Hat Creek Property Conserved and Returned to the Pit River Tribe

We are pleased to announce 1,636 acres now protected forever in the Hat Creek Area! Located within the Pit River Tribe’s Illmawi Band’s ancestral territory, the property has now been returned to the Tribe’s ownership as the original stewards of the land. 

The property joins Shasta Land Trust’s protected or soon-to-be protected lands in the Hat Creek and Pit River confluence, totaling an expansive 4,245 acres. The connectivity of this property to adjacent protected lands serves as an incredibly valuable addition to the Hat Creek conservation area. 

The property is located within the Hat Creek watershed and the Pit River watershed near Lake Britton. The proximity to both watersheds makes it an essential conservation zone for aquatic species like blue heron and osprey, as well as a variety of endangered and threatened species like sandhill crane, bank swallow, Shasta crayfish, rainbow trout, and sculpin. The area adjacent to Lake Britton and the Pit River has one of the largest populations of bald eagles within the U.S., in addition to significant populations of osprey and peregrine falcon.

The landscape features a range of diverse habitats including Montane hardwood, conifer, ponderosa pine, and annual grasslands. A wet meadow and several ephemeral streams appear on the property as well. Protection of these habitats and waterways benefit migratory species and native wildlife, and contribute to water quality downstream in the larger Sacramento River watershed. 

This property which contains immense cultural, scenic, and ecological values can remain safe from the risk of development forever! We are thankful for our partners at the Stewardship Council, Pit River Tribe, and PG&E for their support of this conservation project.