Stewardship
Caring for our natural resources deepens our connection to the landscapes, wildlife, and ecosystems that make Southern Utah extraordinary. Stewardship is both a responsibility and a privilege, allowing us to protect what sustains us while fostering a greater appreciation for the land’s beauty and vitality. By honoring this duty, we ensure these treasures endure for generations to come.
Program Goals
The Stewardship Program aims to inspire and empower the community to protect, restore, and preserve Southern Utah's plants, wildlife and natural resources for future generations. This includes efforts to:
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Foster hands-on volunteer opportunities for community involvement.
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Restore degraded habitats and support native species recovery.
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Strengthen public awareness of challenges to our desert ecosystems, so that the local community is invested in the fate of public lands.
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Past Projects
Desert Tortoise Monitoring
CSU volunteers dedicated over 2,600 hours to this two-year sensitive species study for the BLM - setting up wildlife cameras in the field and combing through millions of images. A BLM biologist reported that CSU's work is the most comprehensive documentation of wildlife on the Beaver Dam Slope in several decades, and it will help them make better-informed land management decisions.
Wildfire Habitat
Restoration
In 2020, 4 human-caused fires burned nearly 25% of the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, devastating native vegetation. Over the next 3 years, CSU volunteers teamed up with the BLM to restore the Cottonwood Trail Fire Habitat Restoration Plot—planting thousands of native shrubs, building protective cages, and maintaining the area. With a 65.3% plant survival rate, this project highlights the incredible impact of community-driven conservation.
Bearclaw Poppy Restoration
The dwarf bearclaw poppy, found only in Washington County, Utah, is a critcially endangered plants due to habitat loss from development, off-road vehicle use, and declining native pollinators. CSU volunteers partnered with the BLM to improve a rare habitat by removing tumbleweeds and debris and hand-sowing native seeds to help reclaim an old road scar. This effort aims to heal damaged habitat, offering hope for the survival of this rare desert plant.