Forest Sciences Commons^™

The Three Creeks Allotment Consolidation: Changing Western Federal Grazing Paradigms, Taylor Payne

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The federal government owns approximately 47% of all land in the western United States. In the state of Utah, about 64% of the land base is managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). The government has historically issued permits to owners of private lands to allow the owners to graze their livestock on public lands. The permits (allotments) are generally of 10-year duration and allow for an annual season of use. In some cases, continued and repeated historical annual grazing practices may not be ideal for permit holders and their communities nor …

Slides: Flpma In Its Historical Context, John D. Leshy

FLPMA Turns 40 (October 21)

Presenter: John D. Leshy, Sunderland Distinguished Professor of Law Emeritus, U.C. Hastings College of the Law

36 slides

This session traces the history of FLPMA including, among other things, its legislative, administrative, and historical antecedents, including for example, the Public Land Law Review Commission’s 1970 report, One Third of Our Nation’s Lands. It then considers FLPMA’s unique public lands policies and requirements and how they are reflected in the BLM’s management of public lands today.

See: https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/blm/history/contents.htm

Analysis Of Food Web Effects Of Non-Native Fishes And Evaluation Of Stream Restoration Potential For The San Rafael River, Utah, Timothy E. Walsworth

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Native fishes of the Colorado River Basin have experienced dramatic reductions in range and abundance as a result of extensive human alterations to the basin’s waterways. Many of these native fishes are federally listed under the Endangered Species Act, while several others are subject to range-wide conservation agreements between state and federal management agencies. Three of the native species subject to range-wide conservation agreements are the flannelmouth sucker, bluehead sucker, and roundtail chub (hereafter, the “three species”). Each of the “three species” is still found in the San Rafael River of southeastern Utah, which has experienced habitat degradation and non-native …

Slides: Second Thoughts About The Antiquities Act: Does The Process For Public Land Decisionmaking Have An Ethical Dimension?, James R. Rasband

The Past, Present, and Future of Our Public Lands: Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Public Land Law Review Commission’s Report, One Third of the Nation’s Land (Martz Summer Conference, June 2-4)

Presenter: James R. Rasband, Dean of the J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University (Provo, UT)

32 slides

Slides: America's Redrock Wilderness, Scott Groene

The Past, Present, and Future of Our Public Lands: Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Public Land Law Review Commission’s Report, One Third of the Nation’s Land (Martz Summer Conference, June 2-4)

Presenter: Scott Groene, Executive Director, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (Moab, UT)

23 slides

Slides: Celebrating Flpma: Land Use Planning At The Blm, Marcilynn Burke

The Past, Present, and Future of Our Public Lands: Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Public Land Law Review Commission’s Report, One Third of the Nation’s Land (Martz Summer Conference, June 2-4)

Presenter: Marcilynn Burke, BLM Deputy Director - Programs and Policy, U.S. Dept. of the Interior, (Washington, D.C.)

30 slides

Slides: Forest Service Planning At A Crossroads; New Approaches To Old Recommendations, Rick Cables

The Past, Present, and Future of Our Public Lands: Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Public Land Law Review Commission’s Report, One Third of the Nation’s Land (Martz Summer Conference, June 2-4)

Presenter: Rick Cables, Regional Forester, U.S. Forest Service - Rocky Mountain Region (Golden, CO)

23 slides

Slides: Rethinking Western Water Law: Restoring The Public Interest In Western Water Law, Mark Squillace

Western Water Law, Policy and Management: Ripples, Currents, and New Channels for Inquiry (Martz Summer Conference, June 3-5)

Presenter: Mark Squillace, Director, Natural Resources Law Center, University of Colorado Law School

20 slides

Slides: Status Of Southern Nevada Water Authority (Snwa): Third Intake Into Lake Mead And Groundwater Project, Kay Brothers

Western Water Law, Policy and Management: Ripples, Currents, and New Channels for Inquiry (Martz Summer Conference, June 3-5)

Presenter: Kay Brothers, Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), Las Vegas, NV

37 slides

Slides: Transboundary Solutions: A Water Trust, Policy, And Environmental Flows For The Colorado River Delta, Jennifer Pitt

Western Water Law, Policy and Management: Ripples, Currents, and New Channels for Inquiry (Martz Summer Conference, June 3-5)

Presenter: Jennifer Pitt, Environmental Defense Fund, Boulder, CO

26 slides

Slides: Water Towers In The Balance: Time For A New Water Project, Rick Cables

Western Water Law, Policy and Management: Ripples, Currents, and New Channels for Inquiry (Martz Summer Conference, June 3-5)

