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Thursday, September 5, 2013

Coordinated Resource Management Plan For Rich County

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter
Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah.  September 4, 2013.  County Commission meeting.  The Coordinated Resource Management (CRM) committee has requested a match of $3500 to fund a tech at USU who will work on the Greater Sage Grouse Evaluation Plan and responses to sage grouse populations.  Ten years ago  there was a move to stop open range grazing to protect wildlife.  Rich County started the CRM to improve habitat and sustainability of wildlife and water quality, and to maintain grazing rights rather than having state or federal government take on that responsibility.
The County must continue to generate data to prove that the county’s plan is protecting sage grouse population while still maintaining multiple use options. The sage grouse hunt is still held as part of the management plan.   The monitoring of sage grouse shows that they winter at Deseret Land and Livestock and then move back to areas near Bear Lake in the summer.  The movement has been interesting to watch, researchers band and GPS sage grouse to follow migration patterns.  The CRM consists of presidents of grazing associations, sportsman’s groups, such as Trout Unlimited, all state and federal agencies agencies, Bear Lake Watch and other interested parties.  

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