U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
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Completed Plan
Spring 2011
Conduct scoping and public meetings
Summer 2012
Prepare the draft environmental assessment (EA) and plan
Fall 2012
Release the draft EA and plan for public review
Spring 2013
Complete environmental review and final plan
Land Protection Plan
Bear River Watershed Conservation Area
Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming
Description
The Bear River Watershed Conservation Area is in the northeastern corner of Utah, extending into southeastern Idaho and southwestern Wyoming.
This large-landscape, conservation easement strategy will protect important habitat for a variety of fish, mammals, and migratory birds and major migration corridors connecting the northern and southern Rocky Mountains. In addition, the conservation area will facilitate watershed-wide conservation efforts and will protect valuable farmland and ranchland.
- Comprises a project area within the Bear River watershed.
- Potential land protection with conservation easements bought from willing sellers.
In the course of its 500-mile journey, the Bear River passes through three national wildlife refuges—Bear Lake, Bear River, and Cokeville Meadows—encompassed within the proposed conservation area.
Grassland and shrubland (mostly big sagebrush) dominate the lowlands, while pinyon-juniper woodlands and pine forests cover the higher slopes. The lowlands are mostly privately owned and used for agriculture and grazing, where Bear River water is extensively used to irrigate alfalfa, pastureland, and small grain crops.
Bear River south of Woodruff Narrows.
Conservation easement contracts specify perpetual protection of habitat for trust species and limits on residential, industrial, or commercial development. Contracts prohibit alteration of the natural topography, conversion of native grassland to cropland, drainage of wetland, and establishment of game farms.
Easement land remains in private ownership. Therefore, property tax and invasive plant control remains the responsibility of the landowner, who also keeps control of public access to the land. Contracts do not restrict grazing on easement land.
Contacts
Planning team leader
Amy Thornburg
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Division of Refuge Planning
134 Union Boulevard, Suite 300
Lakewood, Colorado 80228
amy_thornburg@fws.gov
303 / 236 4345 telephone
303 / 236 4792 fax
Project email: brwca@fws.gov
Southeast Idaho National Wildlife Refuge Complex
4425 Burley Drive, Suite A
Chubbuck, Idaho 83202
208 / 237 6615 telephone
Refuge Web sites: www.fws.gov/grayslake/seidaho/index.html
Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
2155 West Forest Street
Brigham City, Utah 84302
435 / 723 6451 telephone
bearriver@fws.gov
Refuge Web sites: www.fws.gov/bearriver
Refuge profile
Cokeville National Wildlife Refuge
P.O. Box 700
Green River, Wyoming 82935
307 / 875 2187 telephone
seedskadee@fws.gov
Refuge Web sites:www.fws.gov/seedskadee/
cokevillemeadows.htm
Refuge profile
Documents
Land protection plan (LPP)
LPP 2013 (14 MB PDF)
By section, for faster download:
Contents and Summary (PDF)
Chapter 1, Introduction and Project Description (1 MB PDF)
Chapter 2, Area Description and Resources (3 MB PDF)
Chapter 3, Threats to and Status of Resources (1 MB PDF)
Chapter 4, Project Implementation (2 MB PDF)
Appendixes (8 MB PDF)
Draft environmental assessment (EA) and LPP 2012 (20 MB PDF)
By section, for faster download:
Contents and Summary (1 MB PDF)
Draft EA Chapter 1, Purpose of and Need for Action (4 MB PDF)
Draft EA Chapter 2, Alternative, Including the Proposed Action (PDF)
Draft EA Chapter 3, Affected Environment (6 MB PDF)
Draft EA Chapter 4, Environmental Consequences (1 MB PDF)
Draft EA Chapter 5, Coordination and Environmental Review (1 MB PDF)
Draft LPP Chapter 1, Introduction and Project Description (4 MB PDF)
Draft LPP Chapter 2, Area Description and Resources (6 MB PDF)
Draft LPP Chapter 3, Threats to and Status of Resources (1 MB PDF)
Draft LPP Chapter 4, Project Implementation (7 MB PDF)
Appendixes (PDF)
Planning process documents
Fact sheet 2012 (1 MB PDF)
Fact sheet 2011 (1 MB PDF)