Two state natural reserves in Northern California will grow in size after a Bay Area nonprofit acquired forest land adjacent to the reserves.
Save the Redwoods League announced Thursday morning that it acquired 750 acres of forest land in Sonoma and Mendocino counties, all of which will be leased or transferred to California State Parks to be protected indefinitely.
Founded in 1918 and based in San Francisco, Save the Redwoods League is dedicated to protecting and restoring redwood forests. Since its inception, the League has protected over 220,000 acres of forest, all of which are now national, state or local park or reserve lands.
In Sonoma County, the League acquired 360 acres of land to expand Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve north of Guerneville.
Armstrong Redwoods houses some of the largest and tallest coast redwood trees in the world, according to California State Parks, which manages the reserve.
The acquired property was purchased from the former owners for $1.98 million, the League said.
Known as the Ayers property, the site has many coast redwoods, including 23 acres of old-growth trees that escaped the commercial logging that dominated the area in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
In addition to redwood trees, the Ayers property has black-tailed deer, mountain lions and northern spotted owls, said the League.
The Ayers property will be leased to California State Parks until the agency can officially acquire the property to expand the reserve.
The Ayers property near Armstrong Redwoods State Nature Reserve in Sonoma County, Calif. on April 23, 2024. The Ayers property was acquired by the Save the Redwoods League in Oct. 2024. (Vivien Chen via Save the Redwoods League via Bay City News)
The second piece of land is in Mendocino County on the western side of Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve.
Located west of Ukiah, the reserve started with 9 acres donated by landowner Robert Orr. It was eventually expanded with land acquired by Save the Redwood League. Today, it comprises over 2,700 acres of protected forest land.
The reserve will soon grow to over 3,100 acres after the League acquired 390 acres of land called Dark Gulch. The League paid $1.5 million to buy the property from Mendocino Redwood Company.
Dark Gulch is a heavily forested area with myriad plant diversity including young coast redwoods, tanoak, manzanita, huckleberry, Douglas fir and California hazelnut.
A threatened plant species, the white flowered rein orchid, and endangered northern spotted owls and foothill yellow-legged frogs are also found on the property.
“Collaborating with Save the Redwoods League to preserve the last remaining stands of big trees and expand these parks is not just conservation; it’s preserving living history.”
Bill Maslach, California State Parks
According to the League, Dark Gulch will be transferred to California State Parks to expand the reserve.
This is the second land acquisition in 2024 to expand the reserve, the League said. It acquired the 80-acre Rocky Ridge property in March.
Bill Maslach, Sonoma-Mendocino Coast district superintendent for California State Parks praised the acquisitions and partnership with the League, “Collaborating with Save the Redwoods League to preserve the last remaining stands of big trees and expand these parks is not just conservation; it’s preserving living history. Now, we must focus on the surrounding forests to ensure they are resilient to fire, securing their legacy for future generations.”
The post Bay Area nonprofit acquires 750 acres of land to expand 2 state natural reserves appeared first on Local News Matters.