As 2020 comes to a close, we have one more piece of great news — Placer Land Trust has permanently protected the Gerjuoy North Fork Preserve! This 40-acre property is located in the Moody Ridge area, near Alta, and represents a key piece within a large block of conserved lands along the river canyon. The property is adjacent to another Placer Land Trust preserve in the making, and is neighbored by other protected lands, including federal land, the public Green Valley Trail, and our Bailey North Fork Preserve.

Located on the canyon rim of the North Fork American River watershed, approximately a mile upslope from the river, this area is under pressure from residential development. The section of river below the preserve is federally-designated “Wild and Scenic” – the top designation reserved for the highest quality, undammed rivers in the US. The American River is a significant source of drinking water for Placer County and the Sacramento region. Protecting the watershed helps to keep the river and our drinking water clean and free from contaminated runoff, erosion, sedimentation, and other pollution. 

“Ridgetop residential development continues to expand in this area due to its proximity to Interstate 80,” says Placer Land Trust Executive Director Jeff Darlington, “and that disrupts the day-to-day movement and seasonal migration of wildlife in the American River canyon and along the canyon rim. Our acquisition and management of this forested preserve helps protect the river canyon and provide permanent corridors for plant and animal species to thrive and adapt to climate change.”

The preserve hosts a bubbling spring, small waterfall, unique riparian (streamside) vegetation, and several large rock outcrops, all of which provide wildlife habitat. This area is home to an incredible diversity of wildlife, from large mammals such as bear, deer, bobcat, and coyote, to reptiles, amphibians, birds, and insects. Several special-status plant and animal species live within a five-mile radius of the preserve, and the foothill yellow-legged frog (Rana boylii), a state candidate threatened species, has been found nearby. Grinding rocks on the property indicate that this land was a food gathering and preparation site for Native Americans.

Landowner Neil Gerjuoy contacted Placer Land Trust in 2018 to see if we would be interested in purchasing the property for conservation before he had to put it on the market. The property likely would have sold for residential development, and a home would have been built along the canyon rim, with associated utilities, access roadways, and other infrastructure. Funding for purchase was awarded through the Wildlife Conservation Board’s Forest Conservation Program in connection with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Mr. Gerjuoy also generously donated 25% of the purchase price back to Placer Land Trust to cover long-term stewardship of the land, without which this project would not have been financially feasible.  

Placer Land Trust will continue to own and maintain the preserve in its natural, undeveloped state in accordance with the grant agreement, and will perform low-impact, ecologically-appropriate fuels reduction to help maintain healthy, fire-resilient forests. This may support a fuel break for the adjacent neighborhood. 

Currently there is no public access to the preserve, and the possibility of future public trail connections along the ridge will be further evaluated. In the future, Placer Land Trust may offer docent-led guided hikes or other facilitated recreation activities on the preserve. 

Placer Land Trust’s acquisition and protection of Gerjuoy North Fork Preserve, along with other nearby preserves, ensures that a significant stretch of the North Fork American River canyon land will remain wild and natural forever.

3) Protect American River Canyons Scholarship Essay Contest