Get Involved in USU’s Bear Lake Needs Assessment

All interested USU faculty are invited to join us on Wednesday, July 26 at 3:00 p.m. in the David B. Haight Alumni Center to learn about and discuss USU’s Bear Lake Needs Assessment, an interdisciplinary research effort to help inform and impact future management actions on Bear Lake and surrounding areas.

In the 2023 Utah legislative session, Utah State University was allocated funding to conduct a gaps assessment of the Bear Lake Comprehensive Management Plan, under the direction of the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands. The plan outlines key issues within the sovereign lands of Bear Lake, as well as needed next steps for research and coordination.

This work is critical. Bear Lake is unique in the region as one of just three large natural lakes in Utah. Of those three, it has by far the highest recreational appeal. As such, the Bear Lake area has seen a 300-percent increase in use and visitation over the past 10 years.

To accomplish the needs assessment in the timeframe required, we’re planning an interdisciplinary research program running through the 2023-24 academic year. The program will be designed to build strong internal and external relationships and create a community of experts who understand the integrated relationships between Bear Lake’s natural ecology and human uses.

The program will fund a few faculty research projects, some graduate research assistantships, several undergraduate research grants, and associated programming (participant retreat, stakeholder meetings, and symposia.) It will create strong opportunities for members to collaborate with and participate in management and policy-related activities.

Potential research topics are wide reaching and could include research from all colleges. Key areas of study include water quantity and flow, water quality, land and sediment, plant life, wildlife and habitat, data collection and visualization, outdoor recreation management, environmental planning and transportation, sociology and survey research, communications, marketing and outreach, and policy and management. A list of research questions included in the Comprehensive Management Plan is available here [LINK]. Small investments may also be made in related student projects in history, art, photography, and other humanities.

This event will be part of a series of planning meetings as we create a model for this program, and, hopefully, additional state projects in coming years. If you cannot attend but would like to be include and considered in future conversations, please reach out to Anna McEntire (anna.mcentire@usu.edu).