Natural Resources Management and Policy Commons^™

Supply, Demand, And Fiscal Sustainability Of Outdoor Recreation In Utah, Jordan W. Smith, Chris Monz

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Because Utah's outdoor recreation destinations are managed by several different federal and state agencies, there is no comprehensive and consistent information on the amount and types of outdoor recreation resources available within the state. Additionally, there has been no research to date on how state programs whose revenues are dependent on outdoor recreation activity, are likely to fare in the coming years. This report begins to address these limitations by: 1) compiling and synthesizing data that characterize the amount and location of outdoor recreation resources throughout the state; and 2) presenting the results of a suite of econometric forecasting models …

Ecology And Management Of Dyer's Woad (Isatis Tinctoria) In Northern Utah, Erin Marie Hettinger

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Dyer’s woad (Isatis tinctoria L.) is a non-native forb that continues to threaten natural areas throughout Northern Utah and much of the Intermountain West. Once introduced, dyer’s woad can become extremely invasive, decreasing forage quality, and displacing native species. While dyer’s woad is found throughout much of Northern Utah, its range in other states remains limited. If promptly managed, control success in these areas will be much higher and populations may be kept at bay before ecological damage becomes severe.

This project tested the ability of dyer’s woad seedlings to compete with common rangeland grasslands at varied densities as …

Data From: Root Distributions Predict Shrub-Steppe Responses To Precipitation Intensity, Andrew Kulmatiski, Karen H. Beard

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Precipitation events are becoming more intense around the world, changing the way water moves through soils and plants. Plant rooting strategies that sustain water uptake under these conditions are likely to become more abundant (e.g., shrub encroachment). Yet, it remains difficult to predict species responses to climate change because we typically do not know where active roots are located or how much water they absorb. Here, we applied a water tracer experiment to describe forb, grass, and shrub root distributions. These measurements were made in 8 m by 8 m field shelters with low or high precipitation intensity. We used …

Utahns Strongly Support Renewable Energy Sources Such As Solar And Wind, Elizabeth Brunner, Stacia Ryder

Utah People and Environment Poll (UPEP)

Utah was the fastest-growing state in the nation by population between 2010 and 2020.¹ This growing population is bringing increased demand for energy. The build out of Utah's electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, with the state aiming to site electric vehicle charging stations at least every 50 miles along its interstate highway system by the end of 2025, will also increase energy demand. This growth will equate to increased carbon emissions if Utah does not change its electricity mix, which is currently composed of primarily carbon-emitting sources. As of 2022 (see Figure 1), 53% of Utah's total electricity net generation …

Collaborative Development Of Utah's Outdoor Recreation Strategic Plan: Process And Findings From 14 Regional Workshops, Jordan W. Smith, Jake Powell, Casey Trout, Nate Trauntvein, Rachel Hall, Wayne Freimund

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Outdoor recreation within Utah is managed and provided through a patchwork of federal and state agencies as well as county and municipal governments. Each of these entities manages outdoor recreation following different mandates and internal objectives. Rarely has there been an opportunity for representatives from federal, state, county, and local governments to sit down, discuss the long-standing and emerging challenges they face, and collectively develop ideas about how to work towards less-disparate and more aligned outdoor recreation management systems. In late 2022 and early 2023, we convened hundreds of land managers, outdoor recreation and tourism professionals, and elected officials across …

Recreational Fishing Participation In Utah: Comparing Active And Non-Active Angler Constraint Perceptions With The Use Of License Purchase Data, Will Rempel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

As a leisure activity, recreational fishing provides numerous social, physical, and psychological benefits to its participants. It can also provide socioeconomic opportunities to specific communities, and as an outdoor activity can create support for natural fisheries resources and public lands. License and equipment taxes are also important funding mechanisms for state wildlife managers. Though fishing participation as a percentage of the population has overall decreased in the last century, there is a recent increase in fishing participation. However, participation dynamics result in a shifting cycle of entries, departures, and re-entries to the sport. In an effort to maintain participation and …

