2023 Feather River conservation successes

As we look ahead to what 2024 will bring, we’re also looking back on all we were able to accomplish in 2023, thanks to our members, partners, and community supporters. You helped us protect and care for important lands and waters, restore fire-impacted lands, and connect people of all ages to nature and a love of the land. 

We invite you to reflect with us and celebrate all you helped make possible in 2023. 

Conserve: Protecting priority lands and waters…forever!

As we begin a new year, we’re celebrating an important milestone. FRLT has helped conserve over 100,000 acres of ecologically important lands to benefit water, wildlife, and people for generations to come.

Lake Almanor protected!

At the end of 2023,  in partnership with Pacific Gas and Electric Company, FRLT completed the conservation of Lake Almanor. The conservation easement held by FRLT permanently protects 29,057 acres of PGE-owned land at Lake Almanor—including the reservoir itself—from subdivision and detrimental land use changes. This marks the culmination of a 20-year effort with partners to conserve over 43,000 acres of PG&E-owned reservoirs and Maidu homelands in the North Fork Feather River region.  

Read more about this important milestone to conserve the largest reservoir in the Feather River region.

Protecting a wildlife corridor at the Middle Fork Feather River headwaters

You also helped us make significant progress on an exciting project with Sierra Nevada Journeys. We’re working with the outdoor camp to permanently conserve their property and adjacent lands with conservation easements, protecting a vital wildlife corridor at the headwaters of the Middle Fork Feather River.  

Protecting working lands that benefit us all

Your support has also helped FRLT continue partnering with private landowners across the watershed, from Sierra Valley to Mountain Meadows, to conserve biodiverse working landscapes that hold ecologically important meadows, wetlands, and forests.

Care for: stewarding lands for water, wildlife, and community

Your generous support enabled our Land Stewardship team to manage and enhance conserved lands and restore habitats impacted by the Dixie and Beckwourth Complex fires, including: 

• Managing our 5 public preserves across the watershed for water, wildlife habitat, sustainable agriculture, outdoor classrooms, and accessible recreation 
• Implementing year 2 of our 3-year Fire Recovery Initiative to mitigate immediate fire impacts, while developing long-term restoration and resiliency plans for conserved lands 
• Working with Plumas Audubon Society and our local community to mitigate fire damage at the Heart K Ranch, including felling dead trees, returning biomass to depleted soils, thinning understory, and dispersing firewood to community members in Genesee Valley 
• Monitoring conservation easements on 27 properties each year (nearly 35,000 acres) to ensure the conservation values of these lands are upheld. We also welcomed Roslyn Peters as FRLT’s new Conservation Easement Program Manager. 
• Piloting a seasonal Land Stewardship program with our new skilled local Resource Crew to tackle land management projects across the watershed 

Connect: restoring relationship to land and place 

This year, you helped us build community through events at our five nature preserves and connect people of all ages with nature, including: 

Creating a vibrant future at the Sierra Valley Preserve

• Raising the roof for our new Nature Center with a lot of help from our friends—from installing straw bale insulation, to plastering the walls, to weaving our willow shade panels, many loving hands are helping to build this beautiful center for ecological learning and connection
• Planning new trails and wildlife overlooks, beautiful interpretive signage, and indoor exhibits to deepen all of our connection to the beauty, cultural history, and biodiversity of Sierra Valley
• Welcoming Jenna Holland as FRLT’s Public Programs Manager. Jenna has launched a strategic plan for programs, volunteer opportunities, and events to engage our local community and visitors at the Preserve

Stay tuned for exciting opportunities to enjoy the Preserve! The new Nature Center is set to open in early summer 2024.

Events on the land

Engaging with our members and the public on the land through events at our preserves like a 23rd birthday ski and snowshoe at Olsen Barn Meadow, Let’s Go Birding Together with Plumas Audubon, Sierra Valley Art & Ag Trail, and our fall field day at Heart K Ranch

Learning Landscapes: Growing the next generation of earth’s stewards

• Connecting 2,500 school kids to nature through our K-12 Learning Landscapes program and outdoor classrooms across the watershed
• Completing a Learning Landscapes Program Audit, which revealed that prior to Covid annual visitations was nine per teacher, in 2022-2023 it had grown to 20 Learning Landscape visits per teacher/class
• Participating in the Youth Writing the Land Anthology collection with area poet Hayli Nicole, which resulted in the publication of a book of poetry featuring local student authors (available for purchase soon)
• Hosting the 4th annual K-12 Leadership Summit through Learning Landscapes with environmental education staff from 15 land trusts across the US

Only because of YOU

It has been a busy and rewarding year!

FRLT is here because of our community. Together we are protecting the places that make this region so special and enriching our connection to nature. Thank you to all our supporters for another amazing year. We can’t wait to see what we accomplish together in the year to come.