By Bryce Nielson
Over the past 40 years of living at Bear Lake I have seen the Valley change dramatically. Recreational construction is the most obvious and disconcerting to many people. I know that where there is private land it will change as dictated by the owner and zoning. I have been watching what has happened to public land owned by we the citizens. Forest Service, BLM, and the State of Utah are the organizations administering how these areas will be used.
Bear Lake proper is the heart of our valley and garners the most concern and interest by folks in the area. I could go into great detail about impacts the Lake has endured over the years water fluctuations, beach use, Bear River inflow to name a few, but I won’t. As a scientist, I am interested in actual data and the Bear Lake Watch monitoring stations have been providing that. After looking at many parameters and the shoreline during this highwater year, I feel that Bear Lake is doing fine. This ancient body of water has seen a lot over the last 200,000 years and developed characteristics that make it stable. I am not saying, do whatever we want to do to the Lake but I am confident that in today’s society, Bear Lake’s future will be positive.
As far as the public land surrounding the lake, history tells me that in the early 1900’s things were much different. I came across this article about early researchers looking for mollusks (snails) in Garden City.
Station 82, mouth of Garden City Canyon, west of Garden City. Utah, on the south side of the canyon. Oreohelix haydeni hybrida typical as at Logan, under shrubs and especially under matted leaves of Balsamorrhiza sagittate on limestone slopes devoid of rockslides. The slopes are now very barren, but we were informed by pioneers that forty-five years ago they were well covered with large mountain mahogany up to a foot in diameter. These trees furnished fuel for the early settlers, but wasteful cutting and fires have denuded the hills for some miles back and overgrazing by stock has been disastrous to the smaller shrubs and herbs. It is difficult to believe that snails could obtain a foothold under present conditions, but they have flourished under more favorable conditions, they have been able thus far to survive the change in environment. Erosion is rapidly carrying the soil and vegetative debris from beneath the scant shrubbery and may soon destroy the colony, unless saved by a series of years of increased moisture favorable for plant growth.
Collection date. 1916
These land snails are common in the foothills or Rich, Cache and Box Elder counties but no research has been conducted for nearly 100 years. When you see a white snail shell as you walk around the foothills with limestone, it is probably a Lyrate Mountainsnail. As I have read in other historical accounts, the entire forest was overgrazed by sheep and most of the vegetation was cut down for building and fires. The early settlers had pretty much denuded it to survive It looks much different today, like a natural forest ecosystem. Grazing has been reduced while ATV’s have increased. Humans and fire create the major impacts now, something we will have to live with.
I recently visited the site of the North Eden Fire that occurred a year ago. Not much sagebrush but miles of grass and forbs as the land rebuilds itself.
We are fortunate to live in this Valley. That natural ecosystem is resilient to a point. Let’s never forget that. We need to treasure and protect it for future generations. We now are responsible for this legacy.
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