OCR Text |
Show Page 12 THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Volume III, Issue VI January 15, 2000 Conserving Utah’s Habitats Over the next few decades, Utahns will face the major challenge of sustaining important natural resources while also allowing for growth and development. Areas that have been set aside to protect their natural values, such as state wildlife and waterfowl management areas, national wildlife refuges, and other public lands, will help meet this challenge. However, many critically important habitats, including some of Utah’s wetlands and riparian (streamside) habitat, are located on private lands. The land-use choices of private landowners will play a key role in determining the future of these areas. Voluntary stewardship is one of the most beneficial ways to ensure that both current and future generations will be able to enjoy Utah’s rich natural heritage. Wetlands are one of many important critical natural land areas. The importance of wetlands has not always been appreciated. Early settlers viewed wetlands as impediments to development, unsuitable for agriculture or settlement. From the 1800s until the 1970s, federal programs encouraged the draining and filling of wetlands so the land could be used for agriculture or other purposes. As a result, wetlands were lost in every state, including about 30% of Utah’s historic wetlands. However, as our knowledge of the importance of wetland functions to both human and ecological communities has increased, government policy and programs have shifted to encourage careful management and protection of wetlands. Habitat. Wetlands are among the most productive and diverse natural ecosystems. Wetlands provide food, water, shelter, and space for a wide variety of animal species, including many threatened and endangered species. Wetlands are especially important to wildlife in an arid state like Utah. The wetlands around the Great Salt Lake are used by millions of birds each year. Wetlands also provide shallow water for freshwater fish to spawn, shelter, and feed. Wetlands and riparian areas are among the essential habitat types identified by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, and are among the priority habitat types identified for migratory bird conservation. Flood and Erosion Control. Wetlands are often compared to sponges in terms of their ability to soak up and then slowly release large volumes of water. By storing water, wetlands can help reduce flood damage, and wetland vegetation can help reduce erosion. Gradual release of the stored water helps sustain stream flow during drier times of the year, important for agriculture and fisheries. Water Purification. Wetlands can help improve water quality by removing pollutants such as sediments and excess nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. However, the capacity of a wetland to remove pollutants can be overwhelmed if pollutant loads are too high. Groundwater Recharge. Surface water which flows into and is held by a wetland has more time to percolate into the underlying soil where it can help replenish wells and aquifers. Nutrient Cycling. Wetlands help decompose organic matter and return nutrients to the food chain. How do Wetlands Benefit Farmers and Ranchers? In the arid west, the availability of water directly affects the value of land, especially for those whose livelihoods depend on agricultural production. Wetlands are a source of water that is often overlooked. Wetlands benefit farmers and ranchers because they: Help maintain late summer stream flows, which are critical for irrigating crops, watering stock, sustaining fisheries, and recharging aquifers. Maintain a higher water table than non-wetland areas, which increases subsurface irrigation and production of forage. Filter sediment, which protects water quality, prolongs the life of irrigation pumps, and reduces siltation of ponds and irrigation ditches. Reduce the velocity of floodwaters and bank erosion, which minimizes property losses. Filter out chemicals applied to the land, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and pesticides, which helps keep them from entering nearby lakes, streams, or ground water. Can provide trees and shrubs that shelter livestock. Although these wetland functions benefit farmers and ranchers, some of these benefits also apply to everyone who lives in Utah. Additional wetland benefits include: Recreational opportunities such as hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, and photography. Revenues from fishing, big game, waterfowl, and upland game bird licenses and activities, and from wildlife viewing and photography. Educational and research opportunities. Waste-water and stormwater treatment from wetlands constructed specifically for this purpose. What Happens if Wetlands are Destroyed or Degraded? Destruction of wetlands can create far-reaching impacts. Although alterations to an individual wetland may seem minor, the cumulative effects of many small changes may cause significant harm to our wetland resources. The consequences of wetland loss and degradation include: Loss or decreases size of wildlife populations. Increased flood damage. Increased sediment and nutrients in lakes and stream. Contaminated drinking water and irrigation wells. Reduced fish productivity due to poor water quality and habitat loss. Increased costs of drinking water. Reduced recreational opportunities and loss of tourist dollars. Lower water tables. Reduced production of livestock. What Types of Activities Can Harm Wetlands? Wetlands can be harmed or destroyed by many activities, including some that take place on surrounding uplands. Wetlands can be destroyed by ditching or draining, or by diversion of their water source. Heavy grazing can cause soil compaction, reduce vegetative cover, and alter the species composition of the plant community. Dumping of fill or trash can also harm or destroy wetlands. Pollutants such as pesticides, fertilizers, and petroleum compounds can degrade wetland water quality and harm wildlife and plants. Excess sediment can fill in wetlands over time. Domestic pets can harm or kill wetland wildlife. Changes in the surrounding landscape can also harm wetlands and their associated wildlife. For