This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The Summit Land Conservancy has given Park City the final $1 million needed to complete a $5.7 million conservation easement purchase in the Round Valley area, popular with cross-country skiers for its free groomed trails.

The money, raised by sources including the Snyderville Basin Special Recreation District, is for the city's purchase of an easement on 121 acres of the Osguthorpe Round Valley Ranch. It's on the southern side of 1,600 acres of Round Valley open space that the city has preserved over 14 years at a cost of $30 million. More than 200 contributors to the latest purchase included individuals, foundations, Backcountry.com, Rio Tinto and the Utah Quality Growth Commission.

The Osguthorpe ranch could have been broken up into 120 homes, with negative effects to elk, moose and recreation, according to the conservancy. The family preferred to save its farm and has won multiple conservation awards.

Brandon Loomis