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Local firefighter urges Brigham City to protect rare firefly habitat
Summary
A Brigham City firefighter, Todd Love, presented evidence of a small local firefly population, urged protection of sites (including city-owned land near the animal shelter) and proposed options such as sensitive-land or green-space designation, a small nature preserve with limited parking and low-light rules, and community events to support conservation.
Todd Love, a local firefighter, told the Brigham City Council on July 16 that he and his family have documented a rare population of fireflies in several wetland-adjacent locations within city limits and asked the city to consider protecting those places.
"There are fireflies in Brigham City," Love said during a 30-minute presentation, describing photographic time-lapses and a map of confirmed sightings. He identified a favorite viewing site near the animal shelter that he said is on property the city owns and urged careful development and reduced light pollution around those parcels.
Love summarized several concrete options he would like the council to consider: changing select parcels in the general plan from commercial to a sensitive-land or green-space designation; creating a small nature preserve with a short trail and limited parking; planting trees to buffer light from nearby industrial lighting; and piloting ecotourism such as guided, low-light tours or an annual Firefly Festival similar to events in neighboring cities. "I would like to see some sort of protection for that happen," he said.
Council members asked clarifying questions about specific parcels and next steps. Council members and staff told Love they appreciated the information and said staff would follow up with him and other stakeholders, including the bird refuge and planning staff, to explore options that would avoid conflict with current development plans where those plans are already advanced.
Love also warned against posting private locations on social media and encouraged responsible viewing. He said volunteers and a local entomologist from the Natural History Museum have begun limited study of the Utah population but that scientific research on these western populations remains sparse.
The presentation did not include a council motion to reserve land immediately; instead, council members thanked Love and indicated staff would coordinate follow-up, including potential incorporation of concerns into future land-use or park planning discussions. The most immediate next step reported at the meeting was a staff follow-up with Love and other community members to assess options before the next season.