Allocation Of U.S. Biomass Production To Food, Feed, Fiber, Fuel And Exports, Christopher L. Lant, Suman Paudel, Kaeli Mueller, Grace Larson, Gustavo A. Ovando-Montejo, Jennifer E. Givens

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

This paper analyzes the end uses—food, feed, fiber, fuel, and exports—of biomass production in the U.S. in 1997, 2002, 2007, and 2012. They are also analyzed at the state level in 2012. Biomass production is measured as human appropriation of net primary production (HANPP), an ecological footprint measured as carbon fixed through photosynthesis, derived from data on crop, timber and grazing yields. HANPP was allocated to end uses using publicly available sources from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and internet-based sources publishing data on agricultural trade. HANPP was 717–834 megatons (MT) of carbon per year, which comprised 515–615 MT of …

Characteristics Of Anglers And Angling Preferences In Utah: Results From The 2021-2022 Utah Angler Survey, Jordan Smith, Chase C. Lamborn, Will Rempel, Zachary D. Miller

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

In the face of a diminishing resource base and increased demand from anglers, the state of Utah is looking for biologically feasible, economical, and publicly supported solutions to address the angling supply and demand mismatch. Using data from an extensive year-long survey effort, the report details information about the characteristics, behaviors, and preferences of Utah’s licensed. The report also details the types of motivations that are fundamental to the Utah fishing experience. The findings show anglers can be classified by their motivations into five relatively distinct groups – Explorers, Social Anglers, Catch Focused Anglers, Ambivalent Anglers, …

An Overview Of State Funding For Outdoor Recreation And Tourism In Utah, Jordan W. Smith, Casey Trout

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

The state of Utah supports outdoor recreation and tourism through legislative appropriations, revenue generating mechanisms, taxes, and federal programs that are administered by the state. This review provides an overview of the various programs and funding mechanisms that currently exist within Utah, describes how and to what extent they are funded, outlines how they support outdoor recreation and tourism, and highlights opportunities where the state can strategically refine or build upon them.

Future Of Great Salt Lake Survey, Lisa W. Welsh, Joanna Endter-Wada, Karin M. Kettenring, Anna Mcentire

Reports

The Future of Great Salt Lake Survey was conducted in fall 2022 when state and global attention on Great Salt Lake was ramping up, following record lows of the elevation of lake water levels. In the survey, we asked Utahns their opinions on securing water for Great Salt Lake and focused on strategies that individuals, local communities, and the state of Utah could pursue. When it comes to how water is used and managed in Utah, there are multiple actors and institutions who all make decisions and have authority or ability to take different actions. While the state of …

The Path To U.S. National Registration Of A Toxic Bait For The Control Of The Small Indian Mongoose, Carmen C. Antaky, Steven C. Hess, Emily W. Ruell, Israel L. Leinbach, Shane R. Siers, Robert T. Sugihara

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The small Indian mongoose (Urva auropunctata [syn. Herpestes auropunctatus]; mongoose) is a highly invasive species in its introduced range that negatively impacts ecosystems. Mongooses depredate native species, serve as a vector of disease posing a risk to human health, and cause sanitation issues in food processing facilities and public areas. Introduced for biocontrol in the late 1800s in Hawaiʻi and the Caribbean, mongooses currently have well-established populations across multiple islands in both island archipelagos and have invaded numerous other locations throughout the world. The concern of accidental introduction to mongoose-free islands, the difficulty in species detection, and the …

An Assessment Of The Location Of The Bears Ears National Monument Cultural Center, Jordan W. Smith, Eunjung Yang, Anna B. Miller

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

A cultural center at Bears Ears National Monument, if well planned, could serve as an anchor destination through which visitors could learn about, experience, and appreciate the cultures, histories, and landscapes that define southeastern Utah. A cultural center also holds the potential to bolster the regional economy, by signaling a long-term investment in the sustainability of the region’s outdoor recreation and tourism industry. Our intent with this analysis is to establish a foundational understanding of potential locations for a cultural center. We develop and analyze a set of cultural, environmental, and economic metrics that can be used to shape ongoing …

