Utah Environment – Provo Tribune: Local News for the Provo/Orem Area

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_{By Richard Provost}

The city of Provo is taking significant steps towards a more sustainable future by planting 1,000 trees throughout the community. To facilitate community participation, Provo focused on organizing tree planting events in local parks. These gatherings attracted volunteers from across the city and served as a starting point for the initiative.

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Hannah Salzl, the sustainability coordinator for Provo City, believes this initiative is a wise investment in the city’s well-being. “We felt like it was a good way to invest in our future, invest in our infrastructure, invest in mental and social health, and invest in property values,” she says. “There’s not really a downside to putting more trees in your community.”

Originally scheduled to begin in March 2020, the initiative faced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it officially launched on May 21, 2022, at Pioneer Park, and has since gained momentum with volunteers planting trees in various locations throughout the city. The Thousand Trees Initiative website reports that 353 trees have already been planted as part of the program.

Hannah Salzl, Provo City Sustainability Coordinator. Photo via LinkedIn.

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The involvement of volunteers, including city residents and student groups, has played a crucial role in the initiative’s success. Generous contributions from The Nature Conservancy and the Ivory Foundation have also supplied trees for developing areas in Provo.

Salzl emphasizes that multiple areas in Provo are undergoing development and require additional trees. She states, “There are others that are just starting to develop, just starting to get space to put more trees in. So we’re trying to spread that tree canopy out for better citywide coverage.”

One of the primary objectives of the initiative is to plant street trees throughout the city. Street trees are planted in the area between the sidewalk and the road, offering shade for pedestrians, a buffer between traffic and pedestrians, and reduced heat from asphalt roads.

Ultimately, the goal of the 1,000 trees initiative is to transform Provo into a more beautiful, clean, and sustainable city.

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Reclaiming Utah Lake: Increased Funding Will Reduce Reeds

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_{By Zach Collier}

The Utah state government has given Utah County $113,088 to combat the growth of the common reed. Officially known as Phragmites Australis, it was introduced to American waterways in the 1800s and has proliferated around Utah Lake and other bodies of water in Utah since the 2000s, posing a threat to native vegetation by competing for natural resources.

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The grant, approved by the Utah County Commission on May 10, comes from the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food. Jake Johnson, Utah County’s weed control supervisor, says it’s important to remove these plants in order to enhance wildlife habitats, promote natural vegetation, improve recreational access, and reduce the risk of fires.

The primary focus of the funding will be on Phragmites control, which involves spot treatments with herbicides and subsequent mechanical treatments such as mowing to facilitate future follow-up actions.

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Since 2006, Utah has been actively working on an eradication program for Phragmites, utilizing various methods including herbicide spraying, crushing, mowing, and even allowing cows to graze on the plants. The restoration of Utah Lake’s shoreline has been a priority since 2010, resulting in the removal of over 70% of the Phragmites biomass, leading to improved ecosystem health and biodiversity. The Utah Lake Authority has implemented an adopt-a-shoreline program to maintain the cleanliness of access points, with all 27 points being adopted.

The agreement for the removal and restoration of Phragmites along the Utah Lake shoreline will take effect on July 1 and expire on June 30, 2024. However, since the invasive species is difficult to fully eliminate due to numerous tributaries feeding into the lake, the need for continued funding is anticipated.

Other efforts to ensure the long-term health of Utah Lake include fisheries management, algae remediation, the nearly-complete Provo River Delta Project, and revitalization projects at marinas and harbors throughout the lake.

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