Wildlife Biologist
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
Bio:
Don is a career wildlife biologist having served 34 years in various positions for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and four years as the Great Basin Bird Conservation Region Coordinator. He served as a member of the Waterbird Conservation Council of the Americas. He is published in both scientific and popular conservation literature. His career emphasis takes two directions: conservation biology with emphasis in local, national, and international community conservation linkages, and avian conservation with experience in large-scale landscape bird monitoring.
Title: A Great Salt Lake Conservation Story: Capturing Opportunities from Unexpected Consequences
Abstract: Between 1980 and 2024, a Supreme Court case and the creation of a major industry have affected how Great Salt Lake is understood, managed, and conserved. The 1983 National Audubon Society v. Superior Court (Supreme Court of California) decision had far-reaching effects within the Great Basin including Great Salt Lake. Utah received an unexpected opportunity to participate in gathering important data relevant to the case before the court. This information, in turn, triggered a series of important events that helped define Great Salt Lake’s importance within the Western Hemisphere. After the high lake level event in the 1980s, interest in commercial harvest of brine shrimp cysts increased dramatically. This unexpected interest caught the State of Utah off guard. How a frenetic beginning morphed into a progressive science and ecosystem-based strategy is a notable conservation narrative. These seemingly unrelated events shaped an important shift in public perception of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem and can provide lessons on how best to embrace conservation opportunities now and in the future.