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- County Lands News - August 2025
County Lands News - August 2025
Director’s Message
As summer draws to a close and our landscapes begin their quiet transition into fall, I want to take a moment to pause and say thank you to our community for your continued support and stewardship of our County Lands and Natural Resources.
This season, Summit County’s trails, open spaces, and natural areas have welcomed thousands of visitors seeking connection with nature, adventure, and peace. Whether you explored a shaded forest path, volunteered at a restoration site, or paused to enjoy a sunset over the ridgeline, your presence helped bring these places to life.
As autumn settles in, our county lands are being prepared for the seasonal transition. County staff and partners are conducting trail maintenance, monitoring wildlife activity, and planning for winter access and late season conservation efforts. These seasonal shifts are part of a larger cycle that helps keep our natural resources healthy, resilient, and accessible today and for generations to come.
Maintaining thousands of acres of open space and hundreds of miles of trails that wind through our county recreation lands is truly a community effort and it takes a village. From nonprofit organizations like Mountain Trails Foundation, South Summit Trails Foundation, and Wasatch Trails Foundation, to municipal governments such as Park City, Oakley City, and Coalville City, to special service districts like Basin Recreation and our Summit County staff spanning from the Sheriff’s Department, to the Weeds Division, to Facilities, and Animal Control - each play a vital role in keeping our open space and trail systems safe, sustainable, and accessible.
This work is also supported by our valued state and federal partners, including the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation, Utah State Parks, and the U.S. Forest Service, whose expertise and resources help protect the broader landscapes that connect our local trails. Whether it's building new trail segments, repairing erosion damage, installing signage, or organizing volunteer crews, this collective stewardship ensures that our public lands remain a source of recreation, connection, and pride for all who live in and visit our region.
As the seasons change, I invite you to continue enjoying Summit County’s trails and open spaces as the colors fade and as the air cools. I welcome your continued feedback, involvement, and care for these spaces as they are all essential in protecting the beauty and integrity of our county’s natural resources, recreation, and beloved rural heritage.
Thank you for being part of this nature journey with Summit County. We look forward to seeing you out on the land this fall.
Jess Kirby
Director, Summit County Lands and Natural Resources
910 Ranch Updates
The County has completed all due diligence required for our Forest Legacy funding award and is now in the final review phase with the Forest Service. We anticipate that the property will transfer to County ownership by the end of September. *If you're subscribed to this list, you'll be among the first to hear when this exciting milestone is reached!
Trout Unlimited is helping the county install beaver dam analogs (BDAs) in Big Bear Hollow at the 910 Ranch in the hopes that they will restore the floodplain, replenish groundwater, reduce downstream sedimentation, and enhance wildlife habitat. Learn more about BDAs HERE.
Stories of Forest Management
In June, community members gathered in Summit Park for an informative workshop on Douglas-fir beetles. Residents learned how to identify Douglas-fir and white fir trees, recognize signs of beetle infestation (see image below), and apply preventative treatments on their properties. Thanks to Colleen Keyes and PJ Abraham from the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands for leading the session and sharing their expertise.
This image shows a Douglas-fir beetle among the galleries created for its eggs.
The sawdust at the base of this tree is evidence of a Douglas-fir beetle outbreak.
For more information about Douglas-fir beetles and how to protect your trees, explore the links below:
Questions? Email [email protected]
Fire Restrictions in the Summit County Area
Fire restrictions are put in place to protect public health and safety, as well as our County's forested lands, resources, and facilities by reducing the risk of human-caused wildfires during periods of high fire danger and severe fire weather conditions.
Helpful links to fire restrictions in our area:
Incorporated Summit County: Visit your town or city’s website for info
Upcoming Events
Join us for one or all of these “September Saturdays”!
9/6 — Fall Noxious Weeds Tour
The Summit County Weeds Division is hosting a Community Noxious Weeds Tour. Join county staff and other special guests, including Utah's "Bug Girl" Amber Mendenhall, to learn about biocontrol and how to identify & control noxious weeds on your property.
Date: Saturday, Sept. 6
Time: 9 AM — 12 PM
Location: Richardson Flat Park & Ride, Park City
9/13 — Miss Billie’s Stewardship Day: Serve Park City 2025
Join us for breakfast and a short moment of remembrance, then head to Miss Billie’s property to reseed, pull weeds, and assist with vegetation clearing and light maintenance. Look for the Summit Land Conservancy tent to check in.
Date: Saturday, Sept. 13
Time: Breakfast at 8:00 AM, Volunteering at 9:30 AM
Breakfast Location: City Park (1400 Sullivan Rd, Park City, UT 84060)
Volunteer Location: Matt Knoop Memorial Park / Summit Community Gardens (4056 Shadow Mountain Dr, Park City, UT 84098)
9/27 — Barbed Wire Pull at the 910 Ranch for National Public Lands Day
Celebrate Public Lands Day with us! We’ll work together to remove decommissioned barbed wire fencing, restoring wildlife movement and improving the health of the landscape.
Date: Saturday, September 27, 2025
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: 910 Ranch
Wildlife Watch
The animals are in action and our Wildlife Watch is in full swing! These images contribute to wildlife research on the regional, national, and international scale.
This season, our wildlife cameras have recorded thousands of images of elk herds and documented their behavior and interactions with calves.
We’ve captured multiple sightings of bears and other predators.
A curious coyote stopped to investigate the camera.
A NOTE FROM OUR SUMMER 2025 INTERN:
I’ve had an amazing time working with Jess, Rachael, and the greater Summit County community this summer! I’ve learned a ton about conservation, ArcGIS, sustainability and — of course — noxious weeds! I’m thankful for the mentorship and teamwork I’ve experienced this summer and will always treasure my time spent working in the Lands and Natural Resources Department.
Noxious Weed of the Month: Yellow Star Thistle
Yellow Star Thistle is a 2 to 3-foot-tall winter annual with blue-green coloration. Rosette leaves are deeply lobed and could be confused with dandelion. Stems are winged and sparsely leaved. Flowers are yellow. Cream-colored thorns are 1/4 to 3/4 inch long and protrude from the flowering heads. Bloom is in early summer. Yellow star thistle was introduced from Europe. It grows well on dry sites in rangeland, roadsides, and waste areas. It can cause “chewing disease” in horses that consume it.
Q+A with Summit County Weed Enforcement Office, Dan Pena
Why is it important to talk about yellow star thistle right now?
This is about the time of the year you would treat for this weed. We don't have a lot of it in our county, so we're always looking to make sure it's not having an outbreak somewhere. If someone finds it, we want to know about it.
What is the best control method for yellow star thistle if you do find it here in the county?
Tillage or herbicide would be your best options for managing Yellow star thistle. Herbicide works probably the best on this. You can pull it, too, but it’s a perennial plant, so you do need to get as much of that root as you can.
How do I know if I have noxious weeds on my property?
For more information on noxious weeds in Summit County, please visit here or check out summitcwma.org. If you have additional questions, you can also contact Dave Bingham, Summit County Weed Superintendent at [email protected]
Summit County acquires property and secures conservation easements for open space, conservation, and agricultural preservation. The County welcomes landowners to submit a Notice of Interest, or “NOI,” to have their property evaluated for possible qualified use of these Open Space Bond Funds. A NOI may only be completed by the property owner or an authorized representative. Find out more here.