The Trust Receives Conservation Award

March 22, 2019 — This week we are proud to learn we are the recipient of the Access Fund’s Land Conservation Award for permanently protecting the Castle Crags in northern California.

In 2013, our partnership with the Fund helped us secure two square miles of land
adjacent to the Castle Crags Wilderness from a local timber company. In 2018, we successfully transferred the 1256-acre parcel to public ownership for inclusion in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest.

Enhancing public access to a world-class climbing area, saving old-growth forest that surrounds the Crags and protecting spawning habitat in Little Castle Creek are significant, as is protecting the landscape’s history, according to Aimee Rutledge, our vice president and senior lands specialist.

“The land contains dramatic rock outcrops and amazing views that are part of local history. The Wintu Tribe fought and died to protect it, and still come for spiritual healing, guidance and to collect plants for medicinal purposes,” says Rutledge.

We are very grateful to the Access Fund for helping to make this project possible.