BOULDER CREEK \u2014 California State Parks is expanding its presence in the Santa Cruz Mountains in a big way.<\/p>\n
The state agency announced Thursday that it acquired the 153-acre NoraBella property in Boulder Creek from Sempervirens Fund, California\u2019s first redwoods conservation land trust.<\/p>\n
The $2.41 million purchase will allow State Parks to expand the footprint of Big Basin Redwoods State Park as part of the first land addition to the treasured local recreational resource in 15 years, according to a State Parks release.<\/p>\n
\u201cBig Basin is California\u2019s oldest state park, and this keystone expansion will help accelerate the park\u2019s recovery from the devastating 2020 CZU wildfire while supporting the Newsom administration\u2019s Outdoors for All and 30\u00d730 initiatives,\u201d California State Parks Director Armando Quintero said in the release. \u201cNoraBella is the gateway into Big Basin and will serve as a world-class entrance to the park\u2019s new visitor center for generations to come.\u201d<\/p>\n
Commonly referred to as the \u201cgateway to Big Basin\u201d by those familiar with the mountainous region, NoraBella\u2019s expansive natural ecosystem has long made it a conservation priority for state authorities and regional partners. State Parks had its eye on preserving the property even before it was severely impacted by the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex fires<\/a> and it will be a key addition to the park\u2019s general plan that is meant to improve visitor-serving facilities.<\/p>\n Sempervirens, which played an integral role in establishing Big Basin in 1902, also has a long history of collaboration with State Parks and has been a key partner in the 124-year effort to protect Big Basin\u2019s now 18,376 acres.<\/p>\n \u201cThe land, habitats, waterways, and redwoods at NoraBella have been through so much over more than a century \u2014 from clearcutting, to being treated like a junkyard, to the CZU wildfire \u2014 and it feels like redemption to finally secure the forest\u2019s future as part of Big Basin,\u201d said Sempervirens Fund Executive Director Sara Barth. \u201cEven before the 2020 wildfire, we knew NoraBella would provide a dramatic entranceway to Big Basin, and enhance the conservation values of the park.\u201d<\/p>\n The massive redwoods on the NoraBella property, which is the ancestral homeland of the Ohlone people, were clear-cut at the turn of the 20th century, but the trees were subsequently given more than a century to grow back to their former glory. Now, with the entire 153-acre property forested once more, it has become an important component of the local watershed with three ridges that lead down to creeks, waterfalls and canyons. The land, which forms a miniature basin that complements Big Basin nearby, includes a primary tributary to the headwaters for Boulder Creek, which flows into the San Lorenzo River. Mountain lions, gray foxes and other striking wildlife critters have been observed on the property, according to the release.<\/p>\n \u201cNoraBella is a conservation gem,\u201d added David Cowman, Sempervirens Fund\u2019s director of land stewardship. \u201cPermanent protection of NoraBella as part of Big Basin is critical to ensure the long-term health of the Boulder Creek watershed and the San Lorenzo River system it supports. The property has abundant and healthy stands of redwoods, as well as mixed evergreen forests of Douglas-fir, coast live oaks, tan oaks and madrones.\u201d<\/p>\n In the wake of the 2020 fires, State Parks and its local partners established the Reimagining Big Basin project<\/a> that is meant to guide the park\u2019s recovery in a way that is mindful of current and future climate change impacts. That comprehensive plan<\/a> aims to make NoraBella\u2019s Saddle Mountain the site of a new welcome center for park visitors who can be shuttled in and out of the park, while operational facilities will be constructed on other parts of the land.<\/p>\n Placing the welcome center at Saddle Mountain is also advantageous because it will reduce the size of parking and other buildings in the heart of the old growth area, in turn, reducing the overall impact on these ancient behemoths.<\/p>\n In addition to its immense natural resources, NoraBella also has a fascinating history of local ownership. The property was previously owned by Roy Kaylor<\/a>, an eccentric inventor who stored numerous cars and objects on the property, leading to heated disputes with the county as debris accumulated and chemicals leached out into the surrounding area. Kaylor\u2019s quirks were broadcast to the world in the 2011 episode of \u201cHoarders\u201d from the A&E network.<\/p>\n Verve Coffee Roasters co-founder Colby Barr acquired the property from Santa Cruz County in June 2020 and completed various environmental assessments with help from Sempervirens. Eventually, the cleanup effort resulted in the NoraBella property receiving a clean bill of health and Barr sold it to Sempervirens in February 2021.<\/p>\n The State Parks purchase was made possible with partial funds provided by the Land and Water Conservation Fund through the U.S. Department of the Interior and the California Department of Parks and Recreation, according to the release.<\/p>\n