McCall, Idaho
The Payette Land Trust announced that Sima Muroff of Blackhawk Partners, LLC developer of Blackhawk on the River signed a conservation easement that permanently protects 213 acres of environmentally-sensitive land in McCall, Idaho. Dubbed as the Blackhawk Wildlife Preserve-South, the conservation easement connects with the 152-acre wildlife preserve that was donated by Muroff in 2006, and is located south of McCall on the Payette River.
"This is a key milestone for both the Payette Land Trust and residential development in Valley County," said Bob Vosskuhler, executive director of the Payette Land Trust. "Blackhawk is the first developer to permanently protect such an important piece of habitat for McCall's wildlife through a conservation easement and wildlife preserve."
The Blackhawk Wildlife Preserve-South includes two miles of riverfront property and features a non-motorized trail that runs along the river. Under the terms of the Conservation Easement, 213-acres of riverfront property will be maintained as natural open space and agricultural land in perpetuity, which brings Blackhawk's Wildlife Preserve to total 365 acres of private protected wildlife preserve on the most wildlife sensitive corridor in the Payette River Basin.
The preserve spans a diverse ecosystem that offers abundant habitat for wildlife, and includes one-of-a-kind living wetlands, forested areas, and meadows. According to a Baseline Condition Report prepared by the Payette Land Trust, the preserve provides habitat for over 214 species of wildlife, including 13 species that are currently listed as species of special concern. The preserve is now home to native animals including (but, not limited to) elk, moose, fox, deer, beavers, Bald Eagles, Ospreys, Great Blue Herons and Sandhill Cranes.
According to Muroff, the conservation easement is part of a larger plan to protect and preserve the land and wildlife throughout the Blackhawk development, and other land holdings in other real estate holding companies we have an interest in.
"Environmental stewardship as a cornerstone of our development philosophy," says Muroff. "We want to leave a legacy to our children and the community of McCall. Keeping this portion of our property wild is the right thing to do." |
