SALT LAKE CITY — The US Department of Agriculture has awarded $3 million in its latest round of funding for a Forest Legacy project in Washington County. The project is called the Zion Connectivity Project due to its close proximity to Zion National Park and other surrounding protected lands.
Utah Forestry, Fire and State Lands will use the awarded funding to purchase conservation easements on 2 properties. The conservation easements will preserve the forested properties from potential fragmentation or development while allowing the landowners to continue utilizing the land as working forest land.
“The strategic location of this project, combined with the presence of California condors, garnered incredible support from Zion National Park, elected officials, neighboring landowners, and other organizations. Thanks to the efforts of these private landowners and The Conservation Fund, protecting this important forested area was recognized as a priority to the national program,” said Natalie Conlin, the Forest Legacy Program Manager for the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands.
The Zion Connectivity Project consists of two tracts of land that total 766 acres, located between two other Forest Legacy projects (Zion Overlook and Viewtop) and the La Verkin and Taylor Creek BLM Wilderness Area. The Zion Connectivity Project, paired with these other protected lands, will form a 1,752-acre link of protected lands along the northern boundary of Zion National Park.
The project contains numerous springs and 4 miles of streams, including a ½ mile segment of the La Verkin Creek, a tributary to the Virgin River, which was designated as a National Wild and Scenic River in 2009. The creek directly benefits six native species of fish including the federally endangered Virgin River chub and Woundfin, and state listed Virgin spinedace and flannelmouth sucker. As a part of the Upper Virgin watershed, wildlife will continue to have access to these stream flows and ponds as they migrate up from lower desert elevations.
Both tracts of land play an important role in the area’s wildlife habitat. The project site connects adjacent big game migration corridors and provides summer range for deer and elk as well as year-long habitat for black bear and dusky grouse. The area is also a critical habitat for both California condors and Mexican spotted owls, both of which are endangered species.
The project also contains old-growth ponderosa pines unique to this area. These centuries-old ponderosas provide food sources and nesting cover for wildlife and are resistant to wildfire.
Canyoneering access through Bear Canyon creates a connection with the La Verkin Creek trail, which links the BLM La Verkin Creek Wilderness Area to Zion National Park. Without this route through the project, the BLM Wilderness Area can only be accessed via a 15-mile hike.
The adjacent Forest Legacy properties (Zion Outlook and Viewtop) were funded in 2007.
ABOUT FOREST LEGACY
Utah’s Forest Legacy Program (FLP) protects environmentally important forest areas at risk of being converted to non-forest uses like development and subdivision. Through conservation easements—voluntary legal agreements between landowners and the state—the land remains privately owned but protected from development, ensuring it stays forested. Priority is given to lands that support water quality, wildlife habitat, riparian areas, rural economies, and connectivity with other protected lands. The program is funded by the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which reinvests a portion of federal offshore drilling fees into land and water conservation. The Great American Outdoors Act now provides this fund with permanent support.
By offering economic incentives, the FLP encourages sustainable forest management and supports markets for forest products, helping to preserve the integrity of natural resources. As forests become increasingly fragmented, the public loses critical benefits they provide—like clean drinking water for downstream users, recreation access, wildlife migration corridors, and forest products such as timber and fuel wood. The FLP helps maintain these resources for future generations.
Forest Legacy is one of the Division’s programs that assists private forest landowners. Landowners interested in learning more about the FLP are encouraged to visit ffsl.utah.gov.