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Show tT OO HERALD DAILY 14 Thursday, hiiy 31, 2008 FARMINGTON BAY WATERFOWL MANAGEMENT AREA tament to nature's amazing Bay " resiliency. That doesn't mean there Continued from Bl arenl challenges, though. critical habitats was recognized early enough to preserve some of them. Protection efforts began many decades ago Hansen quickly identified the two biggest ones: invasive plant life and predators. Of particular concern in the first category is phragmites, a very aggressive plant which produces thousands of seeds as well as sending out runners to make new shoots. A single plant can choke out everything area. in a Experts differ on how this Asian native ended up here, though it was probably with good intentions. The FBWMA is in the third year of a plan to try to dramatically reduce this vegetable pest. The second-biggethreat on the refuge are predators, which Hansen identified as rac coons, foxes, skunks and feral cats. These prey on birds and their nests. Photo by BEKY BEATONDaily Herald He added that more than 250 A flock of Wilson's phalaropes estimated at about 10,000 birds undulates in flight over the shallows of Farmington such animals have been taken Bay on July 29. from the area each year, but Single flocks of as much as a quarter of a million phalaropes have been reported on the Great Salt Lake. BELOW: Rich Hansen, more come because there is manager of the Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, prepares to launch his unit's airboat on July 29. no predator control in the surI I rounding land. That's not all that sets these So, what exactly is a "proStill, the efforts have provisitors apart from other birds, duced some positive results. ductive" wetland? however. Unlike most avian " ' From a low of seven broods Basically, it's one where the species, the female is the gau(each brood includes all the vegetation and animal life provide food and protective cover dy one and usually mates with offspring of one nesting pair) ?' for wildlife. several males. The males also at the WMA in 2002, biologists incubate the eggs and care for counted 154 this year. There At Farmington Bay, there are several different types of the young. are presently 60 species of wetland habitats, each with a birds that nest at the refuge. ' Phalarope migration peaks I t this week, but they are only role to play in the area's ecolVirtually all of the money to the first wave of dozens that ogy. manage the refuge comes from will take place between now Freshwater and brackish hunting license fees, which is and November as hundreds of why the WMA's primary objecmarshes, with their characbird species work their way teristic plants like cattail and tive is to provide the best habisouth through the Flyway. tat available for waterfowl. bulrush, fill the bill nicely with Even in the winter, however, good hiding and nesting spots However, all the other avian on land and lots of food sourcvisitors also benefit, and huthings are not dull at Farming-to- n es in the water, such as insect the open water of the lake, but in flocks of tens of thousands mans do as well as they enjoy Bay. Several hundred bald brine shrimp and brine fly larof individuals, which put on a larvae, fish and amphibians eagles that nest far to the north a serene, spectacular and intermake the area their winter that waterfowl and shorebirds vae thrive in those conditions, flight display unlike anything esting place teeming with wildlike to eat. home in January and February. life in a world which provides providing millions of pounds of else in nature. All told, about 200 species have quite a contrast to the breakfood for avian visitors every Much of Farmington Bay Hansen said single flocks is very shallow and includes he's seen can number a quarter been documented there. neck pace of modern life. year. One of the prime beneficiaLike all the marshes around of a million. When the birds For driving directions, hours huge expanses of mudflats, ries of that where and lots of interesting informatake to the air, they are like a the Great Salt Lake, Farmbounty plants like are Wilson's phalaropes, who tion on what Farmington Bay living ribbon flapping in the ington Bay was completely pickleweed provide seeds for inundated by the floods of the are among the first shorebirds wind, twisting and turning waterfowl and other birds. has to offer, visit the Web site Fish can't survive because to migrate. while filling the sky with sight late 1980s. The area has made at greatsaltlakenaturecenter. of the concentrated salinity in This unusual bird travels a remarkable recovery, a tes and sound. org. and are continuing today. One center of these efforts is the Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, which has grown from 3,800 acres in 1935 to about 18,000 today. According to Rich Hansen, site manager for the Division of Wildlife Resources, two recent controversial Utah transportation projects have actually had a positive effect ontheFBWMA. Federal policies require that when infrastructure construction impacts wetlands, the land lost must be compensated for somewhere else, called mitigation. Usually constructing entities must purchase or provide new land at a ratio which favors the goals of conservation. For example, when TRAX was extended to Ogden, they were required to mitigate at a ratio of 12 to 1, meaning that for each acre of wetlands removed to build the tracks, 12 acres would be required to 15-ye- st '. replace it. FBWMA stands to benefit from that standard as TRAX purchased 60 acres adjacent to the current boundaries to help fulfill this requirement. "TRAX cut a check to us to manage their land," Hansen explained. "After that, if we fulfill certain stipulations set by the Army Corps of Engineers over(the federally-designateseer of wetlands), that 60 acres will be deeded t.o the DWR." The Legacy Highway project has also benefitted Farmington Bay. "The road has been built in