Nevada rancher permanently protects 1,228 acres for sage-grouse habitat and farming

A Nevada rancher has permanently protected 1,228 acres of land to support farming and safeguard habitat for the rare Bi-State sage-grouse. David Park began efforts to conserve Desert Creek Ranch in 2016, according to the Eastern Sierra Land Trust. The work has now resulted in a permanent conservation agreement covering the entire 1,228 acres. The agreement prevents non-agricultural development and protects the land as both working ranchland and wildlife habitat. A separate grant awarded in 2026 will also support restoration work across 350 acres of the property. The funding will be used to treat invasive grass, which threatens native plants and increases the risk of wildfires.A decade of protective effortRancher David Park began working to protect Desert Creek Ranch around ten years ago. His aim was to keep the property available for agriculture while protecting the natural areas needed by the Bi-State sage-grouse. According to documents from the Eastern Sierra Land Trust, the protection was achieved through a conservation easement. This is a legally binding agreement attached to a property's deed. It places permanent limits on how the land can be used, even when ownership changes. Under the agreement, the 1,228 acres cannot be used for non-agricultural development or divided into smaller plots. This prevents the land from being turned into residential or commercial developments.