At a meeting Jan. 13, the Wasatch Open Lands Board recommended the county council dedicate nearly $2 million to place two farms in the Heber Valley under conservation easements. Combined, the properties cover a little over 90 acres of land.
The Pear Tree Llama Farm is just under 40 acres east of Center Street and south of Midway.
Maryssa Fenwick, a Land Preservation Project Manager for Utah Open Lands, said the property has a diverse ecosystem, including foxes, pollinator-friendly plants and a range of birds.
“They have a beehive there that utilizes that sagebrush,” she said. “And then the ruffed grouse, white-tailed jackrabbit, sandhill crane habitat, as well as the California quail and partridge.”
The land is worth $6.5 million in total. The owner will provide a quarter of the value, around $1.6 million. Utah Open Lands is requesting $750,000 from the county and the same amount from Midway.
Federal and state funding would cover the rest of the cost, including money from the LeRay McAllister Fund, a program to preserve agricultural land in Utah, and the federal Regional Conservation Partnership Program.
On the other side of the valley is the Holmes family dairy farm. The property is 52 acres off Lake Creek Road, south of the Red Ledges development.
Fenwick says the farm includes over 90% prime soil and soil of statewide importance. The designations mean the farmland is ideal for producing food and other key crops, which makes it eligible for federal funding.
The farm is worth about $7.8 million, and the family will contribute a little under $2 million in value.
Utah Open Lands has already applied for nearly $4 million in federal dollars from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and it should learn whether the application has been approved in February.
To cover the rest, Utah Open Lands is asking Wasatch County to contribute $1 million.
The Wasatch Open Lands Board told the county council it recommended approving the conservation funding for both farms.
Board chair Heidi Franco said preserving open space benefits the whole community.
“Your land is yours, but it means so much to everyone that sees it and everyone that feels that strength and peace from your land also,” she said.
Now, it’s up to the Wasatch County Council to decide whether to grant the funding for each property.
Locals can share their thoughts at a public hearing Feb. 5 at 6 p.m. in the county administration building. Information about how to send comments to the council and attend the public hearing is available on the county website.
