Year of the Shorebird in Utah
On May 12, Governor Spencer Cox declared 2021 “Year of the Shorebird” in Utah and at Great Salt Lake. The announcement was made on the anniversary of the designation of Great Salt Lake as a site of “hemispheric importance.”
“This designation, made by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network, means that significant numbers of entire species rely on the habitat,” says Janice Gardner, Conservation Ecologist and co-author of Great Salt Lake Wetland Habitats: A Needs Report Based on Interviews with the Managers. This is the highest designation made by the network, highlighting the large-scale importance of Great Salt Lake and its wetlands.
What makes Great Salt Lake so crucial to birds?
Great Salt Lake is a bird haven of international significance, leading some locals to call it “America’s Serengeti.” With 338 bird species using the food sources available in the lake and surrounding wetlands, this salty jewel of the arid West is a priceless habitat.
“Birds like shorebirds and waterfowl need Great Salt Lake and its wetlands because the area provides food – insects, brine shrimp, and other invertebrates – that fuel migration,” says Gardner. Many migratory birds travel huge distances each year, stopping in this habitat to replenish exhausted fat stores.
The one-ounce red-necked phalarope, for example, travels between South America and the Arctic every year, making a major stop at Great Salt Lake. One third of the global population of phalaropes depends on this habitat.
In addition to its role in migration, Gardner says, the lake allows many species to breed and raise the next generation of birds. According to Audubon, “both the National Audubon Society and Birdlife International recognize five bays of Great Salt Lake as ‘Globally Important Bird Areas,’ with the lake and its associated wetlands providing important habitat for more than 10 million migratory and breeding shorebirds, waterfowl and other water birds each year.”
“Birds from bald eagles to common goldeneyes depend on this area. Every season brings new species to color the landscape,” says Ashley Kijowski, wildlife biologist at Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and partner on the project. “It’s an oasis in the desert.”
As scientists working to conserve this habitat, Gardner and Kijowski applaud the announcement. “Governor Cox recognizing 2021 as the Year of the Shorebird is important because it highlights the value of Great Salt Lake not just in Utah, but as a resource for migrating birds from the tip of South America all the way to the tundras of the Arctic,” says Gardner.
Red-necked phalarope. ©Dorian Anderson. (Generously donated for Wild Utah Project use supporting Great Salt Lake wetlands.)
Threats to Great Salt Lake, wetland habitats, and birds
Great Salt Lake and its wetlands face an array of serious threats, which is not only bad news for birds, but also impacts human residents. Air quality, water quality, waterfowl hunting, birding, and the multi-million dollar brine shrimp industry all depend on the health of the lake.
Kijowski says maintaining sufficient water levels is one of the most important steps to keep Great Salt Lake and its wetlands healthy and biodiverse. On top of dealing with decreasing water levels, wetland managers and conservationists are wrestling with blazing droughts, urban runoff, and the invasive common reed, to name just a few.
Avocets at Great Salt Lake. ©Janice Gardner
In light of these looming realities, our scientists have taken a closer look at the health of the lake. And they’ve found a lesser-known—but important—threat: in many regards, this habitat is a blank patch in the wildlife conservation data map of the West.
From interviews with various wetland managers, Gardner and Kijowski have found that this lack of information on the lake is a result of years of overworked, underfunded managers scrambling to combat mounting threats to a vast ecosystem. Management of lands so many species depend on—and that make up an area nearly five times larger than Arches National Park—is left to a few dedicated stakeholders without the resources to make all their important conservation goals happen on the landscape.
“These managers are each doing the job of many people,” Kijowski says. “On any given day, they might talk with landowners, manage maintenance crews, install fences, communicate with the public, move water, work with data, build nests, manage volunteers, do paperwork, present to other groups, or fix their equipment. To me, they’re master multitaskers.”
So much responsibility on the shoulders of just a few takes its toll, according to Kijowski. “Great Salt Lake land managers make impressive progress despite limitations. They have a good idea of how to support birds because of their years of management and observation. However, they say there are still questions about the quantified impacts of their efforts.”
Without the data to understand how specific management and conservation methods impact birds, it’s unclear how best to support populations in the face of intensifying issues.
From conservation organizations to duck clubs, many groups are working for healthier Great Salt Lake habitat. However, many manage vast landscapes largely on their own. The potential for large conservation strides is promising with increased collaboration and community support. ©Janice Gardner
Land managers say that there are some holes they’d like filled so they can feel more confident in the impacts of their planning. One wetland manager pointed to an important issue with an air of playful desperation, saying, “If I could link any of my wetland management data to actual bird use, that would make all of my dreams come true.” Another related how almost 14,000 acres were added to their responsibilities, but there was no additional funding allocated to support such a massive addition.
As we celebrate the Year of the Shorebird, Kijowski hopes the individuals working tirelessly to keep shorebird populations healthy will be honored as well. “With threats to shorebirds and waterfowl continuing to grow, support for Great Salt Lake managers is needed now more than ever.”
Wetlands and waterbirds project
Wild Utah Project and Utah Division of Wildlife Resources are developing the Wetlands and Waterbirds project to address threats to these crucial ecosystems. Using findings from our 2020 Great Salt Lake Wetland Habitats: A Needs Report Based on Interviews with the Managers, we are using a three-pronged approach:
Land managers hard at work supporting the habitat.
Facilitating information sharing between wetland managers. The lack of communication and collaboration was one major issue identified in interviews with managers. Greater communication between these entities means improved ability to fill gaps in understanding, explore capacity issues and solutions, and address other shared conservation roadblocks.
Developing projects that harness the power of community science to conserve Great Salt Lake habitat based on needs identified by land managers. This may include mapping invasive species and sampling macroinvertebrates (i.e., bird food) across the landscape.
Assisting organizations that have specialized skills to create and fund vital conservation projects based on our Needs Report recommendations. Information in the report, paired with our team’s support and expertise in executing impactful projects, ensures the most pressing issues are approached effectively by experts in relevant fields (i.e., hydrology).
A collaborative approach to conservation results in projects with deep, lasting impacts addressing the most pressing issues. In our work to conserve Great Salt Lake, we plan to engage many different groups and stakeholders, including:
Public land managers
Waterfowl hunters
Bird preserves
Great Salt Lake duck clubs
Conservation groups
Birdwatchers
To Gardner, it’s important that conservation brings stakeholders together, and quickly. She says, “Ensuring survival of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem is one of our biggest conservation challenges. The issues are complex, but our human health, economy, and wildlife rely on us to take action.”
Black-necked stilts, cinnamon teal, gulls, and other birds gather in the abundant Great Salt Lake habitat. ©Janice Gardner
Looking to the future
Wild Utah Project and our partners have a rich vision for Great Salt Lake and its wetlands. We look to a future with widely shared conservation information, managers who are supported by a close network of stakeholders and volunteers in their conservation actions, and flocks of birds and waterfowl thriving in healthy habitats. Phalaropes and the millions of other birds that depend on the lake deserve no less.
Gardner is hopeful for the future. She says, “It is an honor to be part of conserving the Great Salt Lake into the future for birds and humans alike. With your help, we can keep the Year of the Shorebird alive for decades to come.”
If you’d like to join this project at its foundation and support a healthy future for shorebirds and Great Salt Lake, please consider becoming a monthly or one-time donor. Any amount helps. Thank you for conserving birds!
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What are your hopes for the future of Great Salt Lake? Leave a comment below and let us know!