Eel River Canyon Preserve
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| Eel River Canyon Preserve | |
|---|---|
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape) | |
  Location in California | |
| Location | Mendocino County, California and Trinity County, California |
| Nearest city | Alderpoint, California |
| Coordinates | 39°57′44″N 123°25′32″W / 39.96222°N 123.42556°W |
| Area | 26,600 acres (10,800 ha)[1] |
| Max. elevation | 4,000 feet (1,200 m) |
| Min. elevation | 500 feet (150 m) |
| Established | 2021[1] |
| Operator | The Wildlands Conservancy |
| Website | Eel River Canyon Preserve |
Eel River Canyon Preserve is a nature preserve that protects more than 18 miles (29 km) of the Eel River and 3 miles (4.8 km) of its North Fork, including their confluence.[1] It is part of the Eel River Emerald Necklace, a planned chain of connected preserves along the river.[2][3] The 26,600 acres (10,800 ha) preserve is owned and managed by The Wildlands Conservancy as part of its system of preserves.[1]
The preserve spans elevations from 500 feet (150 m) to 4,000 feet (1,200 m), encompassing steep ridges, riparian corridors, and oak woodlands. Forests include Oregon white oak, buckeye, big leaf maple, madrone, Douglas fir, and ponderosa pine.[1] The Wildlands Conservancy has described part of the area as the “Grand Canyon of the Eel River”, though this is not an official geographic designation.[1]
Flora and fauna
History
The property was long held by the Dean Witter family as part of Lone Pine Ranch. In 2019, The Wildlands Conservancy secured an option to acquire the ranch after purchasing the adjacent White Ranch, now Emerald Waters Reserve.[4][5][6] The acquisition was completed in 2021, creating the Eel River Canyon Preserve with support from state agencies and partner organizations.[7][8]
Conservation
The preserve is among the largest contiguous tracts of land in the region, protecting corridors for Roosevelt elk and other wildlife at a time when surrounding ranches face fragmentation from cannabis cultivation.[1] It anchors the Eel River Emerald Necklace, which emphasizes landscape-scale conservation through habitat restoration, forest and watershed health, and biodiversity protection.[2][3] In a 2020 interview with the Northcoast Environmental Center, TWC executive director Frazier Haney described the preserve’s role in long-term conservation of the Eel River corridor and its connection to other Emerald Necklace properties.[9] Project partners and funders have included the California State Coastal Conservancy, the Wildlife Conservation Board, the Center for Biological Diversity, The Conservation Fund, and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.[7][10]
Recreation
The preserve is not yet open to the general public. Planning concepts have included a ranger station, group campground, trails along ranch roads, and river access for paddlers, along with future connections to the proposed Great Redwood Trail.[4][3]
Works
The preserve was featured in a 2024 episode of OpenRoad with Doug McConnell, which showcased the Great Redwood Trail and highlighted TWC’s plans for public access along the Eel River corridor.[11]