A ceremony was held on Friday celebrating the opening of a five-mile, multi-loop, public trail system at the Bently-Kirman Tract in Carson Valley providing the community with access to the Carson River.
"The new trail mimics the natural sinuosity of the nearby river, meandering peacefully around wetlands, willow stands and wild rose thickets, before emerging at four sandbar beaches," said Duane Petite, director of the Carson River Project for The Nature Conservancy.
The trail project, a partnership between Bently Agrowdynamics, The Nature Conservancy, the Carson Valley Trails Association, and Boy Scout Troop 495, was constructed entirely by volunteers who put in more than 100 hours building the trail.
Conservation collaboration at the Bently-Kirman Tract began in 2005 with a conservation easement on the property with funding from Nevada Division of State Lands, Nevada Department of Wildlife, and a donation from the Bently family that safeguards more than 1,000 acres of floodplain habitat from development.
"From the beginning, the vision of this project was to demonstrate that cattle ranching, habitat protection, and public access can be compatible activities," Petite said. "The opening of this trail showcases how conservation can benefit both people and nature."
Christopher Bently, of Bently Holdings in San Francisco, said he has fond memories of Nevada and understands the importance of this trail.
"Growing up as a young boy in the Carson Valley gave me an appreciation for life in a simpler time which is becoming harder and harder to hold on to. The Nature Conservancy together with the hard work of The Boy Scouts in Troop 495 and the Carson Valley Trails Association have honored my father and I in helping us provide usable open space while promoting synergy between land preservation and agriculture. Carson Valley will be able to enjoy local, sustainable agriculture along with usable open lands for many generations to come which has been a way of life here since the Valley was first settled."
The trail is designed to allow public access while preserving wildlife habitat and ongoing agricultural operations and provides an opportunity for hiking or trail running on a flat grade.
Use is limited to foot traffic only; dogs, horses and mechanized vehicles are not permitted.
For more information and downloadable copies of the trail map, visit www.nature.org/carson and click on the "Bently-Kirman Tract" link or visit www.carsonvalleytrails.org
