Sierra Nevada Journeys Receives 1,025 Acre Land Gift from Feather River Land Trust
Expanding Outdoor Education and Conservation in the Northern Sierra
Sierra Nevada Journeys (SNJ), a leading outdoor science education nonprofit serving youth across Northern Nevada and Northern California, announced today the conservation and transfer of 1,025 acres of protected land in Plumas County from the Feather River Land Trust (FRLT).
Purchased by FRLT and gifted to Sierra Nevada Journeys, the property permanently protects expansive forest, meadow, and wildlife habitat while dramatically expanding SNJ’s existing 469-acre Outdoor Education Camp, where more than 10,000 students and families participate annually in hands-on outdoor science learning.
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About Feather River Land Trust
Feather River Land Trust (FRLT) is a nonprofit organization conserving ecologically and culturally important lands and waters in the Feather River Watershed — the Sierra Nevada’s largest watershed and a source of drinking water for 27 million people. Together with willing landowners, FRLT protects clean water, wildlife habitat, open space, and beloved community places. Since 2000, FRLT has conserved more than 100,000 acres of critical headwaters and habitats in the region. Beyond protecting land, FRLT is committed to restoring people’s relationship to land and getting kids in nature.
Learning Landscapes is FRLT’s local place-based conservation and education program that connects K-12 school students to natural areas and hands-on learning opportunities at “outdoor classrooms” within a short walk of school. FRLT owns and manages five nature preserves, ensuring public access to beautiful places, including the recently opened Nature Center at the Sierra Valley Preserve. Learn more about FRLT’s work.
About Sierra Nevada Journeys
Founded in 2006, Sierra Nevada Journeys is a leading outdoor science education nonprofit serving more than 30,000 youth annually across Northern Nevada and Northern California.
Adjacent to the newly gifted land is Sierra Nevada Journeys’ 469-acre Outdoor Education Camp, purchased in 2020 through a $5.57 million capital campaign. The property includes a ¾-acre pond and creek system, a 40-element challenge course, including an alpine tower and zipline, an archery range, and basketball and volleyball courts.
There are 26 buildings — among them a lodge, 16 cabins, four yurts, an administration building, two outdoor amphitheaters, and an aquatics center — with modern facilities that can accommodate 240 campers. Located in Plumas National Forest, the camp is just 50 minutes northwest of Reno and two hours east of Sacramento. Most of the students who participate in Sierra Nevada Journeys’ programs come from high-need communities across Northern Nevada and Northern California.
About the Property
Size: 1,025-acre land gift; Sierra Nevada Journeys increases from 469 acres to 1,494 after the gift.
Features: The land is part of the Big Grizzly Creek Corridor, which connects Lake Davis and the Wild and Scenic Middle Fork Feather River, a critical source of water to the State Water Project serving downstream agriculture and drinking water to millions of Americans. The newly conserved land includes multiple perennial springs and 1.2 miles along the west side of the creek and provides important wildlife habitat with high-quality forage and shelter for mule deer. It is home to more than 100 bird and animal species that live, breed, or migrate through the property including: sandhill cranes, flammulated owls, martens, screech owls, barn owls, great horned owls, bald eagles, bats, river otters, mink, mountain lions, bobcats, black bears, osprey and the willow flycatcher, which is a California-listed endangered species.
Community Impact
The open space of this beautiful landscape offers vistas along the Feather River Scenic Byway, adjacent to the City of Portola. Sierra Nevada Journey will be working actively to manage the property for prevention and forest health, providing important fuel breaks and mitigating the risk of wildfire in this mountain community.
Keep Me Updated
I’m Interested in attending the day hike and celebration of the new property this spring.
