Miller Ranch

The Shasta Land Trust is pleased to announce the permanent protection of Miller Ranch! Located near Shingletown, the 702-acre family ranch will forever be protected and safe from development, ensuring the land will be preserved as a working ranch and forest for years to come.

Miller Ranch is an incredible story of a passionate landowner working to protect local agriculture, while maintaining and restoring the health of the property’s diverse habitats. “The reason I wanted to protect the property was to preserve my parent’s legacy,” said the property owner, Bruce Miller. “They bought it as a ranch in 1963, and I wanted to preserve it as a ranch forever.” 

Home to an active cattle operation, the property contains rich soil designated as Prime Farmland, with over 140 acres of the property dedicated to grazing. The Miller Family has active plans to enhance the property’s ecological health and ranching capacity. “We’re in the process of fuel mitigation for fire protection with the thinning of timber, removing blackberries, and making pasture improvements for more head of cattle.”  

The fuels reduction and timber management of the ranch provides a vital wildfire buffer with immense community benefits and security against the growing fire threat and anticipated drought conditions in the region. In partnership with local fire agencies, a portion of meadow on the property is also designated as a Temporary Refuge Area to be used by Shingletown residents in the event of a catastrophic wildfire evacuation.

Located in the Bear Creek watershed, the property also protects precious water resources, including four natural springs, a half mile of shoreline of Shingle Creek, and portions of the South Fork of Bear Creek and North Fork of Battle Creek. Over 35 acres of fresh emergent wetland and approximately 28 acres of wet meadows provide important habitat for a variety of aquatic waterfowl and wildlife. The property’s abundant conifer, oak woodland, and grassland habitats additionally support wildlife such as black-tailed deer, California quail, mountain lions, spotted owls, bald eagles, and peregrine falcons. 

Notably, the property protects approximately one mile of the historically significant Nobles Emigrant Trail. Dating back to 1851, the once popular trail was used by more than 200,000 emigrants in the mid-19th century in pursuit of gold and farmland. 

Thanks to the support of the Department of Conservation, and with the long-term vision of the Miller Family, this property’s biodiverse habitats, rich history, agricultural values, and scenic beauty will now be protected forever.