Cisco Sonar

Land Trusts

By Bryce Neilson

1871 View of the lake

My world has always been to get the most of present, but always keep looking toward the future.  I usually don’t dwell on the past because it is done, good or bad, and we can’t change it.  When I came to Bear Lake to live over 40 years ago I moved into Pickleville, which was just south of Garden City.  There were a few small cabins on the Lake but also lots of barns and animals.  Sweetwater Hill had not been subdivided and was a fabulous hunting area (actually it still is, if it were legal). Suffice to say, that things have change since that time.  Sometimes I wish my grandsons could see what it used to be like.  I have always wanted to be able to preserve some things we have today for future generations, so I got involved in a land trust.

The Bear River Land Conservancy (BRLC) was created about five years ago in Cache Valley. A couple of guys got together because they wanted to preserve land from development in perpetuity.  This included Cache, Rich, and Box Elder Counties.  Others, including myself, were asked to be on the Board of Directors and the organization received 501(K) non-profit status.  The Board was made up of farmers, real estate people, scientists, a lawyer, planners and environmentalists.  The BRLC’s mission is to:

“…conserve and enhance private lands for wildlife habitat, working farms and ranches, land and trails of recreational or historical significance, watersheds, critical vistas, using conservation easements and sound management, to benefit the people of northern Utah, today and perpetuity.”

I want to make it clear we are not Ecofreaks or preservationists trying to stop growth.  We do not go looking for ground but rely on people contacting us.  Conservation easement generally allow the land to remain as it is and continue to be used as in was in the past.  The easement just prohibits future development.  At present we have been able to preserve 300+ acres along the Bear River, farm ground in Wellsville that has a threatened lily, Ute’s Ladies Tresses, and over a thousand feet of untouched natural shoreline near Lakota.

There is a lot more to do, but as with most non-profits, money is a limiting factor.  We have one-part time staff member but the rest of us are volunteers.  We operate on donations from people who have our same vision.  We also have been able to receive some grants and some outright land donations.  To see and better understand the BRLC go to our website www.bearriverlandconservancy.org and check it out.

Retirement for me, just means more work (my own fault).  My involvement in the BRLC is one of the most gratifying things I have done.  If you or anyone else would like to know more what BRLC is all about, please contact me a cisco@cut.net or 435.994.1649.  I really don’t know how successful this whole venture will be but at least we will be remembered for trying.