Presenter: Rick Cables, U.S. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region

9 slides

Slides: Finding Flows: Fish Still Need Water Everyday, Melinda Kassen

Western Water Law, Policy and Management: Ripples, Currents, and New Channels for Inquiry (Martz Summer Conference, June 3-5)

Presenter: Melinda Kassen, Director of the Western Water Project, Trout Unlimited

12 slides

Slides: Climate Change And The Death Of Stationarity: A New Era For Western Water?, Stephen T. Gray

Western Water Law, Policy and Management: Ripples, Currents, and New Channels for Inquiry (Martz Summer Conference, June 3-5)

Presenter: Steven T. Gray, Wyoming State Climatologist, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY

48 slides

Slides: Forest And Rangeland Planning, Nepa Analysis And Decisions, Glenn Casamassa

The Future of Natural Resources Law and Policy (Summer Conference, June 6-8)

Presenter: Glenn Casamassa, Forest Supervisor, Arapahoe-Roosevelt National Forest

17 slides

Agenda: The Future Of Natural Resources Law And Policy, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center, Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation

The Future of Natural Resources Law and Policy (Summer Conference, June 6-8)

The Natural Resources Law Center's 25th Anniversary Conference and Natural Resources Law Teachers 14th Biennial Institute provided an opportunity for some of the best natural resources lawyers to discuss future trends in the field. The conference focused on the larger, cross-cutting issues affecting natural resources policy. Initial discussions concerned the declining role of scientific resource management due to the increased inclusion of economic-cost benefit analysis and public participation in the decision-making process. The effectiveness of this approach was questioned particularly in the case of non-market goods such as the polar bear. Other participants promoted the importance of public participation and …

Slides: What's In A Name? The Story Of The Utah Wilderness Reinventory, James R. Rasband

The Future of Natural Resources Law and Policy (Summer Conference, June 6-8)

Presenter: James R. Rasband, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University

23 slides

Slides: Summary: Sources Of Stress And The Changing Context Of Natural Resources Law And Policy In The New West, William R. Travis

The Future of Natural Resources Law and Policy (Summer Conference, June 6-8)

Presenter: Dr. William R. Travis, Department of Geography, University of Colorado at Boulder

43 slides

What’S In A Name? The Story Of The Utah Wilderness Reinventory, James R. Rasband

The Future of Natural Resources Law and Policy (Summer Conference, June 6-8)

14 pages.

Includes bibliographical references

"James R. Rasband, Associate Dean of Research & Academic Affairs and Professor of Law, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University"

Utah Prairie Dog Habitat Evaluation Guide, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Environmental Defense

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

The Utah prairie dog (Cynomys parvidens) (UPD) is listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and exists only in southwestern Utah. UPD numbers and range have declined dramatically since settlement of Utah because of conversion of rangeland to cropland, urban development, fire suppression, improper grazing, drought, and introduced sylvatic plague (Yersina pestis). As of this writing, approximately 75% of all Utah prairie dogs inhabit private lands. This fact highlights the need to encourage farmers and ranchers to manage UPD habitat on their property in order to move the species closer to recovery. This guide provides technical …

Slides: Adaptive Management And Best Management Practices On The Southern Ute Indian Reservation, Bob Zahradnik

Best Management Practices and Adaptive Management in Oil and Gas Development (May 12-13)

Presenter: Bob Zahradnik, Red Willow Production Company

38 slides

Cougar Exploitation Levels In Utah: Implications For Demographic Structure, Metapopulation Dynamics, And Population Recovery, David C. Stoner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Presently, eleven western states and two Canadian provinces utilize sport hunting as the primary mechanism for managing cougar (Puma concolor) populations. However, the impacts of sustained harvest on population dynamics and demographic structure arc not well understood. Additionally, the lack of cost-effective enumeration techniques and strongly conflicting societal values complicate effective management of this species. Given these concerns, the primary goals of this study were (I) to determine the effects of sustained harvest on cougar populations, and (2) estimate the level and extent of cougar harvest statewide.

I monitored cougar populations on Monroe Mountain in south-central Utah, and …

Some Environmental Relationships Of Undergrowth Species In Aspen Communities Of The Intermountain West, W F. Mueggler

Aspen Bibliography

This analysis results from an opportunity to explore plant-environmental relationships from data collected for a different purpose. Origin of the data is a study designed to develop an aspen community-type classification for southern Idaho, western Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada which resulted in the publication "Aspen Community Types of the Intermountain Region" GTR INT-250 by W.F. Mueggler (1988).

