National Park Trust Assists National Park Service in Securing Property for Lassen Volcanic National Park
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 2, 2020
Contact: Phil Selleck, phil@parktrust.org, 301-279-7275 x14,
National Park Trust Assists National Park Service in Securing Property for Lassen Volcanic National Park
Washington, D.C., March 2, 2020 – National Park Trust today announced the acquisition of one of the last remaining private properties inside of a remote area of Lassen Volcanic National Park, California.
The Park Trust used its newly established Treasure Forever Fund to fund a key piece of the process that allowed the National Park Service to purchase the land. As a result, a small but important .6 acre section of old-growth forest will now be accessible to the public and permanently protected in its natural state, preventing the land from being developed. This acquisition also helps to protect a segment of the historic Nobles Emigrant Trail, a western migration route pioneered by William H. Noble in the early 1850s.
“Lassen Volcanic National Park is pleased that the National Park Trust is able to help the Park Service acquire a small undeveloped parcel along historic Hat Creek for the benefit of current and future generations of park visitors.”
Jim Richardson, Superintendent of Lassen Volcanic National Park
The Park Trust’s newly established Treasure Forever Fund is unique because it provides park and conservation partners with financing to act quickly in response to rare and time-sensitive conservation opportunities, plus the funds are continually reimbursed by our National Park Service partners. In essence dollars “revolve” back into the fund to be used for future land acquisition projects.
“We are so grateful for the philanthropic contributions from our board and donors that made the Treasure Forever Fund possible; they are the ‘gift that keeps on giving’ as we use them to buy more critical lands for the parks.”
Phil Selleck, Park Trust Director of Land Preservation.
Lassen Volcanic National Park is located in the southern Cascade Mountains of California. Established in 1916, the park protects an area that has been volcanically active for three million years. Today, hydrothermal features reveal this continuing activity – mud pots, springs and boiling pools show how the park is bubbling away, proving a popular attraction to visitors.
With its varying terrain, the park boasts 150 miles of scenic hiking trails for exploring its ancient trees, crystal clear lakes, and wildflower-packed meadows. The views provided are unprecedented – shield, composite, cinder cone and plug dome volcanoes can all be spotted around the park. No matter where you are, Lassen Peak is always visible. Standing at 10,440 feet above sea level, it is the largest plug dome volcano on Earth and is still active.
ABOUT NATIONAL PARK TRUST
National Park Trust is a non-profit dedicated to preserving parks today and creating park stewards for tomorrow. It is the only land trust with a comprehensive mission of protecting national parks through land acquisition and creating a pipeline of future park stewards by connecting kids to parks. Since 1983, Park Trust has preserved over 30,000 acres in 31 states, one US Territory and Washington, DC. In 2019, National Park Trust engaged over 1 million people in their annual Kids to Parks Day and provided nearly 20,000 under-served kids with park trips through their nationally recognized Buddy Bison Programs. Find out more about the Park Trust and the Treasure Forever Fund at parktrust.org or by contacting Dolores McDonagh at dolores@parktrust.org.
