A combined $5 million contribution from WebTrends founders Glen Boyd and Eli Shapira allowed the Nature Conservancy of Oregon to secure 26,879 acres of prairie land in the northeastern part of the state. The Zumwalt Prairie Preserve, as it is known, is North America's largest expanse of bunchgrass prairie.

The Zumwalt preserve is home to one of the densest concentrations of birds of prey in the nation, and has large populations of elk, steelhead and redband trout. At a total $16 million for the 220-square-mile site, this is the largest purchase made by the conservation group in that state, The Oregonian newspaper reports.

The organization must raise the remaining $11 million, but the two men's donation prevented the prairie land from being sold at public auction.

Boyd, who provided half of the $5 million, gave the money without ever seeing the land, saying it was an "opportunity to do something big and substantial" for the state, the newspaper reports.

David Whitehead, the Nature Conservancy's development director, said his group is receiving more contributions from people working in the high-tech sector.

The Nature Conservancy plans to study the land and its wildlife before making any decisions about how the tract may be used. It is pursuing research partnerships with government agencies, universities and local schools.

The nonprofit organization also plans to continue property tax payments totaling $6,400 a year to Wallowa County so the local community won't be financially harmed by the purchase, the newspaper reports.

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