Strawberry Valley (SVARM)

Meetings

For more details, contact Lorien Belton (lorien.belton@usu.edu).

SVARM co-chairs are Anthony Grey and Riley Peck.

Local Working Group (LWG) meetings are held three or four times each year. Unless otherwise noted the SVARM LWG meets as indicated below:

Winter Meeting (January or February)

• Review any WRI projects related to sage-grouse in the Strawberry area
• Policy and partner updates as appropriate

Spring meeting (as needed)

• Policy or partner updates as appropriate
• Project planning and ongoing research discussions

Summer field tour

• Past project visits and updates
• Future habitat improvement project identification and planning

Fall meeting (usually November)

• Discuss project updates
• Consider any new threats and any actions to take
• Propose new projects for funding in the upcoming year
• To be placed on the mailing list, or for specific meeting times and locations, contact Lorien Belton, CBCP Extension Specialist at 435-770-2413 or lorien.belton@usu.edu.
• SVARM Sage-grouse Conservation Plan

Sage-grouse Conservation Plan

• Strawberry Valley Greater Sage-Grouse Local Conservation Plan

Reports and Publications

• 2020 Accomplishment Report of Utah’s Adaptive Resources Management Greater Sage-grouse Local Working Groups
• 2019 Accomplishment Report, Strawberry Valley section or entire LWG report
• 2018 Accomplishment Report Strawberry Valley section or entire LWG report
• Flack, M.B. 2017. Ecology of Greater Sage-Grouse Inhabiting the Southern Portion of the Rich-Morgan-Summit Sage-Grouse Management Area. All Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 6899. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/6899  
•  2017 Accomplishment Report, Strawberry Valley section or entire LWG report
• 2016 Accomplishment Report, Strawberry Valley section, entire LWG report
• 2015 Accomplishment Report, Strawberry Valley section
• 2014 Accomplishment Report, Strawberry Valley section

Minutes

• January 25, 2022
• April 2, 2020
• December 2, 2019
• March 14, 2019

New Information Kiosks Near Strawberry Reservoir

By Lorien Belton, Utah State University

The Strawberry Valley Adaptive Resource Management group (SVARM) has installed two new information kiosks near Strawberry Reservoir. Thesigns discuss sage-grouse, recreation impacts, and habitat treatment efforts. SVARM members worked together to design, fund, and install the project. Both kiosks are located near popular ATV or snowmobile recreationist parking areas, one at Trout Creek, across Highway 40 from the reservoir, and the other on private land closer to the reservoir.

The signs help achieve several of SVARM’s goals. First, they provide basic information about sage-grouse in the area: population declines and recent increases, and show pictures of sage-grouse. Second, several sections of the sign, visible from a vehicle driving by, emphasize the importance of being careful when recreating in sage-grouse habitat. The signs say “Take Care, We Have Sage-grouse Here!” Lastly, for visitors to the area who chose to examine the sign in more detail, they will learn that there are habitat treatments visible from the parking areas. The text explains why and how the treatments were done and how they help sage-grouse.

The Division of Wildlife Resources provided funding and labor to print and install the Trout Creek sign, which was attached to an existing Forest Service information kiosk backboard and roof. A new structure was built to house the sign at the snowmobile parking area. Many members of the SVARM group provided input on content and design, making the project a true team effort!