Utah lake has been a site of recreation and beauty in Utah Valley for many years, but now we are starting to see it slowly disappear right before our eyes. It is home to various organisms and habitat, making it a crucial part of Utah’s ecosystems. As the lake has slowly started to dry up, many state officials wonder what is the best course of action for it. In recent years there have been bills passed to sell the lake for land development, but as it currently stands, there are many projects to promote restoration and conservation. Organizations such as the Utah Lake Authority and Conserve Utah Valley, to name a few, are doing what they can to protect not only Utah Lake, but its surrounding ecosystems.
I was able to speak with Adam Johnson, executive director of Conserve Utah Valley, who had great information regarding some of their ongoing projects and what the community can do to get involved.
“Can you tell me more about your role at Conserve Utah Valley and what got you started there?”
Johnson: “I was one of the cofounders of Conserve Utah Valley and when we started a few years ago. I served as the assistant executive director until about six months ago and then I became the executive director, but I originally got involved because Bridal Veil Falls up Provo Canyon was being threatened to be developed and sold off or leased off to private hands, so I personally started a petition to stop that from happening and gathered about 10,000 signatures to stop that from happening. BYU law professors, citizens and city councilors also joined and made up a group of about 12-15 people, from there we organized Conserve Utah Valley and I have been involved ever since.”
“I looked through the organization’s website to get some insight on what your goals and objectives are, but can you tell me a bit more about them?”
I was able to speak with Adam Johnson, executive director of Conserve Utah Valley, who had great information regarding some of their ongoing projects and what the community can do to get involved.
“Can you tell me more about your role at Conserve Utah Valley and what got you started there?”
Johnson: “I was one of the cofounders of Conserve Utah Valley and when we started a few years ago. I served as the assistant executive director until about six months ago and then I became the executive director, but I originally got involved because Bridal Veil Falls up Provo Canyon was being threatened to be developed and sold off or leased off to private hands, so I personally started a petition to stop that from happening and gathered about 10,000 signatures to stop that from happening. BYU law professors, citizens and city councilors also joined and made up a group of about 12-15 people, from there we organized Conserve Utah Valley and I have been involved ever since.”
“I looked through the organization’s website to get some insight on what your goals and objectives are, but can you tell me a bit more about them?”
Johnson: Our mission and organization is to conserve and protect land and water forever. We are interested in finding vulnerable areas that have high use for people like biking, hiking, fishers, sailors, etc. We want to protect them from further being developed by using policy and legal tools to protect land for a long time. One thing I want to add is that we aren’t against development, that’s a huge misconception. We understand that Utah is going to be developed, but it doesn’t have to be on valuable areas.
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“What current projects are you working on right now?”
Johnson: “Utah Lake is definitely a big one, there is still a lot of work for not only protecting it, but restoring it. Slate Canyon and the foothills in Provo Canyon are a few others. We are working with Provo City lawmakers to protect a lot of the land in that area and we host service projects to help clean it up and improve it.
“Why do you think it’s important to protect Utah nature and these things you’ve been talking about?”
Johnson: I think there’s lots of reasons, but selfishly I think we need to protect it because it is beautiful and wonderful to enjoy. I want my kids, grandkids, and future people to enjoy these areas. Secondly, we have to recognize that conservation is good to help fight climate change, even protecting a little bit of land can go a long way. Conservation is important for helping with the pollution we have in the valley; it’s not the only solution, but it certainly helps. Having places to go out in nature is also great for our mental health, and as Utah continues to develop we need to make sure there are still areas remaining where we can go out and enjoy it.
“How can the community get involved, whether it be on a smaller scale or even volunteering with your organization?”
Johnson: “I have been impressed with the people in Utah Valley. When we first started a few years ago I felt like nobody cared about conservation, but now people have come out to get involved with not only our organization, but many others. Staying educated about the many environmental crises happening in Utah is important. We need people who are engaged and paying attention, whether it be through the news, going to city council meetings, or even following our social media account or email list to get updates about what is going on. We hold service projects monthly, there are even some through organizations like Utah Lake Authority as well. People who are passionate about certain areas in Utah, can reach out and work with us to find ways of getting involved or come up with a project.
I concluded my discussion with Adam saying that he is optimistic about the future of conservation in Utah and that it is not a one-time project, but an ongoing conversation and I couldn’t agree more. Utah is renowned for its nature and beauty and it’s our responsibility to be actively involved in maintaining it the best way we can.
Image taken from conserveutahvalley.org
Johnson: “Utah Lake is definitely a big one, there is still a lot of work for not only protecting it, but restoring it. Slate Canyon and the foothills in Provo Canyon are a few others. We are working with Provo City lawmakers to protect a lot of the land in that area and we host service projects to help clean it up and improve it.
“Why do you think it’s important to protect Utah nature and these things you’ve been talking about?”
Johnson: I think there’s lots of reasons, but selfishly I think we need to protect it because it is beautiful and wonderful to enjoy. I want my kids, grandkids, and future people to enjoy these areas. Secondly, we have to recognize that conservation is good to help fight climate change, even protecting a little bit of land can go a long way. Conservation is important for helping with the pollution we have in the valley; it’s not the only solution, but it certainly helps. Having places to go out in nature is also great for our mental health, and as Utah continues to develop we need to make sure there are still areas remaining where we can go out and enjoy it.
“How can the community get involved, whether it be on a smaller scale or even volunteering with your organization?”
Johnson: “I have been impressed with the people in Utah Valley. When we first started a few years ago I felt like nobody cared about conservation, but now people have come out to get involved with not only our organization, but many others. Staying educated about the many environmental crises happening in Utah is important. We need people who are engaged and paying attention, whether it be through the news, going to city council meetings, or even following our social media account or email list to get updates about what is going on. We hold service projects monthly, there are even some through organizations like Utah Lake Authority as well. People who are passionate about certain areas in Utah, can reach out and work with us to find ways of getting involved or come up with a project.
I concluded my discussion with Adam saying that he is optimistic about the future of conservation in Utah and that it is not a one-time project, but an ongoing conversation and I couldn’t agree more. Utah is renowned for its nature and beauty and it’s our responsibility to be actively involved in maintaining it the best way we can.
Image taken from conserveutahvalley.org