I Spy With My Little Eye…SPI Land

We have all heard a Realtor use that ultimate selling point: “And better yet, the property backs up to SPI Land!” You just smile and nod. It’s like being at a high school party when someone uses a word you don’t know, but of course you’re cool, so you just hit them with a slow blink and a "Totally."

But what actually is SPI land? Why should you care? Take a seat, grab a pencil, and class is in session. SPI land is private timberland owned by Sierra Pacific Industries, one of the biggest lumber giants and private landowners in the country. We are talking over 2.4 million acres across California, Washington, and Oregon. How did they get that much land? They basically won the ultimate game of historical Monopoly. Back in the 1980s, SPI went all-in and bought up over half a million acres of legacy railroad land that dated all the way back to the 19th-century transcontinental railroad grants. Because the government handed that land out in alternating blocks, it left behind a giant, real-world checkerboard of public and private forest.

So, how does this benefit you and your potential backyard? Unlike most private property owners who will chase you off with a clipboard (or worse), SPI generously opens the vast majority of their land to the public. It is the next best thing to having a National Forest behind your house. You can use it for hiking, hunting, mountain biking, or some casual forest bathing. Even better, they actively clear out trees for milling and rapidly replant trees to maximize sustainability, meaning your view stays green and your wildfire risk drops. You’ll find many access points all over the 95223 zip to roads and single tracks to enjoy the wide open playground that is SPI!

Now you can go back to your Realtor, look them in the eye, and say, "Totally", and actually mean it.