Summit Land Conservancy

SUMMIT LAND CONSERVANCY IS A REGIONAL LAND TRUST THAT WORKS WITH OUR COMMUNITIES IN THE WASATCH BACK TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE LAND AND WATER FOR THE BENEFIT OF PEOPLE AND NATURE.

LAND CONSERVATION: IN 2021 THE SUMMIT LAND CONSERVANCY CONTINUED OUR EFFORTS TO SAVE THE LANDS AND WATERS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITIES ALONG THE WASATCH BACK AREA OF NORTHERN UTAH. THE CONSERVANCY PLACED 4 NEW CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, AMENDED ONE EXISTING EASEMENT TO INCLUDE 80 ADJACENT ACRES, AND ACCEPTED THE GIFT OF LAND THAT CAN BE RESERVED FOR CONSERVATION. OUR 2021 NEW EASEMENTS INCLUDED THE MOUNTAIN SPA PROJECT, WHICH INVOLVED MANY PARTNERS INCLUDING MIDWAY CITY AND WASATCH COUNTY AND RESULTED IN OVER 45 ACRES PROTECTED. THE CONSERVANCY SUBMITTED FUNDING REQUESTS TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN 2021 FOR THREE PROJECTS IN SUMMIT COUNTY. THE CONSERVANCY CONTINUED WORK IN 2021 ON FIVE ADDITIONAL PROJECTS IN WASATCH, SUMMIT, MORGAN, AND WEBER COUNTIES AND MET WITH MANY POTENTIAL NEW LANDOWNERS. THE CONSERVANCY ALSO OFFERS PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT TO OTHER LAND TRUSTS IN UTAH TO ENABLE THEM TO SAVE LAND IN THEIR SERVICE AREAS.

OUTREACH: THE SUMMIT LAND CONSERVANCY RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITIES TO THE LANDS AND WATERS WE PROTECT. IF PEOPLE DO NOT SPEND TIME IN NATURE, THEY WILL NOT DEVELOP A CONSERVATION ETHIC OR DESIRE TO PROTECT THE GREEN SPACES THAT ARE VITAL TO OUR SURVIVAL. IN 2021, THE CONSERVANCY OFFERED A VARIETY OF COMMUNITY CONSERVATION PROGRAMS FOR BOTH ADULTS AND CHILDREN TO HELP FOSTER RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE NATURAL WORLD. KIDS WERE ABLE TO LEARN ABOUT LOCAL OPEN SPACE AND STEWARDSHIP THROUGH THE CONSERVANCY'S OUTDOOR EXPLORERS ADVENTURE CAMPS WHICH SERVED 80 YOUNG CONSERVATIONISTS. THE CONSERVANCY'S KIDS OUTDOORS PROGRAM PARTNERED WITH THE PARK CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM, AND CONSERVANCY STAFF VISITED FOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TO HELP RESTORE UNSTRUCTURED NATURE PLAY TO 200 CHILDREN. THE SUMMIT LAND CONSERVANCY EXPANDED ITS OUTREACH TO OVER 200 ADULTS WHO EXPERIENCED PARK CITY'S TRAILS AND OPEN SPACES IN NEW WAYS THROUGH NATURE BATHING HIKES, HOPS HUNTERS HIKES, AND MOON SHINE ADVENTURES. IN 2021, THE CONSERVANCY WAS ALSO HONORED TO BE SELECTED AS MARK MILLER SUBARU'S "LOVES THE EARTH" SHARE THE LOVE PROGRAM PARTNER.

STEWARDSHIP AND MONITORING: THIS YEAR THE CONSERVANCY MONITORED 47 EASEMENTS IN PERSON, TOTALING OVER 7,000 ACRES. STAFF VISITED EVERY EASEMENT IN PERSON AND UTILIZED FOOT, BIKE AND VEHICLE TRAVEL TO INSPECT PROPERTIES AND TALK TO LANDOWNERS ABOUT THEIR MANAGEMENT OF EASEMENT PROPERTIES. EVERY YEAR, THE BASELINE AND CONSERVATION EASEMENT ARE REVIEWED PRIOR TO MONITORING FOR EACH PROPERTY, AND THE SITES OF ANY RESERVED RIGHTS REQUESTS OR VIOLATIONS ARE VISITED. NO EASEMENT VIOLATIONS WERE FOUND IN THE MONITORING VISITS, AND LANDOWNERS WERE ADVISED IN THE REPORTS OF HOW IMPROVEMENTS COULD BE MADE TO MANAGEMENT. THE MONITORING REPORTS WERE SENT OUT TO LANDOWNERS, EASEMENT COHOLDERS, AND NRCS IN A TIMELY MANNER. SINCE THE PAST MONITORING SEASON, STAFF HAD EVALUATED 14 NEW RESERVED RIGHTS REQUESTS, AND HAD WORKED WITH THE LANDOWNERS TO ENSURE THE PLANNED ACTIVITIES DID NOT IMPACT THE CONSERVATION VALUES STATED IN THE EASEMENT.