Project at a Glance

• Year conserved: 2003 - 575 acres, 2014 - 331 acres, 2016 - 1,630 acres, 2019 - 50 acres

• Acres: 2,586

• Nature Center Specifications: The Nature Center has approximately 2,500 square feet of interior space, including an 1100 square foot public event space with spectacular views over Sierra Valley, 800 square feet of exhibits, two small offices, a break room, and restrooms.

• Project partners: Feather River Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, Sierra Business Council

• Owned by: Feather River Land Trust

• Things to do: Birding, cross-country skiing, walking, kayaking/canoeing, photography, picnicking, road biking, experience interactive exhibits and interpretive trails, special events.

Conservation History & Values

The Feather River Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy and the Northern Sierra Partnership worked together to acquire the Sierra Valley Preserve over a 16-year period.  Our goals were to conserve and restore the property’s outstanding permanent and seasonal wetlands and to expand public access to the natural wonders of Sierra Valley. Until the partners acquired the Sierra Valley Preserve, virtually all of the wetlands in Sierra Valley were on private property. Visitors had to place their spotting scopes by the side of narrow dirt roads and peer across fences to birds far in the distance. 

In 2003, the Feather River Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy and the Sierra Business Council purchased the first 575 acres for the Preserve. The Preserve soon began attracting hundreds of visitors from around California and Nevada, including annual visits from nine separate Audubon chapters. Located on the east side of the current Preserve and accessed by A-24, this part of the Preserve has an interpretive trail, a wildlife observation platform and a portable restroom.  It is open to the public year-round for walking, birding, botanizing, launching canoes and photography.

In 2013, the Partners launched a two-year campaign to raise the private funds needed to expand the Preserve. Thanks to the success of that campaign, the Partners were able to acquire three adjoining properties in 2013, 2016 and 2019, expanding the Preserve to its current size of 2,586 acres. The acquisitions more than quadrupled the amount of seasonal wetland habitat on the Preserve and provided important new access to the Preserve from A-23, the county road along the west side of Sierra Valley. The four properties are now managed as a single Preserve that is owned and managed by the Feather River Land Trust for wildlife, public education and low-impact recreation.

Sierra Valley is the largest montane valley in the Sierra Nevada.  Uniquely situated where the Sierra Nevada, Great Basin and Cascades converge, Sierra Valley supports the greatest concentration and diversity of birds in the Sierra Nevada. Over 240 species are known to visit, breed or live in Sierra Valley every year, including more than 17 rare or threatened birds and the highest concentration of eagles, hawks and other raptors in the Sierra Nevada. 

 The Sierra Valley Preserve is strategically located in the northwest corner of the valley where the waters that flow through this vast basin converge to form the federally-designated Wild and Scenic Middle Fork Feather River. The Preserve's seasonal and permanent wetlands and open water provide important migratory and breeding habitat for sensitive species like greater sandhill cranes, black tern, redhead, white-faced ibis and yellow-headed blackbirds.  The Preserve's upland habitat supports a diversity of wildlife such as pronghorn, black bear, gray wolf, American badger, coyote, western meadowlark, sage thrasher and mule deer. The property is also rich in human history, associated with centuries of Native American presence and the more recent arrival of western settlers. A section of the historic Jim Beckwourth Trail passes through the property.

Recreation & Restoration

Over the last two decades, the Feather River Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, and the Northern Sierra Partnership have worked with local ranchers and landowners to protect critical wildlife habitat in Sierra Valley, the largest montane valley in the Sierra Nevada and a place of extraordinary biodiversity.  We have also worked to expand public access to the natural wonders of Sierra Valley by creating a 2,575-acre preserve in the northwest corner of Sierra Valley, where the braided channels through the Sierra Valley wetlands come together to form the Wild and Scenic Middle Fork Feather River. The Sierra Valley Preserve is the only place the public can get out on the land year-round to walk, watch birds, and enjoy Sierra Valley’s unique beauty.

Sierra Valley Preserve Nature Center

In December 2024, the Partners finalized work to expand visitor facilities on the Sierra Valley Preserve to create the Sierra Valley Preserve Nature Center. Our goal was to create an exciting new hub for ecological and cultural learning. Our new facilities include:

·       A new Nature Center where interpretive exhibits introduce visitors to the natural and cultural history of Sierra Valley, and collaborative efforts to conserve and restore natural systems in the Sierra;

·       A new education and event space in the Nature Center where the Feather River Land Trust, who stewards the Preserve, is planning a rich variety of public programs for locals and visitors of all ages;

·       An expanded network of trails, wetland overlooks, bird-viewing platforms, interpretive experiences, restrooms, and picnic areas that will facilitate public enjoyment of the Preserve; and

·       A new maintenance facility which is the base for Preserve stewardship.

The Preserve is a place where people from all walks of life come together to learn more about the natural systems that sustain life in the Sierra and beyond. In addition to programs for students, Feather River Land Trust plans to host gatherings where scientists, landowners, local residents, and conservationists collaborate on strategies to address emerging opportunities and challenges in the Sierra, from rapid population growth and climate change to the return of elk and wolves to our region. We are also working with the Washoe and Maidu people to co-host programs that bring greater awareness to their long and continued stewardship of this land. 

The Preserve and Nature Center welcome visitors year-round, offering a chance to experience the changing landscapes and biodiversity with each season. The Nature Center is open for exploration Thursday through Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., while the Preserve is accessible daily from sunrise to sunset. To be kept informed about public programs at the Nature Center, please click here. To see upcoming events at the Nature Center, please click here.