SALINA — In what ranch owner Dan Jorgensen called "a Christmas wish come true," the Nature Conservancy of Utah announced Friday the first step toward protection of a 5,700-acre family ranch surrounded by Fish Lake National Forest.
The Bar J Ranch, located 15 miles southeast of Salina, has diverse ecological zones from riparian lowlands to lush aspen forests and is home to many species of birds, deer, elk, sage grouse, bear, cougars and the rare Bonneville cutthroat trout, a Utah state sensitive species. In prehistoric times, Bonneville cutthroat were common throughout the Lake Bonneville drainage area, but today only a few are found in remote mountain settings.
One of those places is the Bar J Ranch in Sevier County, which the Jorgensen family has operated for four generations.
"I would hate to see this property, which has meant so much to me and my family, have to be sold and developed," Jorgensen said. "Today our Christmas wish has come true. The Bar J Ranch will remain intact forever."
The conservancy has acquired a conservation easement over the property as part of a partnership between the conservancy, the state Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, the Utah Quality Growth Commission, the USDA Forest Legacy Program and the ranch owners.
"At the Bar J Ranch, we're protecting wildlife and a way of life at the same time," said Dave Livermore, Utah State director for the Nature Conservancy, who said the key to this transaction is using a conservation easement. "Thanks to this innovative tool, the Jorgensen family will stay on the land and keep ranching — and one of Utah's natural treasures will be saved."
Two years ago, facing the economic uncertainties of ranching and concerned that estate taxes could prevent the ranch from being passed on to his children, Jorgensen began talks with the conservancy about protecting his property.
The easement allows protection and manages the natural values and forest resources on the ranch while traditional farming and ranching practices continue.
"This is a win-win for Sevier County, and a lasting legacy for Utah's future," said Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah. "As Utah grows, we must act to conserve our critical natural lands like the Bar J Ranch before it's too late."
Land transactions like these are complex, and depend on a variety of factors. In this case, Dan and Elaine Jorgensen agreed to sell the easement for $3.2 million, substantially less than the $4.2 million value at which the property has been appraised.
The conservancy hopes funding will come from a couple of other important sources.
The Utah Quality Growth Commission, through the LeRay McAllister Fund, committed $700,000 in matching funds.
The Forest Legacy Program, $1.2 million from 2001 and $710,000 from 2002.
The Nature Conservancy of Utah, $590,000.
The George S. and Delores Dore Eccles Foundation has loaned $590,000 to the effort, but these funds must be repaid by the conservancy through private fund-raising. In addition, the money from the Forest Legacy Program for 2002 will depend on upcoming federal appropriations. "For these reasons, today's closing does not mark the completion of the project but rather an important first step in cementing an innovative partnership," according to a conservancy statement issued Friday.
The conservancy is a nonprofit corporation whose mission is to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protesting the lands and waters they need to survive. In Utah, the conservancy has 8,500 members and has completed 100 conservation projects, protecting nearly 800,000 acres of public and private land.
Utah continues to see pressures brought about by population growth, says Lewis Billings, head of Utah's Quality Growth Commission and mayor of Provo.
"Each community needs to carefully evaluate and choose the options that will serve them best in the future," Billings said. "The Utah Quality Growth Commission supports effective planning, including that which provides for the preservation of appropriate open space and critical lands."
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