Land Trust protects land near Smith Rock State Park

With the year winding down, the Deschutes Basin Land Trust has concluded a long sought agreement to permanently protect the north flank of Smith Rock State Park, by protecting 550 acres of land along nearly a mile and a half of the Crooked River and bordered by Smith Rock State Park on the south and federal land to the north and east.  The Land Trust worked with the owners of Ranch at the Canyons for several years to craft the agreement, called a conservation easement, which permanently bars development of the property to protect scenic views and important wildlife habitat. 

The Deschutes Basin Land Trust is a community-based, charitable organization dedicated to protecting private land for wildlife, recreation and scenic views.  Ranch at the Canyons is a private 1,700 acre residential ranch development adjacent to Smith Rock State Park.

“The owners of Ranch at the Canyons approached the Land Trust a few years ago with a desire to permanently protect a large, highly visible block of the ranch on the northeast side of the Crooked River, which includes much of Sherwood Canyon and an important mule deer winter range,” explained Brad Chalfant, Executive Director of the Land Trust.  The easement also protects scenic views from Smith Rock State Park and other adjacent public lands. “With Smith Rock State Park an iconic, statewide treasure, we jumped at the opportunity to try and protect the scenic views and we’re pleased that the owners of Ranch at the Canyons were committed to seeing this land, its wildlife and scenery permanently protected,” said Chalfant.

The portion of Ranch at the Canyons protected by the conservation easement includes an important wildlife corridor and protecting it helps insure that mule deer, elk and other wildlife can move freely between the canyon of the Crooked River, Smith Rock State Park and the uplands of the Crooked River National Grasslands. Additionally, the property’s stunning rock outcrops provide important nesting habitat for a variety of hawks and other birds.

The Deschutes Basin Land Trust works cooperatively with private landowners and local communities to conserve and restore private land and wildlife habitat in the Deschutes Basin. Since 1995, the Land Trust has protected more than 7,200 acres.

The Deschutes Basin Land Trust - “Lands in Trust, Protected Forever”