A New 40-Acre Preserve Locks In North Fork Country Near Alta
Placer Land Trust has permanently protected the 40-acre Gerjuoy North Fork Preserve on Moody Ridge, adding lasting protection to the country above the North Fork of the American River.
American River Canyon Alliance
Anyone who has walked the ridges above the North Fork knows how fast this country can change hands. So a permanent protection is worth marking.
The North Fork American River Alliance (NFARA) reports that Placer Land Trust has permanently protected the Gerjuoy North Fork Preserve, a 40-acre parcel in the Moody Ridge area near Alta. The trust announced the completed protection on December 30, 2020.
Funding for the project came from the Wildlife Conservation Board's Forest Conservation Program, administered through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. That kind of state support turns a landowner's intent into a protection that outlasts any single owner.
The land itself came with a partner. According to NFARA, landowner Neil Gerjuoy first contacted Placer Land Trust in 2018, then donated a share of the parcel's value to help the deal close. Gifts like that stretch conservation dollars and signal a deep commitment to place.
Moody Ridge sits in the heart of the North Fork canyon country. Protecting 40 acres here keeps forest intact, holds ground against development, and safeguards the watershed our own canyons share downstream. Every acre secured on the North Fork is good news for the wider American River system.
We are glad to see peer groups and land trusts doing this work. Read NFARA's full winter update for more on the preserve and their ongoing advocacy.