SALT LAKE CITY – The ongoing work of controlling the spread and mitigating the impact of an invasive plant species, Phragmites australis, on the shoreline of Great Salt Lake and Utah Lake continued to see success in 2022. This year a total of 6,312 acres of phragmites-infested shoreline were treated around Great Salt Lake and Utah Lake by the Division …
State of Utah Establishes Advisory Council for Great Salt Lake Watershed Enhancement Trust
SALT LAKE CITY (January 31, 2023) – Today, the Great Salt Lake Watershed Enhancement Trust announced the membership of its new Trust Advisory Council. Establishing the council is an essential element in formalizing the Trust structure and advancing the Trust’s mission to bring more water flows to Great Salt Lake and its wetlands. The Great Salt Lake Watershed Enhancement Program …
2022 Fire Program Awards Handed Out at Annual Meeting
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands honored a Fire Warden of the Year and a Cooperator of the Year from the state of Utah. These awards are given to groups or individuals that have been an integral part of the wildfire suppression efforts within the state during the calendar year. Fire Warden of …
2022 State Forester’s Stewardship Awards Announced
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands honored two individuals with forestry stewardship awards as a part of the 2022 Utah Association of Conservation Districts. Matthew Zierenberg was honored with the Forest Stewardship Achievement Award. The Mark Blake Family received the Forest Landowner of the Year. Forest Stewardship Achievement Award – Matthew Zierenberg, Wasatch …
Application for Proposed Utah Lake Restoration Project Canceled
SALT LAKE (October 26, 2022) – The Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands (FFSL) has issued a Record of Decision notifying Lake Restoration Solutions, Inc. (LRS), that its current application for the proposed Utah Lake Restoration Project will be canceled. Because the pending application considers the disposal of land that would impede navigation and permanently transfer sovereign lands to …
Interagency Wildfire Fuel Treatments in Parley’s Canyon to Address Watershed Health
SALT LAKE CITY (Oct. 11, 2022) — The multi-agency treatment of wildfire fuels (mulching) in Parleys Canyon will continue with mechanical treatments beginning on Oct. 11 on the south side of I-80. It will continue up to Lambs Canyon as a part of more extensive fuel reduction work to improve watershed health and wildlife habitat. The Parleys Canyon project is …
Protecting Watersheds: How Invasive Species Removal Benefits Washington County
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Utah – Driving down SR-9 in Washington County, travelers are often overcome by the grandeur of the scenery that dots the landscape. Unknown to visitors traveling this route is a multi-year project that has been taking place along the Virgin River. For the past three years, Southwest Area Forester Carrie Howard has been working with private land owners, …
Great Salt Lake Causeway Berm Raised 4 Feet to Protect Salinity Levels
SALT LAKE CITY – Due to the increasing salinity issues related to the shrinking Great Salt Lake, the Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, along with the Division of Water Resources, modified the breach in the Union Pacific railroad causeway that divides the lake. The breach is a 180-foot section of the causeway that was removed to connect the …
Motorized Vehicle Use on Lake Beds Can Lead to Citations
SALT LAKE CITY – Due to the decreasing water levels at Great Salt Lake, there has been increased attention surrounding the lake, leading to increased visitors. With an uptick in visitors to the lake, state land managers want to remind the public of the rules surrounding the use of state sovereign lands. Over the last few weeks, law enforcement officers …