LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Tuesday Representatives Mike Thompson, John Garamendi and Lynn Woolsey introduced legislation to designate the Berryessa Snow Mountain region as a National Conservation Area.

The proposed National Conservation Area includes 321,000 acres of federal public lands from Lake Berryessa to Mendocino National Forest, and stretching across Lake, Yolo, Napa and Mendocino counties, according to the Woodland-based conservation group Tuleyome, a major supporter of the effort. Of that area 248,971 acres are within Lake County alone.

“The Berryessa Snow Mountain Region is a unique national treasure and we have a responsibility to preserve it for our kids and grandkids,” said Thompson. “Designating the region as a National Conservation Area will preserve the land, help our local economies, and protect a wide variety of plants and animals. This is the right way forward for the region and our communities.”

At its April 17 meeting, the Lake County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to pass a resolution expressing support for forming the area, agreeing that it offered the county economic and environmental benefits, as Lake County News has reported.

“Permanently protecting the Berryessa Snow Mountain Region makes good business sense,” Lake County Supervisor Denise Rushing said in a written statement. “Gateway communities – including many here in Lake County – will benefit from the increased tourism and job creation that a National Conservation Area will bring.”

The city councils of Clearlake, Winters and Davis also have offered support for their conservation area's formation, has have dozens of individuals, business owners and local officials throughout Lake County, and many more in neighboring counties.

Local environmental groups, recreationists and business owners praised the legislation, which they say will provide permanent protections for the area, a prime recreation spot and home to a wide array of rare plants and animals.

“We’re pleased that Representatives Thompson, Garamendi and Woolsey have recognized the natural wonders and recreational opportunities offered by the Berryessa Snow Mountain Region – and the strong desire by community members to protect this scenic treasure so that it can be enjoyed by future generations,” said Tuleyome Executive Director Sara Husby. “His National Conservation Area proposal is a win-win for everyone.”

The white water rapids of Cache Creek, Lake Berryessa’s renowned bass fishery, hiking and horseback riding opportunities make the Berryessa Snow Mountain Region a major outdoor recreation destination.

Supporters of the legislation say that permanent protection for the region would improve management of trails, campsites and other recreation opportunities, and also would increase user education and help draw visitors to the area year-round.

“Protecting this area will help the waterways that so many people already love and use,” said Steve Karr, Chairman of the Board for Putah Creek Trout. “A National Conservation Area goes hand in hand with our ongoing efforts to improve the wild trout fishery in Putah Creek and will help foster better outdoor experiences for visitors and residents alike.”

Outdoor recreation and protected lands are economic drivers. Recent studies by Headwaters economics have found that jobs and real personal income rose in local communities after nearby areas were permanently protected. That same potential is offered by the Berryessa Snow Mountain region.

A National Conservation Area designation would secure continued recreation opportunities in the area while safeguarding the region’s natural beauty, wildlife, rare plants and waters – which include important sources of drinking water and irrigation for nearby communities.  

As one of the largest tracts of relatively undisturbed public lands in the state, the Berryessa Snow Mountain Region has been named a “biodiversity hotspot.” It provides habitat for one of the state’s largest populations of wintering bald eagles and some of the most unique butterflies in the state.

Visit www.berryessasnowmountain.org for more information.