Friday September 4, 2026
The Sacramento Bee —
The Wildlands Conservancy is purchasing a historic 14,000-acre Northern California ranch established around the time of the Gold Rush in a multimillion-dollar deal.
Acquiring AP Ranch in Siskiyou County sets in motion a major expansion of the conservancy’s Beaver Valley Headwaters Preserve and advances conservation of the Scott River headwaters, the group said. Escrow is anticipated to close this fall.
The East Fork of the Scott River cuts through the Siskiyou County property, near the Oregon border, for eight miles. There are seven homes on the land, six large barns and several outbuildings. The property is nearly the size of Manhattan in New York.
The $16.9 million acquisition includes an $11.5 million investment from the Wildlife Conservation Board with private support from the Catena Foundation, the Horizon Foundation, Holdfast Collective, Kisco Conservation Fund, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Rare Wildlife Lands Foundation and a number of individuals, according to The Wildlands Conservancy.
The addition expands the Beaver Valley Headwaters Preserve to more than 20,000 acres, amplifying the protection of a sweep of river, forests, mountain meadows and wetlands that provide crucial habitat for salmon, steelhead and other native wildlife.