Washington County, Utah — Land that is situated next to Zion National Park will remain as it should be: natural and protected from development.
KSL reports that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has given $3 million towards the “Zion Connectivity Project.” This project aims to protect the forests around Zion National Park from deforestation and development. The USDA states that these new easements will allow “the land to remain in private ownership while ensuring that its environmental values are retained.”
“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,” said Natalie Conlin, who is the Forest Legacy project manager at the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Land.
This proclamation will protect 766 acres around the national park from development. With this addition, it will create 1,752 acres of linkage with other areas that were previously placed under conservation. Other previously protected areas that are connected to the new conserved land include Zion Overlook and Viewtop (both of which were also Forest Legacy projects), along with the La Verkin Creek and Taylor Creek Wilderness Areas (which are run by the Bureau of Land Management).
The newly protected land is full of forests, slot canyons, creeks, and streams. The move will also protect species like the California Condor, Virgin River chub, deer, black bears, and moose. The area is home to old-growth ponderosa pines, which are resistant to wildfires.
Image Credits: Tom Gainor, Danika Perkinson
