Siskiyou County Supervisors Oppose Nature Conservancy Land Acquisition in Etna

YREKA, CA — The Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 on October 21 to oppose a proposed land acquisition by The Nature Conservancy, citing concerns about tax revenue loss and local control over land management.

The board sent a formal letter of opposition to the California Wildlife Conservation Board regarding the Marble Peaks project, which would transfer approximately 455 acres near Etna to the conservation organization.

In the letter addressed to Dr. Jennifer M. Norris, Executive Director of the Wildlife Conservation Board, Board Chair Nancy Ogren outlined the county’s primary concerns. The supervisors expressed worry about the “ongoing loss of taxable land” in a county where more than 60 percent of land is already managed by federal and state agencies.

While The Nature Conservancy has indicated its intention to pay property taxes, the board noted the organization could pursue tax exemption status in the future. The county would likely lose tax revenue entirely if the property is eventually sold to a state agency.

The board also raised concerns about what it characterized as contradictory project objectives. The Nature Conservancy aims to conserve the property while maintaining agricultural productivity and simultaneously increasing streamflow for coho salmon habitat.

Based on past experience, the supervisors argued that properties acquired under similar conservation goals “often become unmaintained and unproductive, resulting in heightened fire risk and noxious weed vectors for surrounding properties and residents.”

The letter represented more than opposition to a single project. The board stated it does not support “any future large-scale land acquisitions that further reduce local ownership and management within the County.”

The supervisors emphasized their commitment to “preserving our local tax base, supporting responsible land management, mitigating wildfire risk, and sustaining agricultural productivity.”

Copies of the opposition letter were sent to local state legislators, including Assemblywoman Heather Hadwick and Senator Megan Dahle, as well as Rural County Representatives of California.