RESTORATION AND RECOVERY

Active and passive restoration is being done to restore native vegetation and welcome back native wildlife. With the absence of livestock grazing, willows and birches along the streams have regrown, and the streams and springs have begun to stabilize and recover from the heavy erosion caused by livestock. Pools and riffles are forming that will provide spawning habitat and greater diversity of aquatic species. Native upland shrubs and trees, such as sagebrush and aspen, are returning as are the native bunchgrasses.

We are controlling noxious weeds by mowing, spraying and reseeding with native species. Progress is being made but more is needed as seeds continue to enter the property from livestock in adjacent areas or trailing along roads.

Kiesha’s Preserve is also working with the Yellowstone to Uintas Connection, Forest Service and BLM to reduce habitat fragmentation in the Bear River Range. We provide our heavy equipment to close illegal roads, trails and campsites in the Caribou-Targhee and Uintah-Wasatch-Cache National Forests. In 2018, we assisted the Forest Service in the permanent closure of over 8.5 miles of roads and 65 illegal campsites. In 2019, we closed an additional 3 miles of roads, including one accessing the Wellsville Wilderness in northern Utah. Additional illegal campsites were closed as well.