Economic Impact Of Snowmobiling In Utah, Ikuko Fujisaki

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to estimate statewide and local economic impact resulting from snowmobiling activities in Utah to gain a better understanding of preferences and opinions of Utah snowmobilers. The results will provide valuable information for snowmobiling management.

The survey instrument was designed to describe trip behavior, snowmobiling-related trip and annual expenditures, level of satisfaction with Utah snowmobiling opportunities, and demographics. A telephone survey was conducted with randomly selected households with registered snowmobiles during the period from April to June 2000. A 54.5% response rate yielded 373 usable completed questionnaires for data analysis.

For economic impact analysis, an …

First-Year Postfire And Postharvest Soil Temperatures In Aspen And Conifer Stands, Michael C. Amacher, Amber D. Johnson, Debra E. Kutterer, Dale L. Bartos

Aspen Bibliography

Aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) stands are in decline throughout the Interior Western United States because of fire suppression, overbrowsing by domestic livestock and native ungulates, and forest succession. We measured summertime soil temperatures in stable aspen, decadent aspen, and mixed aspen/conifer stands; a mixed aspen/conifer clearcut; as mixed aspen/conifer forest that was burned in a lightning-caused fire; and a decadent aspen stand and mixed aspen/conifer stand that received prescribed burns. Soil temperature fluctuations and mean soil temperatures were greater in cut and burned areas than in untreated stands. In untreated stands, mean soil temperature increased in the order: mixed …

Recreation As An Ally For Environmental Protection, Gary Sprung

Outdoor Recreation: Promise and Peril in the New West (Summer Conference, June 8-10)

10 pages.

Contains references.

Litter Decomposition And Nutrient Release Patterns In A Subalpine Forest In Northern Utah, Amber Denton Johnson

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

In the arid subalpine zone of the intermountain west it is common to see patchy forests interspersed with open meadows containing scattered clusters of trees referred to as tree islands. These tree islands are often composed of subalpine fir [Abies lasiocarpa (Hook) Nutt.] and Englemann spruce [Picea englemannii (Parry)]. In desert ecosystems, where lack of water is the most important factor limiting growth and nutrient dynamics, it is not unusual to see individual plants (especially in the shrub community) creating "islands of fertility", in which the plants collect nutrients by pumping them from deeper in the soil profile and redepositing …

Fire Occurrence, Behavior And The Effect Of Fire On Deer Mouse Density In Oakbrush At Camp Williams National Guard Base, Utah, Joel E. Godfrey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Fire occurrence and behavior were determined by collecting and analyzing fuel, weather, and fire history data. Fuel plots were used to measure average fuel loading by vegetation type and integrated with weather to make worst-case fire behavior predictions. A fire history was developed using oakbrush (Quercus gambelli Nutt.) sprouts to determine age and the Global Positioning System (GPS) for mapping the burned areas. Average fuel loading was highest in the oakbrush fuel type with 16.8 t/ha, then juniper (Juniperus osteosperma Torrey) with 6.72 t/ha, and the lowest was in sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt.) with 4.93 t/ha. Fire behavior predictions were …

Agenda: Who Governs The Public Lands: Washington? The West? The Community?, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center

Who Governs the Public Lands: Washington? The West? The Community? (September 28-30)

Conference organizers and/or session moderators included University of Colorado School of Law professors David H. Getches, Judith Jacobsen, Lawrence J. MacDonnell, Teresa Rice and Charles F. Wilkinson.

Shifting policy objectives and management approaches for the public lands of the West are provoking heated debate about how these decisions should be made and implemented. Are these policy directions a reflection of the "New West" or are they, in fact, a declaration of "war on the West"? Somewhere between these polarities of view, efforts are underway to open dialogue and reach consensus.

This second annual western lands conference will explore federal initiatives …

Sixty Years Of Change In Tree Numbers And Basal Area In Central Utah Aspen Stands, Walter F. Mueggler

Aspen Bibliography

No abstract provided.

Hazard Perception And Preparation By Cross-Country Skiers In Utah, Kevin J. Kobe

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis examined how cross-country skiers perceive and prepare for winter hazards. A self-completion questionnaire was administered to cross-country skiers in northern Utah. The questions on the questionnaire were designed to explore the relationships that affect how skiers perceive and prepare for winter hazards. Additionally, the situation where skiers put themselves at risk due to lack of information as opposed to skiers placing themselves at risk through the desire to confront nature's dangers was explored. Variables that were contained in these relationships were correlated and the degree of correlation was measured.

Those that sought information on the day surveyed were …