Hathaway Ranch Protected (CA)

SHASTA COUNTY, 6/13/06: – Shasta Land Trust and the Trust for Public Land (TPL) are pleased to announce a land conservation agreement on the 6,640-acre Hathaway Ranch at Oak Run, located approximately 10 miles northeast of Redding. The property is primarily annual grassland and Foothill Pine-Blue Oak Woodland and provides habitat for abundant wildlife. The Hathaway Ranch lies within the Cow Creek watershed and contains extensive wetlands and five miles of Oak Run Creek frontage which supports native fish species. The ranch has been in the Hathaway family for over 150 years and is a valuable resource of local farming history.

“This project has been a five year labor of love-a collaborative effort supported by our partners and many community members,” said Kathleen Gilman, Executive Director of Shasta Land Trust. The conservation easement was funded by two State of California agencies: the Wildlife Conservation Board and the California Resources Agency (with funds from the Safe Neighborhood Parks, Clean Water, Clean Air and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2000).

“We were glad to partner with the Shasta Land Trust to preserve this beautiful property,” said Reed Holderman, executive director of TPL-California. “The conservation easement created a win-win situation, enabling the Hathaway family to continue ranching while protecting important natural resources for the enjoyment of generations to come.””The protection of this vast tract of land is another step forward in preserving Northern California’s precious natural resources for the future,” said Al Wright, executive director of the California Wildlife Conservation Board. “The Cow Creek watershed is the northernmost undammed tributary of the Sacramento River and provides critical habitat for many sensitive species.”

The voluntary agreement between Hathaway Ranch and Shasta Land Trust creates a conservation easement on the land preserving the agricultural use of the land and, at the same time, protecting and preserving this rich piece of Shasta County open space. “The Hathaway Ranch is an important landscape and a community asset that will be integral in sustaining some of the ‘wildness’ of our area,” said Kathleen Gilman. Shasta Land Trust was established in 1998 and maintains several conservation agreements in Shasta County. For more information on Shasta Land Trust call 530-241-7886 or visit its website at www.shastalandtrust.org.

TPL is a national land conservation organization dedicated to conserving land for people as parks, greenways, wilderness areas and natural, historic and cultural resources for future generations. Founded in 1972, TPL has protected more than 1.9 million acres nationwide. For more information, visit TPL on the web at www.tpl.org.