Council members warn overuse and trash are degrading Emery County public lands; enforcement seen as inadequate

Council members at the Emery County Public Lands Council meeting described public lands they value for hunting, grazing and recreation — and warned those same lands are being degraded by rising visitation and limited enforcement.

Members described the county’s access as unusually broad and valuable: one member said simply, "You can go out there in the mountains, you can go in the desert... it's there." But most council members also listed litter, off-road vehicle damage and crowding among their primary concerns.

"If we don't manage for the resource, we'll lose it," a member warned, urging management that prioritizes the resource over unrestricted use. Members cited examples including new motorcycle tracks on fragile bentonite hills at Muddy Creek and large trailers and camp clusters near Cedar Mountain that make traditional ranching access difficult.

Several members criticized enforcement capacity. "There's absolutely no enforcement," one council member said, arguing a single law-enforcement officer cannot cover the county’s public lands. Members suggested possible actions: improved data collection on traffic (automatic counters), targeted grants for parking and safety, and formal travel-management planning.

The council agreed to invite partner agencies and groups — the county road department, state parks, Backcountry Horsemen and law enforcement — to give short presentations at future meetings so members can understand capacity, funding and permit constraints.

Council members also noted a tension between tourism promotion and preservation: marketing that increases visitation also raises the risk of overuse. They asked staff to compile options for balanced management and to present potential funding or partnership models at a future meeting.