Martis Valley

Waddle Ranch Preserve

In partnership with The Trust for Public Land, the Land Trust completed the acquisition of the 1,462-acre Waddle Ranch in the heart of Martis Valley. The $23.5 million acquisition was, without doubt, one of the Sierra Nevada’s largest and most complicated conservation efforts in recent history. The Land Trust has expanded the trailhead at the main access point, building a new 3 mile loop, and nearly $2 million is being spent on restoration and forestry management.

Waddle Ranch Preserve Trail Map (PDF)
Welcome to Waddle Ranch Preserve (PDF)

Photo: Elizabeth Carmel

Martis Creek Estates

In spring of 2011, the Land Trust closed on this 122-acre property off State Route 267 across from the entrance to Northstar-at-Tahoe™. Known as Martis Creek Estates, the name of a planned subdivision. The Middle Fork of Martis Creek, a year round stream, runs for nearly a mile through the property. While the property is mostly Jeffrey Pine forest, it does provide riparian and aquatic habitat and has a functioning wet meadow. Key partners in the acquisition include the Truckee Tahoe Airport District, The Northern Sierra Partnership, Mountain Area Preservation Foundation, Sierra Watch, and East West Partners.

Martis valley - jones

A small but critical property sandwiched between Waddle Ranch Preserve and another property acquired in the Martis Valley. The 32-acre property provides an important missing link from a regional trailhead on Martis Creek Estates to a trail into Waddle Ranch Preserve. Slowly but surely we are achieving a long time objective of protecting the landscape east of SR 267 and onto the Mt. Rose Wilderness and Toyiabe National Forest - more than 70,000 acres of natural lands, wildlife corridors, and habitat.

Northstar

There are approximately 60 acres of land in conservation easement at the Northstar Ski area donated by the Northstar Property Owners Association and Trimont Corporation. The easements provide access for the public to recreational land and are important for water quality protection, as they contain diverse riparian waterways.