AMERICAN RIVER WATERSHED,
PLACER COUNTY

USING A WATERSHED-BASED APPROACH
TO PROTECT THE NORTH FORK
OF THE AMERICAN RIVER

Placer Land Trust is working with other parties to preserve land along the American River, in cooperation with willing landowners as part of our American River Watershed Protection Program.

More than a half million people a year visit the wild and beautiful canyons of the North and Middle Forks of the American River. More than 100 miles of trails, such as the Western States National Recreation Trail, provide access for hikers, anglers, mountain bikers, and equestrians. Also, the canyons are dotted with more than 1,500 gold rush era historic and Native American cultural sites.

The American River watershed hosts unique biological communities and exceptionally diverse habitat for 238 birds, 47 mammals, 10 amphibians, and 2 reptiles. Sensitive, threatened, and endangered wildlife species found in the area include Peregrine falcon, bald eagle, golden eagle, valley elderberry longhorn beetle, foothill yellow-legged frog, river otter, Townsend big-eared bat, and more than 86 butterfly species. The river provides high quality habitat for native fish, including trophy-sized rainbow trout.

The American River Canyon, over 3,000 feet deep in places, contains incredible habitat diversity. The canyon rim lands provide incredible scenic vistas. Currently, PLT has protected 131 acres of canyon rim land at Stagecoach Preserve, Bettencourt Preserve, and Canyon View Preserve, and PLT and Protect American River Canyons have protected 30 riverfront acres along the Codfish Falls Trail. As part of our Giant Gap Project, PLT partnered with the American River Conservancy and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to protect two riverfront properties totalling 229 acres in the North Fork American River Wild & Scenic Area (the Nichols Preserve and the Siller Preserve). The Bettencourt Preserve was protected through the use of a conservation easement, and the other projects through fee title acquisition.

PLT is currently working on several projects to preserve more than 800 additional acres of canyon land along the American River, including the North Fork. As this and related projects progress, more information will be posted on this website in the near future.

To return to the list of current Placer Land Trust projects, click here.

Placer Land Trust 11521 Blocker Drive, Suite 100 Auburn, CA 95603 (530) 887-9222 info@placerlandtrust.org

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