U.S. Public Opinion Of Reproductive Control Options For Free-Roaming Horses On Western Public Lands, S. Nicole Frey, Jeffrey L. Beck, John Derek Scasta, Loretta Singletary

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Free-roaming horses (Equus ferus caballus; horses) inhabit public rangelands located primarily in 10 western U.S. states. Recent horse population increases are impacting rangeland ecosystems, native wildlife species and their habitats, and exacerbating conflicts with domestic livestock grazing. While contraceptives and physical sterilization are promising options to manage horse herd levels, public opinion concerning the use of fertility control is not well understood. To better inform policymakers, we completed a rigorous study of a random sample of public land stakeholders across the United States (n = 3,500) in 2020 using a Likert scale online survey to assess their …

Stakeholder Knowledge And Perceptions Of Free-Roaming Equids And Their Management At A Western U.S. Land-Grant University, Hollee S. Wood, S. Nicole Frey, Terry A. Messmer

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The horse (Equus ferus caballus), originally native to North America, became extinct on the continent approximately 10,000 years ago. Horses that migrated from North America to Eurasia across the Bering Strait continued to evolve and were domesticated along with burros (E. asinus). Both species were then transported to the Americas where they were intentionally released or escaped into the wild, forming feral herds. The Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 (WFRHBA) provided federal oversight and protection for feral horses and burros (hereafter, free-roaming equids) that inhabited designated areas on public lands in the western …

2022 Report To The Governor: Utah's Land, Water, And Air, Janet Quinney Lawson Institute For Land, Water, And Air

Reports

This report serves as a 2022 snapshot of key issues and concerns with Utah's shared resources. It highlights gathered data that is available to provide context to these issues, as well as identifies areas where more study is needed. Addressing these challenges will enable Utah policymakers and other statewide leaders to make informed decisions for the future. Under the authorship of 37 researchers and experts and the general guidance of 38 advisory committee members, the report outlines 26 issues and trends to pay attention to in the coming months and years.

Understanding How Changes In Precipitation Intensity Will Affect Vegetation In The Western U.S., Cristina Chirvasa

Fall Student Research Symposium 2021

Precipitation events are becoming more intense as the atmosphere warms, but it remains unclear how precipitation intensification will affect plant growth in arid and semiarid ecosystems. There is conflicting evidence suggesting that larger precipitation events may either increase or decrease plant growth. Here, we report the growth responses of herbaceous and woody plants to experimental manipulations of precipitation intensity in a cold, semi-arid ecosystem in Utah, USA. In this experiment, precipitation was collected and redeposited as fewer, larger events with total annual precipitation kept constant across treatments. Results from the first two growing seasons revealed that more intense events ‘pushed’ …

Data From: Yellow Air Day Advisory Study, Arthur J. Caplan

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Using a dataset consisting of daily vehicle trips, PM2.5 concentrations, along with a host of climactic control variables, we test the hypothesis that “yellow air day” advisories provided by the Utah Division of Air Quality resulted in subsequent reductions in vehicle trips taken during northern Utah’s winter-inversion seasons in the early 2000s. Winter inversions occur in northern Utah when climactic conditions are such that PM2.5 concentrations (derived mainly from vehicle emissions) become trapped in the lower atmosphere, leading to unhealthy air quality (concentrations of at least 35 µg/m3) over a span of what are called “red air days”. When concentrations …

Management Innovations For Resilient Public Rangelands: Adoption Constraints And Considerations For Interagency Diffusion, Gwendŵr R. Meredith, Mark W. Brunson, Stuart P. Hardegree

