Sempervirens Fund Takes Ownership of Gazos Creek

The largely untouched 320-acre Gazos Creek property provides a refuge for many types of wildlife.

Friday, November 15, 2019. Sempervirens Fund announced today that it has taken formal ownership of the 320-acre Gazos Creek property, protected in March of this year in a larger deal with Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) and Big Creek Lumber. The property contains a large, second-growth forest that includes scattered old-growth trees and is directly adjacent to Butano State Park. It is considered critical habitat for the conservation of the endangered marbled murrelet.

The property sits within the Gazos Creek Watershed, which is largely undeveloped and provides habitat for anadromous fish like Coho and steelhead. In addition, many species of birds, mammals, and other animals live in this untouched area. Previously owned by Big Creek Lumber, the property has not been harvested for redwoods since Big Creek purchased it in the 1950s.

The property is well protected due to its steep hills and dense vegetation, which makes it difficult to access.

Sempervirens Fund staff will begin evaluating the property to determine its needs. Many properties in the area have specific restoration or conservation needs to ensure that the forest is healthy, that the redwoods within grow strong, and that native plants and animals can thrive.

Visiting Butano State Park, which Sempervirens Fund helped protect in 1958, is easy. It's just a short drive from the town of Pescadero, north of Davenport on Highway 1. Of the three state parks that Sempervirens Fund helped develop, Butano receives the least amount of visitors, thus providing explorers the chance to truly experience the wonders of redwoods in relative solitude. Learn more about Butano state park here.

Some old-growth trees like these have been found on the property.