Robert and Doris Hannan moved to 42 acres in southwestern Nevada County in the 1970s. Applying typical investment principals, they subdivided their property into four parcels. They planned either to give the three vacant parcels to their children or sell them to supplement their retirement.

But they fell deeply in love with the land in its natural state and became attached to the idea of keeping the land as it is. That’s when they heard about the Nevada County Land Trust and met with Executive Director Cheryl Belcher, who filled them in on their options.

The Hannans discussed their feelings with their children over Thanksgiving dinner, and their children supported their dream despite the prospect of otherwise receiving a building parcel or a more valuable future inheritance.

The Hannans patiently waited for the Land Trust to work with the Nevada County Conservation Alliance, a partnership of local conservation groups, to complete the Important Natural Community Areas (INCA) study, which showed that their land was in an area well worth conserving. INCA areas qualify for a Nature Conservancy matching grant, which will provide stewardship funds to monitor the Hannans’ easement forever. The value of the easement provides the match, so there is no cash outlay by the Hannans or the Land Trust.

We expect to secure the Hannan easement in the next couple of months and should receive stewardship grant money within about 90 days. This easement will protect wildlife habitat but won’t be open to the public.

The land is spectacular. Located near McCourtney Road, it is bisected by Dry Creek (a misnomer -- there’s nothing "dry" about this creek, as you can see in the photo below!). The creek runs through gentle pools, falls, massive boulders and bedrock outcrops. The stream supports a quarter-mile-long band of riparian vegetation.

Beyond the riparian area are mixed oak woodlands, underlying native grasses and wildflowers, and large open meadows. A wide diversity of plants and animals thrive there.

The Hannans have seen beavers and otters in the creek. Some of the rock outcrops near the creek have bedrock milling cups used by the Maidu people during thousands of years of prehistory.

The Land Trust is extremely grateful to the Hannans and their children for this generous gift to the natural environment and citizens of Nevada County.