In honor of PLT’s 30th year we are looking back at some firsts. Below is a story about PLT’s first gifted property written by PLT Board Member, Suzanne Rainville.
PLT was deeded 120 acres of forest property from Lola Peterson on December 19, 1996. The “Peterson Forest” is located at the southern end of Round Valley. Lola’s husband, Pete, wanted to preserve the property for open space, healthy forest and wildlife habitat.
Lola and Pete Peterson, a rancher from Round Valley, married in 1989 and stayed on the property until his death in 1996. Lola was happy to find a local land trust to carry out Pete’s and her wishes for the property, and she made the gift to PLT as a memorial to Pete.
Born in 1909 in Arizona, Lola had many talents and held an array of jobs in a variety of locations, including secretary for Governor Hunt of Arizona and Certified Welder for the Navy during World War II. Lola came to Cascade in 1946 with her first husband where they built and operated the original Clear Creek Grocery and Service Station, south of Cascade. She loved the outdoors and spent quite a bit of time trapping and enjoying the wilderness. Lola, along with her second husband, owned and operated the Hays Logging Company where she worked as a loader operator for ten years. After her second husband’s death she managed the Mini-Mart Thrift and Gift Shop in Cascade.
The gift deed agreement for the 120 acres requires PLT to manage the property to conserve open space, enhance forest qualities, and maintain and enhance wildlife habitat and aesthetic values. Logging is encouraged to maintain the health of the forest. Prior to the gift to the PLT, the property was selectively logged in the 1930’s and 40’s and also in the 1970’s and 90’s.
From 1997, PLT has monitored the property to insure it meets the gift deed agreement. In June of 2003, the PLT Board consulted with a certified forester to determine if any additional work was needed on the property. In discussions with the forester it was recommended to selectively log the property again, and the property was logged in the winter of 2003/2004.
In 2015, the PLT Board visited the property and reviewed the need to log the area again based on insect and disease activity in the area. In that review, no action was taken as the need was not imminent and the board wanted to ensure the wildlife habitat was maintained at that time. Most recently, in the summer and fall of 2022, two foresters walked and reviewed the property.
Today the property and forest is in good health and providing good wildlife habitat cover. PLT continues to monitor the forest property and update the forest management plan.