One of last year's biggest range fires could turn into one of this summer's biggest reclamation efforts.
The Nature Conservancy has joined forces with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management as part of an all-volunteer effort to stabilize fragile hillsides and begin reviving the fire-scarred, rugged slopes of the Henry Mountains near Hanksville.
Last week, rehabilitation teams began spreading native seed, clearing out dead trees, planting ponderosa pine and building a series of dams to stabilize banks in the fire-ravaged areas of the Henry Mountains.
"We're hitting it hot and hard to get these areas to regrow and really slow down the soil erosion," said Suzanne Grayson, a wildlife biologist with BLM's Richfield office that manages the public lands in the Henry Mountains.
Firefighters last June battled a couple of fires that engulfed more than 34,000 acres in a remote area of the Henry Mountains where native Utah species like the southwest willow flycatcher and blue grouse rely on the natural springs for habitat.
"These wet areas are jewels in the desert," noted Grayson. She added that the volunteers focus on revegetating areas near the springs to make sure there's crucial habitat for wildlife.
In some areas the fire burned so hot it cleared out ground cover, leaving open, bare slopes vulnerable to erosion.
In other areas, the fire cleaned out ground cover that promotes new growth and crucial foraging habitat for deer and other big game.
"Though fires are considered a part of the natural process in many ecosystems," said Linda Whitham, the Nature Conservancy's San Rafael Area program manager, "this particular fire covered an extensive area of the Henry Mountains, burning thousand of acres of habitat, altering the environment, depositing ash and contributing to erosion and deposition throughout the area."
Grayson spearheaded the efforts, calling on organizations to bring people together who have an interest in spending a weekend camped out and having fun. The volunteer effort is an important part of the BLM's overall rehabilitation efforts.
"There's other folks that the Nature Conservancy contacted," she said. "We just all pooled together, making it a real cooperative effort and having a lot of fun doing it."
It may seem odd that the Nature Conservancy would take on such a project as this — after all, the conservation group is most noted for its efforts to purchase conservation easements to protect farmland.
The group, however, has identified the Henry Mountains as one of Utah's ecological gems and thereby worthy of protection. It also marks the beginnings of a conservation effort to build partnerships.
"The BLM and the conservancy bring different resources and expertise to the table," said Whitham. "By working together, we open up new possibilities for long-lasting results that meet both of our interests and improve Utah's landscapes."
More work needs to done, said Grayson. She is organizing restoration efforts in June.
People interested in volunteering should contact either Linda Whitham at 435-259-4629 or Suzanne Grayson at 435-542-3461.
E-mail: donna@desnews.com