Entangled Histories at Galena Soónkhani Nature Preserve
Plus, see how our shorebird survey went, listen to our Great Salt Lake panel recording, and discover a new wildlife publication.
May was American Wetlands Month, and we hope you celebrated by visiting one of these life-filled habitats scattered across the West. (If not, June is a great time for a wetland visit!)
Restoration work at Galena Soónkhani Nature Preserve. Photo: Sierra Hastings
One unexpected wetland, Galena Soónkhani Nature Preserve, is nestled between Utah’s Jordan River and a busy highway. The site served as a gathering space for Indigenous communities for at least 3,000 years and was recently protected by a conservation easement.
More work is needed to bring "Galena" back to life, and alongside our partners, our team is working on just this with restoration projects. Learn more in our most recent blog post.
Shorebird Survey Recap
Phalaropes along the Antelope Island Causeway. Photo by Sierra Hastings
A huge thank you to all who joined our spring Intermountain West Shorebird Survey! Over the course of five days this April, our volunteers scattered across Utah's wetlands and counted 84,128 shorebirds. American Avocets were the most common species counted, followed by phalaropes. The data gathered supports bird conservation on a large scale. Thank you!
Join Our Summer Projects!
We've launched our warm-weather work and hope you join us if you haven't yet had a chance! Visit the project pages below to learn more and get started volunteering for wildlife conservation.
Image by Sierra Hastings
Image by Janice Gardner
Boreal Toad Project: Look for boreal toads and their habitats in Utah. Great for those who like hiking! You can join a group on a field trip or do independent surveys.
Utah Pollinator Pursuit: Download an app and record bumblebees and butterfly species in decline, whether in your yard or somewhere else. Accessible to all with mobile devices.
Board Member Highlight
Join us in welcoming our new board member, Gary Dodge!
Gary says, "I like Sageland Collaborative's unique mission providing scientific data for decision-makers. While advocacy groups serve a vital role in shaping public policy, it is also crucial that decision makers have access to data from an organization that does not advocate strong policy positions. I am anxious to contribute whatever I can to its efforts on behalf of wild Utah."
In the Field: Rattlesnake Safety Tips
UDWR photo of a coiled rattlesnake.
Wild Aware Utah illustration highlighting features of a venomous snake.
Getting out in the field on our projects? Make sure to educate yourself on staying safe around rattlesnakes, which may be heading out of their dens to look for water and rodents this time of year. These snakes can camouflage well, but a few precautions can go a long way. These include things like leaving snakes alone, leashing dogs while hiking, and being aware of your surroundings. Check out UDWR's Rattlesnake Safety Tips to learn more about rattlesnake safety.
Remember that rattlesnakes are important members of our ecological community. It is illegal to kill them—and trying to do so greatly increases your chance of being bitten.
Recent Paper on Urbanization and Wildlife
A figure from the paper shows species modeled occupancy response to urbanization.
We're excited to announce a recent publication in The Journal of Ecology that uses the data from Wasatch Wildlife Watch. Authors include project lead Austin Green.
This research investigates how urbanization affects over 80 North American mammals, as well as how specific traits may help or hinder a species' ability to occupy urban areas. Read the paper to learn more.
Great Salt Lake Event Recording: What Can a (Lake) Body Be?
Thank you to all who joined us in Salt Lake City for our film screening and panel on the personhood and future of Great Salt Lake. Two Sageland Collaborative staff, Ecologist Janice Gardner and Communications & Outreach Director Sarah Woodbury, were included in the panel, along with Indigenous, policy, and journalism perspectives. If you missed it, listen below with UPR!