Both groups are excited about documenting every step of the process to measure success and identify possible challenges to ensure that the conservation values on the land remain healthy and in line with protections set forth in the conservation easement.

 

"We have decades of data from our monitoring of Hi Ute from breeding bird surveys to game trail cameras,” said Utah Open Lands Conservation Director Emily Ingram. “Our goal is to improve habitat, eliminate invasive species and increase the available forage for wildlife that clearly call this land home.” said Ingram

 

Interpreting the signs on the ground has been a big part of the determination of how to move forward. McKinley Smoot, who’s background includes soil science and accreditation with the Savory Institute stoops down and pulls back dried thatch dead grass and points to the sparse  vegetation. 

 

“This is not the diversity or stem count we would want to see with a healthy soil base,” said Smoot, a partner of 3 Springs Land and Livestock. “If you think back to the days bison roamed this range they would have aerated the soil, grazed for approximately three days and moved on. Mimicking that behavior is what we hope to achieve.”

 

Monitoring is key. The 3 Springs and the Utah Open Lands teams have already collected several soil samples and will continue monitoring carbon stored in the soil every six months along with moisture content and soil composition. Photo points, wildlife cameras, and vegetative transects are just some of the tools the team will use to evaluate ecosystem health and the success of the regenerative practices.

 

Another critical goal is invasive species management. 

 

“By using cattle and a little molasses, we can significantly reduce—and possibly even eliminate—the need for herbicides” said Maryssa Fenwick Utah Open Lands Land Protection Manager. 

 

The Utah Open Lands team hand-pulled an estimated 700+ pounds of myrtle spurge, filling more than 15 large contractor bags and clearing thick clusters that had overtaken hillsides and threatened to outcompete native vegetation. The hope is that the cattle will churn the remaining roots into submission.

 

With a mission of working with nature to produce healthy meat, revitalize land and build resilient communities, 3 Springs Land and Livestock was the right choice for Utah Open Lands in response to the Request for Proposal the organization sent out. Together, the groups aim to demonstrate that regenerative grazing contributes meaningfully to land restoration.

 

To gain perspective on the land management strategies Utah Open Lands turns to history. It was Samuel Snyder who brought cattle to the area dubbed Parleys Meadow in the mid 1800s, remarking on the expansive meadows with three significant streams running through them. As Smoot points out, the bison that roamed the area were abundant before settlers arrived. These hoofed ungulates that were part of the ecosystem had a niche.  The goal is to bring that service, that niche, back to the land while continuing to safeguard the iconic pasture land of the Hi Ute Ranch.

 

Hi Ute Ranch has long been a visual gateway of open pastures along the historic I-80 corridor. Protected through a conservation easement by a collaboration between Utah Open Lands, the landowning family and Summit County, the land was spared the jumble of development that now flanks its borders. 

 

“This was one of the first projects partially funded by the first Snyderville Basin Special Recreation Open Space bond. It was only possible because of the private funding brought to the table by Utah Open Lands and the generosity of the landowning family.”  said Wendy Fisher Executive Director of Utah Open Lands. 

 

The millennium trail which runs within the properties East and West borders was part of the goal of the original purchase. With the donation of 344 acres, the Hi Ute pasture lands, donated to Utah Open Lands at the end of 2024, the Mid-Mountain Connector Trail is now set to begin construction July 1. The Snyderville Basin Special Recreation District already has secured a trail contractor, and Utah Open Lands is contributing a $35,000 grant toward trail construction.

 

Together, regenerative grazing and public access reflect how conservation evolves: one that protects working lands, restores ecological function, and welcomes the community to experience what’s been preserved.