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This year marks Summit Land Conservancy’s 20th Anniversary as Park City’s local land trust–- 20 years of saving the landscapes that are the heart of our community. The first 20 years of forever…
To honor the places we have protected, we will highlight and share some of the stories about these precious lands and how the Conservancy has grown over the years.
Sometimes the only way to save land is to buy it. When the 23-acre Stevens Grove property came on the market, the Summit Land Conservancy knew we had to make an offer to protect the riparian wildlife habitat and natural floodplain of the Weber River before developers got a hold of it. Today, the property is open to the public for non-motorized passive recreation, including horseback riding, walking, and angler access to the river. The undeveloped cottonwood stands of Stevens Grove can be seen from Millrace Road, Wooden Shoe Lane, and other locations in and around the City of Oakley. The river, wetlands, forests and fields are a perfect place for children to explore the natural wonders of the world for years to come.
“The Weber Rivers runs through the town of Oakley, behind houses and through tall stands of cottonwoods. Elk come down from the mountains to enjoy the bottomlands along with foxes, coyotes, cougars, sandhill cranes, marmots and beavers.
Doug Evans was a former mayor of Oakley. He was also the Executive Director of Mountain Regional Water Company, so he knows a lot about community, plat maps, and water. He and several other Oakley residents sat down with some maps and figured out how to create a 5-mile path along the Weber as it passes through the town. The proposed path crossed over 20 different properties.
The Conservancy agreed to help by meeting with these 20 landowners, explaining various ways and reasons for conservation. When a 23-acre parcel in the middle of the proposed 5-mile path went on the market, we realized that this was a lynchpin and if it was developed for homes, the proposed path would be blocked.
So we bought it. We gathered a lot of friends including Nana B, who had helped us save 60 acres of the Nuzzles & Co Rescue Ranch and the Conservation Fund who gave us a bridge loan. We also had support from the Oakley City Council, Summit County, South Summit Trails, and the George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Foundation. In addition, we found a partner who was willing to buy and renovate the existing home on the property. This is the Bob Stevens’ house. Bob was also a mayor of Oakley, and when it was built in 1964, it was one of the nicest houses in the Kamas Valley.
Today, Stevens Grove is flooded because those beavers have rerouted the river. While it makes for pretty wet hiking, the meandering flood will recharge the Kamas Valley aquifer, and the beaver ponds will let silt settle out of the river, creating fertile soil for the willows and trees to regrow.
Doug Evans now writes poems. Check them out HERE."
Learn more about the Conservancy’s work and how you can save the lands and waters you cherish at www.wesaveland.org.
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