example, removal of upland vegetation can cause increased inflow of sediment and pollutants, degrade upland habitat needed by wildlife, and create conditions that favor invasion of the wetland by non-native plants with little wildlife value. How Can I Help Protect Wetlands on My Property? Rather than draining or filling wetlands, seek compatible uses which involve minimal wetland impacts. Seek upland sites for development projects, and avoid wetland alteration or degradation during construction. Maintain buffer strips around wetlands and along streams, which can help filter pollutants in runoff and also contribute to wildlife habitat value. Maintain wetlands and adjacent buffer strips as open space. Avoid wetlands when they’re wet or during nesting seasons. Don’t dump trash or fill in wetlands. Preserve wetland water sources. Seek guidance on grazing. Remove exotic vegetation and weeds. Keep pets out of important wildlife areas, especially during nesting seasons. Actions like these can help protect wetlands. You can also take steps to restore or enhance wetlands, and to protect them in perpetuity. (1) Options for Landowners Who Wish to Retain Ownership and Guide Future Use of Their Property: Technical and financial assistance programs for wetlands protection, restoration, and enhancement offered by conservation agencies and organizations provide a variety of tools to help landowners interested in protecting or restoring wetlands and other types of habitat on their property. Assistance ranges from informal advice to technical and financial assistance involving formal agreements between the landowner and program sponsor. Conservation Easements are one of the most effective and commonly used land protection tools available. Conservation easements allow landowners to ensure that their property’s important natural values are permanently protected while they retain ownership of the land. A conservation easement is a legal agreement made by a landowner to transfer development rights for a given piece of land to a qualified easement holder, such as a public agency or qualified non-profit conservation organization. The landowner retains fee title to the property, continues to reside on the land, and continues to use the land in ways that will not impair its conservation value. Every conservation easement is different because each easement is written for a specific piece of land and for an individual landowner. In general, the landowner agrees to restrict use of the land for the purpose of preserving conservation values identified in the easement. For example, a landowner may agree to limit subdivision of the land or to limit the types of land uses that can occur on the property. Like other types of easements, conservation easements are recorded on the deed, and bind future owners of the land. A conservation easement does not have to encompass a landowner’s entire property. Landowners often donate conservation easements to qualified easement holders to take advantage of the tax savings associated with charitable contributions. To qualify as a charitable donation, a conservation easement must be perpetual (that is, binding to both the original and all future landowners), must protect significant conservation values such as wildlife habitat, scenic views, or open space, and must be donated to a qualified easement holder exclusively for conservation purposes. The organization that holds the conservation easement accepts some significant and continuing responsibility. The easement holder is responsible for annual monitoring to make sure that the conservation values identified in the easement are being protected. The landowner and the organization holding the easement meet annually to review the easement and continue a positive relationship. If the terms of the easement are violated, the easement holder will work with the landowner to correct any problems. In addition to income tax benefits, donation of conservation easements may also reduce capital gains, estate, gift, and property taxes. Landowners who practice good stewardship and want to pass their land on to their heirs may reap large benefits from a conservation easement. Limited development strategies allow sensitive development of those portions of a piece of property that have the least conservation value, so that remaining areas with higher conservation value can be protected, usually by a conservation easement. Many homebuyers are willing to pay more for property with unspoiled views, wildlife habitat, and solitude. Thus a landowner may be able to generate as much or more income by selectively developing only a portion of their property, and protecting the area with the highest conservation value. This option can help landowners who would like to stay on their land and protect most of it, but who also need to generate some additional income. Landowners who wish to pursue the limited development option need to understand the laws that regulate subdivision in Utah, which can be obtained by contacting Utah Department of Commerce’s Real Estate Division. Leases are agreements for the rental of land by a landowner to a conservation organization or agency for a specific time period. The landowner receives periodic payments for the leased property while the use and protection of the land are in the hands of the organization or agency. Leases provide an alternative if landowners do not wish to transfer development rights to their land to a conservation organization or agency (as through a conservation easement) but would like the land to be used or protected by such a group for a specific time period. Certain restrictions can be incorporated in the lease to guide the activities of the conservation organization or agency. Management Agreements are joint agreements between a landowner and a conservation agency. Either the landowner or conservation agency agrees to maintain the property in a manner consistent with the goals of the landowner and the conservation agency. The management plan is tailored to the landowner’s needs and goals. The conservancy agency often provides technical assistance, and monitors compliance with the terms of the agreement. In some cases, direct payments and other types of UTAH HABITAT cont. on page 13 |