Roots of Conservation explores Summit County’s open-space legacy

Oct. 14 panel brings together longtime local leaders and conservation advocates to discuss the region’s history of land preservation and what comes next

PARK CITY, Utah — Summit County residents will have a chance next week to hear from some of the people who helped shape the region’s approach to open-space conservation.

“Roots of Conservation: Our Region’s Open Space Legacy” will be held Wednesday, Oct. 14, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Jim Santy Auditorium in Park City. Summit County’s Lands and Natural Resources Department is hosting the event.

The panel will bring together longtime local leaders and conservation advocates to discuss the history of open-space protection in Summit County, the efforts that helped preserve land across the region, and the challenges that remain.

Panelists include Myles Rademan, former Park City planning director and founder of Park City Leadership; former Summit County Commissioner Bob Richer; Cheryl Fox, director of Summit Land Conservancy; and Wendy Fisher, director of Utah Open Lands.

Summit County describes the event as a look at the region’s “hard-won successes” in conservation and what it may take to protect open land in the years ahead.

The discussion comes as Summit County continues to navigate growth, development and increasing pressure on agricultural land, wildlife habitat and other open spaces.

Open-space preservation has been part of the county’s planning landscape for decades, with local governments, voters, landowners and nonprofit conservation groups using a mix of public funding, land purchases and conservation easements to protect properties across the region.

The Oct. 14 event is part of Summit County’s recognition of America250 and is intended to highlight the people and decisions that helped shape the county’s conservation legacy.

Doors open at 6 p.m. for refreshments and networking. The panel begins at 6:30 p.m., followed by a public question-and-answer session at 7:30 p.m. The event is free, and attendees can register through Summit County.