Save the Redwoods League Acquires Humboldt Land to Transfer to Redwoods National Park

Photo: Save the Redwoods League

Press release from Save the Redwoods League:

Continuing its century-long mission to protect and restore California’s redwood country, Save the Redwoods League has acquired two properties in Humboldt County along the ridge separating Redwood National Park and Humboldt Lagoons State Park. The newly acquired Mistier and Nesset properties, together with two adjacent and previously acquired properties, total 90 acres. The League plans to transfer all four properties to Redwood National Park in 2020.

Protecting and Expanding the Parks

Protecting this land and including it within Redwood National Park will secure a keystone natural corridor between the parks and protect the properties from development. More broadly, the League’s acquisition of these two properties is the latest action in its effort to return the coast redwood forest to its natural splendor — establishing parks, connecting old-growth coast redwood reserves, healing damaged forests and expanding recreational and educational opportunities for visitors to the region. The southern portion of this redwood forest plays a particularly important role as the gateway that introduces the majesty of Redwood National and State Parks to the more than one million visitors from around the world each year.

“These parks are home to 45 percent of the world’s protected old-growth coast redwoods, and for a hundred years it has been fundamental to our mission to safeguard these lands for the enjoyment of all,” said Paul Ringgold, chief program officer for Save the Redwoods League. “As you come north into this area, the redwood forests and surrounding landscape evoke a sense of wonder that is like nothing else in the world.”

Redwood National and State Parks is a unique and collaboratively managed cluster of parks comprised of Redwood National Park and Del Norte Coast, Jedediah Smith, and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Parks. Together, the parks cover more than 130,000 acres of spectacular wilderness. Acre by acre, Save the Redwoods League has helped build Redwood National and State Parks to what it is today, acquiring and transferring more than 140 properties totaling over 50,000 acres since the early 1920s.

Securing the Mistier and Nesset Properties

The Mistier and Nesset properties offer sweeping views of a freshwater lagoon and the Pacific Ocean. Expansive redwood forests lie to the east. Each property faced significant threats of development due to their desirable views and easy access to Highway 101. Putting these properties into permanent protection, along with the previously acquired BathHurst and Miller parcels, will safeguard the mixed conifer forest and wildlife habitat spanning the properties.

The four properties total 90 acres. The League paid $230,000 for the recently acquired Mistier property and $425,000 for the Nesset property.

“These keystone acquisitions will contribute to the ecological health of this region — and the old-growth redwoods nearby,” said Becky Bremser, director of land protection with Save the Redwoods League. “While these properties aren’t large, their strategic importance to the adjacent protected habitat can’t be overstated.”

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