Coupling Humans and Complex Ecological Landscapes
2009 US-IALE Symposium
Snowbird, Utah | April 12-16, 2009
Great Salt Lake Restoration
| Date: | Thursday, 16 April |
| Time: | 8:00 am - 5:00 pm |
| Cost: | $60.00. Box lunch included in registration fee. |
| Organizers: | Frank Howe and John Luft, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources |
| Enrollment: | Must pre-register on registration page. Maximum of 20 individuals. |
| Location: | TBA |
The Great Salt Lake is the largest lake west of the Mississippi.
It's a terminal, saline lake that supports a dynamic and diverse
ecosystem. The lake rests on the eastern edge of the Great Basin at
the doorstep of the Wasatch and Uinta mountain ranges. The salt water
system is relatively simple with few species adapted to cope with the
widely fluctuating lake levels and salt content. Brackish and freshwater
wetlands abut the salt lake and feature a wide diversity of plants
and animals.
Field trip participants will visit a state-managed freshwater wetland
on the east shore of the Great Salt Lake. Farmington Bay Waterfowl
Management Area and its Nature Center provide an urban interface with
the lake and its natural resources. The WMA provides habitat for over
200 species of birds, and shorebird and waterfowl migration should be
nearing a peak during our visit.
On the west side of Farmington Bay, near the middle of the Great
Salt Lake, is Antelope Island State Park. We will reach the island via
a 7-mile causeway which will give us access to the
lake's "open water
interior" without a boat. The causeway divides two major compartments
of the lake; while closely related, these compartments vary in nutrient
levels, salinity, and system dynamics. Besides providing us a platform
to view open water species, the causeway attracts many bird species to
its sandy and rocky beaches.
Antelope Island will provide us with several different vantage points
from which to view and explore the lake. We will literally immerse
ourselves in the saline environment to better understand the lynchpins
of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem: brine shrimp and brine flies. We will
also take a short hike through the islands upland habitat to the
northernmost point of the island overlooking a large bird colony. We'll
make a stop at the island’s visitor center (a chance to contribute to
the local economy) and round off the day with a look at the island's
population of bison.
About the Organizer:
Frank Howe is the University Liaison between the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and various universities developing research projects related to wildlife issues. He also serves as a Faculty Cooperator with Utah State University and as Adjunct Faculty at Brigham Young University. He spent 15 years as the UDWR Nongame Avian Program Coordinator involved with all aspects of avian ecology, biology, conservation and research in Utah. Because of its hemispheric importance to bird populations, the Great Salt Lake Ecosystem has been a focus of Frank's interest.