What We Do
With offices in all 50 states, the Ecological Services program collaborates with partners and the public to meet the challenges of conserving landscapes, fish, wildlife, and plant species nationwide.
Our staff at the Utah Ecological Services Field Office works on a variety of different project types with the goal of protecting and conserving Utah's fish and wildlife resources. We identify species on the verge of extinction and build roads for recovery. We conserve migratory birds and eagles. We also help protect important habitat, increase species’ populations, and reduce threats to species’ survival so that they can be recovered. Additionally, we work with our partners to better manage rare and declining species and their habitats before Federal listings as threatened or endangered become necessary.
We review proposed licenses and proposed laws or regulations. We also work with project proponents, planners, and partners in developing proposals that conserve, restore, or enhance animal and plant species and their habitats, while accomplishing the objectives of proposed developments. Our biologists, botanists, and environmental contaminant specialists also serve on planning teams to provide expertise in wildlife and habitat science along with providing recommendations for avoidance or minimization of harmful effects on wildlife and habitats.
We will continue working with our partners to conserve species and trust resources while facilitating completion of project development proposals. Overall, we strive to ensure a strong scientific basis for decisions regarding endangered and threatened species and trust resources.
Management and Conservation
Over the years, our office has worked closely with partners on landscape level mitigation practices through:
- The preservation of large tracts of wetlands
- Sagebrush restoration projects
- Acquisition of habitats and water for endangered species
- Development of conservation agreements and strategies with resulting decisions to not list species as threatened or endangered
- Development of programmatic consultations
- Creation of instruction bulletins
- Implementation of project-specific minimization and mitigation measures
Our Projects and Research
Working with partners to conserve plants and animals is the core of what we do. Our projects and biological research provides invaluable aid and scientific knowledge about protecting the numerous resident and migrant wildlife species. Learn more about some of our efforts, including Learn more about some of our efforts, including our Environmental Contaminants Program and Migratory Birds Program.
Laws and Regulations
Several agencies in the Federal government put our country's conservation laws into action, and the Ecological Services program of the USFWS helps lead the way. The Utah Ecological Services Field Office administers the Endangered Species Act, Bald and
Golden Eagle Protection Act, and Migratory Bird Treaty Act by working with our partners to achieve conservation goals.