Hunting and fishing license sales fund nearly $176,000 in Summit, Wasatch habitat projects

Strawberry Reservoir. Photo: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah — Habitat restoration and recreation projects in Summit and Wasatch counties will receive nearly $176,000 in funding through the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources’ Habitat Council, part of a statewide effort that allocated more than $3.4 million to conservation projects for the coming fiscal year.

The funding comes from hunting, fishing license sales and will support 71 habitat restoration, fishery enhancement and public access projects across Utah.

“We appreciate the hunters and anglers who truly are the backbone of wildlife conservation,” DWR Habitat Conservation Coordinator Alison Whittaker said in a statement. “When you buy a hunting or fishing license, you are directly supporting wildlife conservation.”

Several projects in Summit and Wasatch counties were selected for funding, including habitat improvements around Jordanelle Reservoir, stream restoration work in the Strawberry River watershed, and enhanced public access along the Lower Provo River.

Local projects funded

• Strawberry River Restoration Project Phase IV — $96,000
• CRO Reservoir Habitat Enhancement (Phase 2 – Jordanelle) — $30,000
• Burnt Beaver 2027 habitat project — $20,000
• Bourbon 2027 habitat project — $20,000
• Lower Provo River Angler Access Improvements and Signage Phase II — $10,000

The projects are part of a broader statewide effort to improve fish and wildlife habitat, increase hunting and fishing access, restore watersheds, and strengthen ecosystems facing modern challenges.

Notable projects elsewhere in Utah include improvements to the Canyon View Park Pond in Spanish Fork, habitat restoration work on Thousand Lake Mountain, and mule deer range improvements in the La Sal Mountains.