Salt Lake City is currenntly weighing a proposal to transfer nearly 1,000 acres of wetlands near the Salt Lake City International Airport to Utah Open Lands. The plan seeks to move the land from municipal ownership to state management to better protect migratory bird habitats.
The $5 .1 million gift to Utah Open Lands
The municipal goevrnment of Salt Lake City is proposing to sell the wetland parcel for zero dollars, despite an estimated market value ranging between $3.8 million and $5.1 million. According to the report, the city has owned this land since 1995, when it was acquired to compensate for habitat loss caused by the construction of a new airport runway.
For the city, the transfer is as much a financial relief as it is an environmental strategy. Salt Lake City currently spends approximately $70,000 every year to maintain the area, yet public access has remained strictly limited for decades. By utilizing a conservation easement, the city aims to permanently block urban or commercial development, ensuring the Great Salt Lake region's ecological integrity remains intact.
Eradicating phragmites and the shift to state control
Under the proposed agreement, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources would assume management of the land. A primary objective for the agency is the removal of invasive phragmites, a reed species that threatens to choke out native vegetation and degrade the quality of the wetland habitat, as the report says.
Chelsea Duke, a wildlife lands coordinator for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, has indicated that the agency's goal is to actively enhance the wetlands. this would include closing specific sections of the property during critical biological windows, such as nesting seasons, to protect sensitive species from human interference. This marks a transition from the city's previous passive ownership to a more aggressive biological restoration strategy.
Why waterfowl hunters and the Audubon Society want a hunt-free zone
While conservation is a shared goal, a recent public hearing revealed a sharp divide over whether hunting should be permitted. in an unusual alignment, members of the Great Salt Lake Audubon Society and experienced waterfowl hunters are both advocating for the land to be designated as a hunt-free zone.
Local hunter Walker Newman argued that because the land has been largely inaccessible for 30 years, it has evolved into a critical safe haven.. These advocates suggest that maintaining a sanctuary where birds can rest without pressure actually supports the long-term health of bird populations, which ultimately benefits the sport of hunting elsewhere. This tension highlights a conflict between the state's typical management of wildlife lands and the community's desire to preserve a rare, undisturbed refuge.
The FAA and Army Corps of Engineers' role in the final approval
The path to finalizing the transfer is complicated by the land's proximity to the Salt Lake City International Airport. Before the deal can close, the city must secure consent from both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,given the regulatory nature of wetlands and aviation safety.
Internally, the process requires a multi-step approval: the Mayor's Office must approve the sale, while the Salt Lake City Council must vote to grant the easement and accept the nominal sale price. City Councilman Dan Dugan has suggested slowing the process to ensure the final agreement does not contain conflicting goals. Andrew Wittenberg, representing the mayor's office, confirmed that the city is working with Utah Open Lands and the Division of Wildlife Resources to refine the terms and increase transparency regarding the easement's language.
Comments 0