condor in southern Utah makes this area a critical habitat for its preservation.
Additionally, the project contains 4 miles of streams, including a half-mile segment of the La Verkin Creek, a tributary to the Virgin River, which was designated as a National Wild and Scenic River in 2009.
La Verkin Creek provides direct benefits to six native fish species, including the federally endangered Virgin River chub and woundfin, as well as the state-listed Virgin spinedace and flannelmouth sucker. As part of the Upper Virgin watershed, preserving this area ensures wildlife will continue to have access to these stream flows and ponds during their migration from lower desert elevations.
Both conservation easements are crucial for the local wildlife habitat. The project site links nearby big game migration corridors, offering summer range for deer and elk, and provides year-round habitat for black bears and dusky grouse.
The project area includes old-growth ponderosa pines that are unique to this region. These ancient trees offer food and nesting cover for wildlife and possess resistance to wildfires.
Alongside two other Forest Legacy projects (Zion Overlook and Viewtop) and protected lands La Verkin and Taylor Creek BLM Wilderness Area, the Zion Connectivity Project will form a 1,752-acre link of protected lands north of Zion National Park.
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