Fort Bragg,โ Calif.- August 27, 2025 โ – Critical habitat for the federally โendangered Point Arena โmountain beaver has been permanently protected through โa โฃdonation ofโ land โคto the Mendocino Land Trust. The conservation easement, โencompassing 2.3 acres known as the Popow Redwoods, was gifted by the estate of ceramic artist Sonya Popow, who passed away in March after owningโ the propertyโฃ for overโข 50 years.
The popowโฃ Redwoods, located in unincorporated Mendocino County near Fort Bragg, featuresโข large second-growth โขredwoods and safeguards aโ vital ecosystem for several โthreatenedโค and endangered species. This donation, alongsideโฃ a โseparate easement received in August โฃfor the Windy Hollow โฃproperty, underscores โtheโ Land Trust’sโ commitment โto preserving Mendocino โCounty’s unique biodiversity.
Windy Hollow is part of the Garciaโ River watershed, a known habitat for salmon. Beyond the mountain beaver, the area โis also believed to โขsupport the federally endangered Behren’s silverspotโค butterfly, found betweenโฃ Mendocino and Salt Point State Park. โThe โขLand Trustโค also suspects theโข presence of โother federally endangeredโค plant โขspecies โon the property.
The Point โคarena mountainโ beaver, โขa small, stocky animal with black fur,โฃ was listed asโ endangered by the U.S. Fish andโค Wildlife Serviceโ in 1991. Habitat loss and development pose โthe greatest โขthreat to its survival,โฃ according to the wildlife service.
“The donation, made by the estate of ceramic artist Sonya Popow, forever โprotect theโฃ land from logging and development,” the โคMendocino Land Trust stated.
More data โขabout the donations andโ theโ Mendocino Land Trust’s โขconservation efforts โcanโค be found at mendocinolandtrust.org.