Habitat Council funds dozens of habitat projects, buys equipment and property due‑diligence; tables one regional budget for review

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Habitat Council approved a slate of project and equipment requests on Jan. 23, 2025, authorizing funding for regional wildlife‑management area (WMA) work, an excavator lease and related equipment, and continued funding for the agency’s property‑acquisition due‑diligence account. Council members also tabled the northern‑region management budget for further review.

The council’s actions cover habitat restoration, fence upgrades, parking and access work, and program staffing. Among the items approved were a $75,000 mitigation‑fund restoration plan for the Spencer Fort WMA, purchases and leases of heavy equipment and project materials, and continued funding for the Habitat Council’s property‑acquisition due‑diligence fund. The council also approved continued development and hosting of the Division’s wildlife analysis mapping tool used by industry and land managers to identify sensitive habitats and migration corridors.

Why it matters: the votes provide near‑term money and permissions for dozens of projects that the Division and its partners use to restore habitat, control invasive plants, maintain drinking guzzlers and fences, and improve public access and hunter opportunity on WMA properties across the state. The tool approved for continued work is intended to speed reviews for large‑scale infrastructure proposals by showing migration corridors and other important habitats earlier in project planning.

Most important actions and context - Equipment and heavy‑lift support: Council authorized continued leasing and replacement of heavy equipment used by DWR field crews and WRI contractors — including approval of funds to acquire a purpose‑built truck (proposal price mentioned to council: about $180,000) and to purchase modular access mats (roughly $700 each) that protect soils in wet work sites. Staff said the machines and mats reduce annual rental costs over the long run and are heavily used by field crews across regions.

- Regional WMA funding and projects: The council approved management and project requests from multiple regions. Southern‑region WMA maintenance items were approved; a Spencer Fort WMA restoration plan using $75,000 in mitigation funds was approved; central‑ and southeast‑region maintenance and project packages were approved; hardware (Hardware Ranch) parking and maintenance funding was approved; and a number of fence‑upgrade and accessibility projects across northern and central regions were approved.

- Property due‑diligence account: The council approved the Habitat Council property acquisition due‑diligence fund for FY26 (staff requested and council approved a budget to cover appraisals, title work and other pre‑closing costs). Staff noted that this account is critical because many acquisition funding sources do not allow use of purchase‑price funds to pay appraisal or title costs.

- Strategic mapping/tool funding: The council approved a modest grant to continue enhancements to the Division’s habitat analysis/reporting web tool (previously supported by several partners), intended to reduce report generation time and improve planning reviews for developers and state agencies. Staff emphasized the tool’s role in showing wildlife migration corridors and other sensitive resources earlier in project planning.

- Tabled item: The council voted to table the northern‑region WMA management budget and asked staff to return with a clarified, line‑by‑line justification and clearer equipment rental estimates. Council members cited rising equipment, fertilizer and seasonal labor costs and asked staff to sharpen the budget and explain differences compared with other regions before final approval.

Votes at a glance (selected items; council vote recorded in meeting) - Southern region WMA maintenance/management package — Motion to approve; mover Randy Hutchison; second Blake Millette; outcome: approved. - Spencer Fort WMA restoration (use of $75,000 mitigation funds) — Motion to approve; mover Joe C. Siemens; second Angie (last name not specified in transcript); outcome: approved. - Central region WMA management projects — Motion to approve; mover Angie (last name not specified); second Steve (last name not specified); outcome: approved. - Southeast region management package — Motion to approve; mover Randy Hutchison; second Angie; outcome: approved. - Gordon Creek inholding acquisitions (multiple small lots) — Motion to approve acquiring inholdings from willing sellers; mover Randy Hutchison; second Blake Millette; outcome: approved. - Hardware Ranch parking lot and maintenance requests (parking, weed control, seasonal staffing) — Motion to approve; mover Randy Hutchison; second Angie; outcome: approved. - Hardware Ranch perimeter and pasture fence replacements — Motion to approve; mover Tyler (last name not specified); second Steve (last name not specified); outcome: approved. - Heavy equipment lease and modular mat purchase (excavator lease; 20 mats) — Motion to approve; mover Drew (last name not specified); second Angie; outcome: approved. - Division property due‑diligence (acquisition) fund — Motion to approve FY‑26 allocation (appraisals, title, legal due diligence); mover Angie (last name not specified); second Tyler (last name not specified); outcome: approved. - Habitat analysis (wildlife‑mapping) tool enhancements — Motion to approve continued funding to accelerate report generation and reduce timeouts; mover Randy Hutchison; second Steve (last name not specified); outcome: approved. - Northern‑region WMA management budget — Motion to table for revision; mover Tyler (last name not specified); second Blake Milllette; outcome: tabled for staff revision and re‑submission.

What council members said - Riley Peck, Division Director, opening remarks: “I really wanna tell you thank you, and and that's not lip service. I really mean it.” Peck told the council members he values the volunteer time and the work that the council and partners do to produce on‑the‑ground habitat projects.

- Eric (chair and Habitat Section chief) described the council’s role in the spending process: “...our ultimate goal here is projects we review, at the end of this process, we take this list of recommendations to the director, and and he's the one that signs off…” (remarks summarizing the council’s recommendation role).

What’s next: staff follow‑up and schedule Council staff and regional managers will revise the northern‑region budget as requested and return with a clearer line‑item justification and equipment‑rental estimates. Staff said they will also attempt to secure partner and sportsman group funding for larger fleet or truck purchases where possible, and continue to bring discrete acquisition and fence projects to the council for approval. The council scheduled follow‑up meetings through April and is due to reconvene Feb. 25, 2025 at 9 a.m.; staff will circulate clarified budgets and project write‑ups in advance.

Ending note Council members stressed a mix of near‑term maintenance needs (fences, guzzlers, weed control, roads, parking) and longer‑term investments (irrigation pivots, equipment purchases, habitat‑analysis tool improvements) are both essential. The council approved a number of requests this session while pausing only the northern‑region budget pending more detail on equipment and rental costs. The vote package approved projects that staff say will be used by regional crews and partners over the coming field season.