"It's a big mistake for the authors of this bill to try and buy off various members of the community," said LeGate. "From our perspective, it sets a dangerous precedent. If elected officials can succeed at using our federal public lands for their own pet projects, you can bet that officials in other states will try it."

But the Nature Conservancy has no qualms about the proposed funding mechanism and remains hopeful that the project will succeed.

"Private land conservation is an appropriate thing to be paid for with legislation of this type," said Amanda Smith of the Nature Conservancy. "We very much support this method, if the public lands are appropriately sold. Much of what needs to be attained with the conservation easements has a lot of public value."

Preserving the land

Livermore said protecting the Kanarra Mountain ranches from development would reduce threats to vital watersheds, provide a buffer for Zion National Park and preserve crucial wildlife habitat, all of which are beneficial to the public.

"Due to the growth of St. George and Las Vegas, there is increasing pressure in this area from second-home development," says Livermore. "We will never have another chance to protect the Kanarra Mountain region. Escalating land prices alone will put the area out of reach."

The Websters, like other southern Utah families with large land holdings, know that real estate is selling for astronomical prices here. But few of these landowners are anxious to divvy up their land for sale to the highest bidder.

"Most of these families own this property from homesteading days," Leavitt said during a recent bumpy drive past the Leavitt family cabin and on to the Webster place for a visit. "These people have deep, deep ties to the land."

Leavitt knew if the property owners didn't find a way to protect their land from future development, it was "only a matter of time before this mountain was cut up into 20 acre parcels and sold off."

The Websters say they wanted to preserve the land for their children and grandchildren, although their beloved ranching way of life may disappear over time.

"I'm a rancher, but it will probably end with me," Sandy Webster says. "I'm the last generation that could do it and make a living. You just can't do it anymore."

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E-mail: nperkins@desnews.com