Wildlands Conservancy to Acquire Historic AP Ranch and Open Over 20,000 Acres to Public

The Wildlands Conservancy has reached an agreement to acquire the AP Ranch, a 14,177-acre property in western Siskiyou County that has been in private hands for 170 years. Founded in 1856 by Alexander Parker, the ranch was owned by the Newton family since 1961 and operated as a year-round cow-calf enterprise with about 500 mother cows. The $15.5 million purchase will join the ranch with the Conservancy’s 6,094-acre Beaver Valley Headwaters Preserve, creating a contiguous public landscape of more than 20,000 acres across the Scott River watershed.

The land contains the East Fork’s headwaters, water rights, and two alpine lakes, which are vital for Coho salmon, king salmon, steelhead, and beaver habitats. The Conservancy intends to end intensive livestock use, build trails, and collaborate with tribal and environmental groups to restore habitats for species such as Roosevelt elk, black bears, mountain lions, and the region’s recovering gray wolves. Free access will support hiking, wildlife viewing, school trips, and winter activities like cross-country skiing.