What does the future hold for Cedar Canyon Nature Park?

CEDAR CITY — Coal Creek cuts through the landscape adjacent to Highway 14, where Cedar Canyon Nature Park boasts scenic beauty and a paved, meandering trail. In warmer months, it’s alive with vegetation and wildlife. Now, it’s still and peaceful under a blanket of snow.

One of the signs for Cedar Canyon Nature Park, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 30, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News

Runners navigate from the park onto the city’s trail system. Newly engaged couples pose for photos on the bridge against a mountain backdrop. But for now, its future is uncertain.

Cedar Canyon Nature Park is for sale.

In 2021, the Southwest Wildlife Foundation relocated to Enoch after the project at Cedar Canyon Nature Park was determined to be unviable, Cedar City News reported.

At the time, Martin Tyner, the nonprofit’s founder, CEO and federally licensed wildlife rehabilitator, declined to comment on the events that prompted the change.

More recently, Tyner told Cedar City News that they received notification that the city would enforce a public right of way for motor vehicles through the nature park property.

Cedar City attorney Tyler Romeril said the foundation installed a gate across a dirt road due to issues with vandalism and all-terrain vehicles. The road had been used by the nonprofit’s neighbors to reach their property, as well as others to access public land.

An aerial view of Cedar Canyon with red arrows indicating the original Canyon Road | Image courtesy of Cedar City Corporation, Cedar City News

So, the city investigated whether it was private or public and found that the road, dubbed the original Canyon Road, had been used by the general public continuously since 1852 when the territory of Utah appropriated tax funds to open a road to the canyon’s coal mines, Romeril said.

They also found no evidence of the public road being vacated.

According to documentation provided by the city, the road can be found on General Land Office plats and both historic and U.S. Geological Survey maps.

It was determined to be a public road — a decision Tyner disagreed with.

“An unrestricted dirt road into a nature park means no park,” he said.

The foundation could no longer deny access to those who wished to use the road, Romeril said, adding that the city should be notified of vandalism so the Cedar City Police can enforce related laws and ordinances.

Some of the issues the park experienced included people pulling out or breaking signs, dumping trash cans or throwing them into the creek and repeatedly vandalizing the restrooms, Tyner said. He notified the police department but because the property was open to the public, it was difficult to catch the culprits.

“It’s not unlike any other public facility where people go in and abuse it for no reason,” he said.

The bathrooms at Cedar Canyon Nature Park, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 30, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News

The nature park is “the most beautiful piece of ground and the most important riparian habitat on Coal Creek,” Tyner said, adding that the area “really should be protected.”

But ultimately, Tyner felt that Cedar City was the “wrong municipality” and political environment for the project.

Additionally, Tyner said the city wants to build subdivisions and shopping centers and promote other development in the canyon. And that “the last thing they want is a nature park and so Cedar City will get its wish.”

“Cedar City has its own vision,” he said. “And a nature park really isn’t part of that vision.”

Romeril said Cedar City is not advocating for residential or commercial development on the property and that he’s only had one prior discussion on the subject with a council member who expressed an interest in the land remaining “vacant, beautiful property.”

Romeril said the city had no desire to “play a role in the Southwest Wildlife Foundation deciding to leave.”

View from the Cedar Canyon Nature Park bridge, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 30, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News

“That was not what we wanted at all,” he said. “But at the same time, when a public road is a public road, we can’t restrict people from using it as long as they’re doing it lawfully.”

The nonprofit has since opened the Enoch Wildlife Rescue, where they were offered a 100-year lease on land near the Enoch PetSafe Dog Park and Enoch Animal Shelter for $1 per year, Tyner said, adding that he’s paid for the entire term upfront.

While geographically, Enoch and Cedar City are “the same place,” Tyner said the cities vary ideologically.

“Cedar City does everything it can to run like a government and Enoch does everything it can to run like a community,” he said, adding that Enoch’s residents opened their hearts to the foundation and that they found support from the city’s public officials.

“I can’t envision at any time, literally in the next 200-300 years that we’re going to have an issue with Enoch and not be able to continue to do the wildlife rescue and wildlife education,” Tyner added.

The bridge at Cedar Canyon Nature Park, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 30, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News

In 2o21, the 22.62-acre parcel that encompasses the nature park was listed for sale by Coldwell Banker Realty. It was priced at $2,249,900 as of Jan. 30. The land is being advertised as a potential subdivision “in one of the most unique areas in Southern Utah.”

“Zoned R-1 and ready to be developed,” the listing reads. “Would make a great hotel location. All proceeds will benefit the Southwest Wildlife Foundation.”

The land was originally donated to the foundation by Rocky Mountain Power, a division of PacifCorp, in 2000. The original deed specified that the property would be used for creating and maintaining a wildlife center and for the benefit of the general public, Romeril said.

However, Tyner said he spoke with representatives of the company, first to consider returning the property and later with interest in selling.

And in April 2021, Rocky Mountain Power signed a quit claim deed at his request to release the property from its previous provisions, Tiffany Erickson, who works PacifiCorp’s media relations department, said. This freed the nonprofit to list the park for sale.

While Tyner said the nonprofit’s board of directors, including himself, would make the final decision, his choice would be to deposit the proceeds into a trust brokerage account, “never touch the principle,” and use the accrued interest to cover the foundation’s costs of operation.

Martin Tyner of Southwest Wildlife Foundation with a rescued bunny at his home, Enoch, Utah, June 18, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

“It will be funded into perpetuity,” he said. “It’ll go forever.”

The foundation is “starting over again” in Enoch after nearly 25 years, Tyner said, adding that they are refocusing on wildlife rescue.

While the land hasn’t been sold yet, the nonprofit has successfully funded the addition of an eagle flight chamber via donations, Tyner said, adding that the project is still in the works.

“I needed an eagle flight chamber for 50 years,” he said.

Once the current project is completed, Tyner said they could build additional smaller chambers for hawks, falcons, owls and other similar birds, and an on-site veterinary clinic. Vet care is currently done in Tyner’s home.

“I will actually have my house back,” he said.

Before the move, donations to the foundation were used to construct the bridge, walking paths, picnic area, bathrooms and other amenities at the Cedar Canyon Nature Park, Tyner said.

The walking path at Cedar Canyon Nature Park, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 30, 2023 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News

“The one thing these projects have in common is all of these projects benefit the people of Cedar City,” he said. “And, now that we are no longer building a nature park, every penny that comes into my foundation goes into wildlife rescue, wildlife rescue facilities and wildlife education.”

Additionally, as Tyner gets older, he’s interested in hiring and training employees that could run Southwest Wildlife Foundation in his stead.

“There’s tremendously wonderful people in Cedar City – there really are,” he said. “But it’s become time to move to Enoch and get a whole lot more serious about getting the foundation on its feet and replacing me.”

To learn more about the Southwest Wildlife Foundation, visit the nonprofit’s website, Facebook page or YouTube channel.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

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