ST. GEORGE, Utah, June 26, 2007 (ENS) - The Nature Conservancy on Monday announced its purchase of 55 acres of rare habitat in St. George. The $167,100 purchase is the first step in an plan to create a new 800 acre preserve that may determine the fate of several globally rare and federally listed plants in Washington County.

Located in the fast developing South Block in south St. George, the preserve will provide an oasis for plants, animals and people, with plans in the works for public nature trails and educational signage.

Working with partners that include the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration, the Bureau of Land Management, the Utah Department of Transportation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the City of St. George, The Nature Conservancy has laid out plans for the creation of the White Dome Nature Preserve.

The newly protected area provides habitat for several at-risk species, including the zebra-tailed lizard and loggerhead shrike, as well as extremely rare native wildflowers.

The reserve will harbor some of last remaining populations of the threatened Siler pincushion cactus, Pediocactus sileri, and the endangered dwarf bear poppy, Arctomecon humilis, which are found in Washington County and nowhere else on Earth.

"This is an important achievement for the natural landscapes, plants and animals that make Washington County so unique," said Elaine York, the Conservancy's West Desert Regional Director. "The Conservancy is thrilled to be part of a collaboration to save these special places for future generations."

Additional land acquisitions in the South Block by the Conservancy and UDOT will take place this year and next, with a goal of piecing together all 800 acres of the White Dome Nature Preserve in the next few years. The partners are also creating a long-term plan for Preserve management, including fencing, maintenance, rare plant and pollinator research and habitat restoration, as well as the creation of hiking trails and signage that educates visitors about the unique natural features of the preserve.