Wildlife get 600 acres amid housing area
The conservation easement, given to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources by Victory Ranch developers, will protect a 5.3-mile stretch of the Provo River between the town of Woodland and the southeast entrance to Jordanelle.
That part of the river runs right through the middle of the Victory Ranch development.
"This is huge," said Krissy Wilson, DWR aquatic species program coordinator. "Because of the development pressure, this is an extremely important corridor for wildlife."
The conservation area will provide habitat for the spotted frog, which the state has designated as a "conservation species"" and has been working to keep off of the endangered species list. It is also home to a number of species of birds, elk and moose, Wilson said.
But what makes the donation extraordinary, Wilson said, was the fact that the developer, Bob Larsen, was not required to set the land aside, as developers are often made to do because of zoning laws.
Larsen also gave the DWR a $237,500 endowment for future maintenance and management of the area.
Part of the money will also be used to help return the river to its natural course after years of running through man-made diversions.
At a dedication ceremony on Tuesday, an emotional Larsen said he was pleased that the river would remain untouched.
"It's an emotional thing for me to be able to say that nothing, nothing will ever be built on this river," he said. "I think this agreement is a model for generation to come and I think this will help Utah immensely. I'm just proud to be able to do this."
At more than 5,600 acres, Victory Ranch is the largest of the luxury developments that have sprung up around Jordanelle. Approximately 2,600 acres of that, including the 600-acre Provo River easement, have been set aside as open space.
Contributing: Associated Press
E-mail: jtwitchell@desnews.com
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