Staff report: planting parties, $202,000 water-restoration grant and outreach plans

Adi Valdez, the Authority’s conservation biologist, told the board the organization has placed an initial order of more than 6,000 native plant plugs and has planted roughly 4,000 to date through four volunteer planting parties. Valdez said the Authority received “over $202,000” in support for this year’s water-restoration initiative and described plans to monitor transplant success with transects later this fall.

Valdez also reported 18 duck-nesting structures were installed with local partners in February; 26 of 30 artificial nests in ProBay are active, which staff said indicates the structures are being used by waterfowl. She outlined a Russian-olive removal pilot in Vineyard and said maintenance and staged removal are necessary to avoid habitat loss.

Anna Hall, communications and outreach coordinator, reported roughly 1,400 students attended field trips this spring and described social-media, educational quizzes and plans to obtain a drone pilot license for aerial documentation. Heather McEwen previewed the Utah Lake Festival (June 8 at Utah Lake State Parks) and described sponsorship and shoreline-adoption programs.

Sam Brager described operational projects related to visitor data: the Authority plans to install EcoCounter pedestrian and vehicle counters at 27 public access points to better prioritize management decisions and recreation access planning. Staff said the counters will not capture personal data and use infrared or field-interruption technology.

Board members asked about transplant survival rates and expansion of the duck-nest program; Valdez said survival is not yet fully measurable because plantings are recent and monitoring will quantify success later in the year.