The Central Arizona Land Trust says at least an eighth of the historic Bar-Triangle Ranch 17 miles north of Prescott will remain a working ranch in perpetuity.
The trust now holds a conservation easement, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, which legally prevents the land from being used for anything other than ranching.
Landowners Mike Pierce and Pam Powers say it's the first step toward preserving the entire 5,600-acre ranch from the risk of development.
Pierce says he hopes it remains as it is today with its “wide-open spaces for future generations.”
“We feel privileged to work with Central Arizona Land Trust, which has brought together the first of several transactions that will result in permanent protection of our entire ranch," Pierce says.
Trust officials say the effort also preserves habitat for various critters, including pronghorn, javelina and coyote.
The ranch has operated since 1864, when William J. Simmons built a homestead in the area. The Pierce family bought the ranch as part of the Las Vegas Ranch in 1959.