Utah Issues
What Can You Do?
Volunteer with the Grand Canyon Trust and help us extend our reach and positive influence on the ground. We need your help with gathering browse data and measuring stubble height of riparian plants in the late fall on key allotments.
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Livestock Collaborations
Precedent-setting: Sustainable Grazing Collaboration (2011–present)
In April 2011, a unique, 15-member collaboration was convened by the Utah Department of Natural Resources (UDNR) and the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF). Its goal is to “develop consensus agreement on grazing management principles and practices for Forest 
Service lands in Southern Utah that provide for ecological sustainability, are socially acceptable, and economically viable.” The collaboration was initiated to create a multi-stakeholder understanding of, and buy-in for, subsequent forest plan revisions that address grazing on the Dixie, Fishlake, and Manti-La Sal National Forests.
Ambitious: Monroe Mountain Working Group (2011–present)
This 19-member group (plus engagement by 13 Fishlake National Forest staff) is also unique: It is a consensus-based collaboration to restore aspen at a landscape scale — in this case, the entire Monroe Mountain. Some of the mountain’s extensive aspen are being overtopped by conifer because of fire; other large stands lack recruitment of sprouts into overstory because of excessive browsing by elk, cattle, sheep, and deer.
The collaboration is undertaking major grazing management changes, large areas of mechanical thinning of conifer from aspen and prescribed fire, and extensive monitoring in coordination with Sam St. Clair, a Brigham Young University researcher. In July 2011, the entire collaboration took a 3-day camping trip to view 39 different aspen sites on Monroe Mountain. We have been meeting monthly, with extensive subgroup work between meetings. This collaboration is co-chaired by Mary O’Brien (Utah Forests Program) and Bill Hopkin (Director, Grazing Improvement Program, UDAF).
Long-running: Tushar Collaboration (2007–present)
The Trust continues to track the implementation of a 2009 agreement that was reached via an intensive, 2-year collaboration on the Pine Creek / Sulphurbeds and Ten Mile cattle allotments, which have numerous resource problems. The Tushar Allotments Collaboration originated in 2007 when conservation groups proposed it in lieu of litigating a decision regarding eight cattle term-grazing permits on the Fishlake National Forest.
Learn more about the Tushar Allotments...
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