marginal wetlands areas which tit fit d weren't very productive," Hansen said. "As a result of this project, 400 additional acres of prime habitat has been purchased which provides a good buffer between us and -- salt-wat- Upcoming additions make future appear bright for waterfowl management area TAIR CHECK! pG& PROPER INFLATION SAVES GAS! Beky Beaton DAILY HERALD ' One of Utah's premier iewing locations is about to get even better. Farmington Bay education specialist Justina bubbles over with enthusiasm as she describes her vision for the future of the Great Salt Lake Nature Center, located northwest of the main entrance complex at the Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area. The Center opened in 2003 but was relocated last year with ft wildlife-v- Parsons-Bernstei- ! , ,.... SjSSSSS' ,i 15580R-1- 3 Is' 'J two workshopclassrooms located on a deck which provides prime viewing of the northern edge of the FBWMA. Plans call for eventual construction of a , ' TOURING I . FT ' 4 5 P22560R-1- - llr., .,i PERFORMANCE Parsons-Bernstei- by BEKY BEATON Herald Daily fj e 9 20555ZR-1- 6 OFFER VAU0 UM.-- 2 P26570R-17...MO- 5 72608 TO 82308. 20, '40 or '50 REBATE OFFER SEE STORE FOR DE1AHS- - WHENiYOUjBUYfAj SEfrOrMWHEELSl " j "") II I TIRESpTHfrDURt CarareWETCARDS BMWNWl BFGoodrich 451-738- YOKOHAMA I t t t i & 4 & 8 - Grade 5 - Grade 6 Grade 9 Cougar Conference (Orem & Weight Limits - Free Jersey i i JXMMJk- - Timpanogos only) iw r I (up to 8 grade) l r r 1325 South State. 564 Lindon Parkway Dates AMERICAN FORK 661 W. State fload I i V IK I- For complete .1- - fc III 1 sign-u- I p information visit us i u.t-u- IV1-- at www.uvfl.net PARKS SPORTSMAN .;,.. t i. j..i-.jJj- . lit. t t. (801) 765-170- 2 (801) 763-660- 4 Goto TZWmlHMUW to shop and maka an appointment at your nearest Discount Tire store. F: S:006:00, SAT.: 8:00-5:- 00 OVER 700 STORES NATIONWIDE! CfffiD The Name For Your Game. t 224-822- 0 Additional Locations: V t (801) Salt Lake City, Murray, Holladay, West Jordan, Kearns, West Valley City, Sandy, Riverton, Draper, Bountiful, Laylon, Roy, Riverdale and St. George At Park's Sportsman 644 N State in Orem v7A 343-351- 8 LINDON July 26th from 9:00 am to 1 1 :00 am July 30th from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm August 2nd from 9:00 am to 1 1 :00 am August 6th from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm August 9th from 9:00 am to 1 1 :00 am August 13th from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm TackleFootlDall (801) OREM 300 air helmets and lycra game pants! UVFLtYouth Grades 3 Grades 7 972 S University Avenue NEW Sign-U- p iihelli PROVO Now with over Jf'W ..100 P26570R-16...1O- Stttmcarotte (onlinenlalS rxtUKEQ -- 84 Drawings created or supervised by the volunteers decorate curtains inthe classrooms, which also feature exhibits from duck eggs and insects to snakeskin molts, all collected in the area. "There's a lot to know," Parsons-Bernstei- n said. "I learn something new every day." . For more information on Farmington Bay and the Center, as well as the urgent need for more volunteer naturalists and donors, visit the Web site or call (801) . n Don't be confused with imitators, go with the best! 58 72 ecosystem. Their availability also allows the Center to extend its hours and to build on its resources. full-tim- lt 22560HR-16,...7- . . 93 Their presentations cover ally every aspect of the area's n Parsons-Bernstei- . virtu- e Parsons-Bernstei- . . . 6 PZ6575R-1- life adaptations to watersheds. educational field trips and programs designed to meet the sciState of Utah's fourth-gradence wetlands core curriculum with fun, hands-oactivities. "But our programs and activities cater to students of all ages, families, Scout groups and adults." Programs are funded entirely by donations. is the only e employee at the Center, but she relies heavily on about 20 volunteer naturalists drawn from all walks of life and age ranges, and more are being sought. Through a combination of their own experience and provided training, these volunteers teach topics as diverse as wild on-sit- 5 20560HR-1- TRUCKSUV Parsons-Bernstei- FBWMA's riches to every type of visitor. "The trail will accommodate wheelchairs and the signs will n include braille," explained. It will be composed of gravel in the upland (i.e. dry) areas, and boardwalks in the marshes." The Center served more than 10,000 visitors this past school year, most of them students from Davis, Weber, Morgan, Salt Lake and Utah counties. According to the Web site at great-salakenaturecenter.org, "The Nature Center was designed by students for students. "Conveniently located between Salt Lake City and Ogden, Utah, the Nature Center offers 20560HR-1- makes a presentation on wildlife watching n in one of the workshop areas at the Great Salt Lake Nature Center at Farmington Bay on July 29. RIGHT: The deck at the Great Salt Lake Nature Center at Farmington Bay provides an ideal platform for viewing scopes aimed at prime sections of the waterfowl management area. Utah Valley Youth Football Sign - Up: . . . 48 55 60 65 6- DWR education specialist Justina e 185B5R-1- 20565R-1- P21570R-1- 5 lliHiillUJliflii Photos foot building. "We call this the front row to n the show," said. Sporting scopes are set up on the deck so visitors can view the numerous species to be found in the area, particularly during the busy spring and fall migration seasons. Not far from the Center's portable buildings, bulldozers are hard at work preparing the first phase of a trail that will eventually stretch for nearly four miles through both upland and marsh habitats. Completion of the full trail is expected to take about three years. The project is a joint partnership between Utah's Division of Wildlife Resources and the American Birding Association. Funded by a conservation grant, the first phase is expected to be completed in September and will provide access to 14,000-squar- im,i i.i.n ,i, n - & a. i j ,i . |