Environment and Society Faculty Publications

Maintaining healthy rangeland ecosystems requires adaptive co-management at the landscape scale. Because the majority of western rangelands are publicly owned, it is critical that federal land management agencies work together in generating and sharing information. Promotion and communication of rangeland management innovations among agencies is one means of sharing information. Two rangeland management innovations, the Weather-Centric Restoration Tool and Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health, were studied in order to better understand agency adoption decisions and barriers to diffusion of the innovations across agencies. Using a mixed qualitative methodology, we interviewed land managers across the floristic Great Basin and in southeastern …

Data For "Arch_Covid_Crowding_Vc", Wayne Freimund, Zachary D. Miller

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Monitoring of visitor use in Arches National Park to assess social distancing behaviors of visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Common Raven Impacts On Nesting Western Snowy Plovers: Integrating Management To Facilitate Species Recovery, Cheryl Strong, Kriss K. Neuman, Jenny L. Hutchinson, Jamie K. Miller, Amber L. Clark, Lena Chang, Joanna Iwanicha, Elizabeth Feucht, Matthew J. Lau, David J. Lauten, Sarah Markegard, Benjamin Pearl, David L. Sherer, Rachel Tertes, Susie Tharratt, Travis Wooten

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The U.S. Pacific coast population of the western snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus; plover) has declined due to loss and degradation of coastal habitats, predation, and anthropogenic disturbance. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the subspecies in 1993 as threatened under the Endangered Species Act due to the population declines and habitat loss. Predation of nests and chicks has been identified as an important cause of historic population declines, and thus, most predator management actions for this subspecies are focused on reducing this pressure. In recent years, common ravens (Corvus corax; ravens) have become the most …

Impacts Of Climate Change On Multiple Use Management Of Bureau Of Land Management Land In The Intermountain West, Usa, Elaine M. Brice, Brett A. Miller, Hongchao Zhang, Kirsten Goldstein, Scott N. Zimmer, Guenchik J. Grosklos, Patrick Belmont, Courtney G. Flint, Jennifer E. Givens, Peter B. Adler, Mark W. Brunson, Jordan W. Smith

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Although natural resource managers are concerned about climate change, many are unable to adequately incorporate climate change science into their adaptation strategies or management plans, and are not always aware of or do not employ the most current scientific knowledge. One of the most prominent natural resource management agencies in the United States is the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which is tasked with managing over 248 million acres (>1 million km²) of public lands for multiple, often conflicting, uses. Climate change will affect the sustainability of many of these land uses and could further increase conflicts …

Genetic Variation At The Species And Population Levels In The Rocky Mountain Ridged Mussel (Gonidea Angulata) – Supplementary Material, James A. Walton, Karen E. Mock, Steven F. R. Brownlee, Jon H. Mageroy, Greg Wilson, Ian R. Walker

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Freshwater mussels in western North America are threatened by water diversions, climate change, loss of required host fish, and other factors, and have experienced marked decline in the past several decades. All four of the primary lineages (potentially species) of freshwater mussels in the western U.S. and Canada are widespread and have somewhat generalist host fish requirements. Of these lineages, perhaps the most poorly understood and of greatest conservation concern is Gonidea angulata (Rocky Mountain ridged mussel). Gonidea is a monotypic genus occurring only in the western continental U.S. and southern Canada. Here we describe the patterns of genetic variation …

Indigenous Guardianship And Moose Monitoring: Weaving Indigenous And Western Ways Of Knowing, Jesse N. Popp, Pauline Priadka, Megan Young, Kevin Koch, James Morgan

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Increasing global rates of wildlife species extinctions, extirpations, and declines warrant improvements to population monitoring and management approaches. To address regional environmental and wildlife issues, Indigenous communities globally are re-establishing traditional roles as stewards of the land through emerging Indigenous Guardianship Programs (IGPs). By providing the opportunity for community-level participation in monitoring and management, IGPs help foster cohesive solutions for long-term conservation of species while promoting environmental stewardship at the community level. Addressing challenges in monitoring and management of wildlife is especially critical for species that are of cultural and ecological importance at both community and distribution-wide scales. Herein, we …

