Virgin River Land Trust seeks partnerships to preserve fields, riverfront parcels

Representatives of the Virgin River Land Trust briefed the Washington City Council at its Feb. 26 workshop on the nonprofit's work preserving open lands and scenic riverfront property in southwestern Utah.

Former city attorney Steven Snow, speaking for the trust, said the land trust was formed in the mid-1990s and typically acquires conservation easements or development rights from willing sellers rather than owning land outright. "What we'll do, say, you have a ranch, we'll buy the development rights on that ranch and then you can continue to ranch as long as you want," Snow said as he described how easements keep land in agricultural or undeveloped uses.

Snow reviewed past projects, including conservation easements on properties in Pine Valley, Confluence Park, Smith Mesa and East Zion, and said rising land values make protection more challenging. He also named board members and partners, including Nature Conservancy and the BLM in selected projects. Snow asked the council to consider whether the trust could partner with the city on an historic parcel in the southern fields that some speakers identified as historically connected to the Honeymoon Trail.

Council members and trust representatives discussed how partnerships typically work, including donations of development rights, purchases of easements, and occasions when the trust has deeded or sold land to federal agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management. The trust emphasized it works with willing sellers and sometimes partners with national organizations when a larger fundraising footprint is needed.

No formal council action was requested at the workshop; the trust's representatives asked for opportunities to coordinate on parcels the city may consider for preservation and offered to help with fundraising where appropriate.