CEDAR CITY – The Bureau of Land Management has purchased nearly 41 new acres of land, including part of the increasingly popular Kanarra Creek Trail that leads to Kanarraville Falls.
“This land leads to an incredible slot canyon that is growing in popularity and a WSA (wilderness study area) that is home to two major canyons, with ridges nearly 8,000 feet up,” Keith Rigtrup, acting Cedar City BLM field manager, said.
The property was purchased March 31 and will be used for recreational opportunities and other uses.
“We know there are many groups that have different interests in what this land has to offer, which is why the BLM’s multiple-use mission is uniquely qualified to help coordinate with organizations and local governments that have a vested interest in the area,” Rigtrup said.
Part of the purchased property sits between land managed by the town of Kanarraville and the BLM-managed Spring Creek Canyon Wilderness Study Area, BLM spokesman Christian Venhuizen said in a statement.
The Cedar City Field Office will manage the property in much the same way as surrounding public lands, Venhuizen said, including dispersed recreation, wildlife habitat and other multiple use opportunities.
The property was purchased from a private company for $660,000 with Land and Water Conservation Fund money, which is designated for sportsmen and recreational access.
The BLM applied for and received the funds in 2016, and the Cedar City Field Office released the draft environmental assessment for purchase of the property in June 2016.
Land and Water Conservation Fund was established in 1964 and is funded by earnings from offshore oil and gas leasing. Funds are used to purchase private property for parks, wildlife refuges, forests, open spaces, trails and wildlife habitat.
According to the U.S. Department of Interior, which oversees the program, the Fund has distributed $3.9 billion to more than 41,000 state projects and protected 2.37 million acres across the country.
Read more: Land and Water Conservation Fund renewed for 3 years
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Was there any word on fixing the road?
Does this mean no more parking fee?