10/25/2024
AMAZING NEWS for Wasatch County residents!!!!!
PRESS CONTACT: Wendy Fisher Executive Director Utah Open Lands [email protected] (801)-463-6156 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Utah Open Lands Receives Over $16 Million in Federal Funding to Protect Farms and Ranches in Wasatch County
Wasatch County, UT – 10/24/24
Utah Open Lands announced today that it has received funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). This funding represents an historic moment for land protection in Wasatch County and will support UOL’s Northfields Protection Initiative, a significant effort to safeguard critical agricultural lands, water resources and habitat, values that sustain a high quality of life in the Heber Valley.
Beyond Wasatch County the land protection efforts of this Utah Open Lands initiative will aid in the protection of water resources for the Wasatch Front. The headwaters that flow from the Wasatch Back into Deer Creek Reservoir provide thirty percent of the Wasatch Front’s drinking water within the Salt Lake City Public Utilities’ service area. The focus on permanent land protection has a rippling effect in safeguarding water resources. Maryssa Fenwick, Land Protection Program Manager for Utah Open Lands and the Initiative notes that the goal is to ensure that the land remains dedicated to agriculture and conservation in perpetuity, preserving the ecological and cultural integrity of the area while prioritizing ongoing community partnerships. “As development in the region accelerates, the importance of protecting the North Fields and surrounding environs will be more essential,” said Fenwick. “This funding allows us to work collaboratively with landowners, farmers and ranchers, and the local community to ensure this land remains a resource for generations to come.” Said Fenwick.
Emily Fife, NRCS Utah State Conservationist echoed the value of the project “The RCPP program represents grassroots conservation at its best,” said Fife, “It connects funding to community led solutions so we can protect and enhance our natural resources for future generations.”
For Wasatch County Council member Steve Farrell, this funding makes a tremendous difference in what has been a goal of his since the beginning of his tenure on the Wasatch County Council. “I applaud the hard work and diligence of Utah Open Lands. This funding, now makes possible a priority that this county has had and
that has been a personal goal of mine since the beginning which is the preservation of the agricultural heritage of the Northfields.” Said Farrell
An open space bond passed in 2018 by Wasatch County residents indicated strong support for the protection of the Northfields, but even with the passage of the bond it was recognized by Wasatch County that additional funding would be needed to make a measurable difference in protecting the jewel that is the Northfields Landscape. Some were skeptical.
“If you had asked me five years ago if it was possible to save the Northfields, I would have likely said no.” Said County Council member Luke Searle. “Utah Open Lands’ determination to leverage county open space dollars and their work to get this grant, means that meaningful preservation of the Northfields is possible.” Said Searle
Utah Open Lands expanded the boundary of the initiative beyond what is typically considered the Northfields to encompass lands that have similar heirloom, water resource and habitat qualities. The expanded boundary includes some landscapes in the Midway area and therefore could leverage funds from the upcoming open space bond on the ballot should that measure pass.
“There has been a lot of discussion about the Northfields recently” Wendy Fisher Executive Director of Utah Open Lands notes. “This funding will both protect landscapes that are beloved and are generational legacies as well as provide meaningful collaboration as we move forward.” Said Fisher. Fisher also noted that there will be continued due diligence exercised in this process which can take years, and that the County and Midway City open space advisory councils will continue to be heavily relied upon as projects are prioritized into the future. “I would caution anyone from thinking that this will somehow circumvent any necessary protocol, just the opposite, this will be a meaningful way to bring stakeholders together to ensure that the next generations of County residents continue to be endowed by the bounty that the Northfields has provided in the past.” Said Fisher
About Utah Open Lands:
For over three decades Utah Open Lands has remained committed to permanently protecting Utah's unique quality of life and natural heritage for future generations. With over 64,000 acres under our Trust, Utah Open Lands is committed to a vision of land protection that lasts forever and sustains the land which nourishes community. It is a vision that recognizes the generosity of landscapes and the foresight to leave land undeveloped, a promise of safeguarding possibilities for the future. Utah Open Lands has conserved over 18,000 acres in Wasatch County alone, in addition to the 32,204 acres of land in Summit County, protecting the diverse natural and cultural heritage of Utah communities.
For more information about Utah Open Lands and the North Fields Protection Initiative please visit www.utahopenlands.org.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Wendy Fisher | Executive Director [email protected] | (801)-463-6156
