The Land Trust of Napa County announced plans to acquire a 436-acre property within the Knoxville Wildlife Area, protecting a key wildlife corridor and watershed lands with a $1 million state grant, land trust representatives announced Thursday.
The acquisition will preserve undeveloped land east of Napa Valley, eliminate two potential homesites and help connect protected habitats across a 7-million-acre landscape stretching from Lake Berryessa to the Oregon border, according to the Land Trust.
The property includes more than a mile of Zim Zim Creek, a 4-acre stock pond, and habitat for several special-status species, including the northwestern pond turtle and foothill yellow-legged frog.
The purchase is funded by a grant from the state Wildlife Conservation Board.
The Land Trust will initially acquire and manage the property before transferring it to the state at no cost for permanent inclusion in the Knoxville Wildlife Area, land trust officials said.
Note: This story has been updated to correct attribution and remove an incorrectly used image of the Napa County seal.