Instability Of Glucocorticoid Metabolites In Coyote Scats: Implications For Field Sampling, Erika T. Stevenson, Eric M. Gese, Lorin A. Neuman-Lee, Susannah S. French

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Studying physiologic stress responses can assist in understanding the welfare of animals. One method of measuring the physiologic stress response is evaluating concentrations of glucocorticoid metabolites in feces. Previously, using an adrenocorticotropic hormone challenge, we found fecal glucocorticoid metabolite levels were a reliable indicator of physiologic stress response in coyotes (Canis latrans). We determine whether glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations remain stable when collecting feces over a 2-week period, a timeframe commonly used in scat surveys for wild canids. We collected feces from 6 captive coyotes maintained at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Predator …

Evaluation Of Best Practices For Urban Water Conservation And Water-Smart Growth Implementation In Utah, J. Ivy Harvey Thomson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Policies and programs have been utilized throughout the United States (U.S.) to reduce water use as a strategy to ensure sufficient water supplies for future demand. As governmental leaders and policy makers face increasing freshwater scarcity and supply unpredictability, along with rising costs and decreased federal funding, Best Practices (BPs) in water conservation are increasingly important to facilitate decision-making in choosing which strategies to employ. This project uses policy analysis to review and summarize various BPs, referencing both academic and professional literature. National fixture efficiency standards enacted in 1992 are credited as among the leading factors reducing indoor water use …

Coqui Frog Predator Avoidance And Recognition, Karen H. Beard

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The purpose of this study was to determine whether coqui frogs from their non-native range responded to native predators the same way as frogs from their native range. Frogs were collected from two sites in Puerto Rico (El Yunque and Rio Abajo) in May 2006 and one site in Hawaii (Hilo) in June 2006. At each site, frogs were collected from a high (> 700 m) and low (< 300 m) elevation population. Of the total number of frogs collected, 100 males were randomly selected to be used in this study (45 and 55 from Hawaii and Puerto Rico, respectively). Three tailless whipscorpions (Phrynus longipes) and three tarantulas (Avicularia laeta) were also collected in Puerto Rico in field sites where frogs were collected and shipped back to a laboratory.

Private Land, Public Trust: Strategic Conservation Planning For Public Wildlife On Private Lands Through The Usfws Partners For Fish And Wildlife Program, Clint Wirick

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Law requires federal agencies to develop long-term strategic plans. Strategic plans define goals, objectives, and performance measures defining how the agencies and programs will reach their stated goals. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife (PFW) develops strategic plans every five years. Each individual state develops a plan for their respective state. Those state plans are compiled for the region and become part of Regional Comprehensive Strategic Plan. The current strategic plan expires in 2021. States will begin the strategic planning process in 2020. In Utah, PFW staff will also begin developing a strategic plan for the …

Assessing The Potential For Industrial Activities To Disturb Polar Bears Denning On The Arctic Coastal Plain, Patricia A. Terletzky-Gese

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Collaborative Research: A General Approach To Partitioning Contributions From Multiple Drivers Affecting Individuals, Populations, And Communities, Peter B. Adler

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Can Farmers And Bats Co-Exist? Farmer Attitudes, Knowledge, And Experiences With Bats In Belize, Hannah G. Shapiro, Adam S. Willcox, Mallory Tate, Emma V. Willcox

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Bats (Chiroptera) are often viewed negatively by the public. Negative public perceptions of bats may hinder efforts to conserve declining populations. In Belize, the presence of vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus and Diphylla ecaudata) exacerbates the potential for conflicts with humans because of the increased rabies transmission risks. To mitigate these risks, the Belize government provides farmers with assistance to trap and remove vampire bats. In June 2018, we surveyed farmers (n = 44) in and adjacent to the Vaca Forest Reserve in Belize to learn more about their attitudes, knowledge, and experiences with bats. This information may …