Communities along the Wasatch Front are growing rapidly. Former farmland is quickly transforming into entirely new towns. It easy to see the entire Salt Lake Valley is quickly filling up and there is precious little open space left. The Oquirrh Mountains are our last chance as a community to plan ahead and save something special for generations to come. We can sit back and watch as development creeps higher and higher up the foothills and into the canyons or we can start planning now for a healthy future for residents and the environment. That future is one that preserves the Oquirrh Range as open space to the greatest extent possible.
Plan for Preservation
Now is the time for a comprehensive plan on preserving the Oquirrh Mountain Range. Over a hundred years of intense resource use and destruction has left some areas irreparably transformed, while others have been closed to the public and free from human interaction. The canyons and peaks of the Oquirrh Mountains are best kept as open space free of development. We call on community and government leaders to formulate a plan now to protect as much of the Oquirrh Range as possible.
Provide Oversight
The Oquirrh Mountains are home to intensive mining operations and other private users. Transparency and public awareness of the plans and activity of industrial entities is in the public’s best interest. The Oquirrh Foundation is focused on providing feedback and shining a spotlight on potential harmful activity.
Improve Access
Public lands in the Oquirrh Mountains are not easily identified and difficult to access. Little public information available on how and where access is permitted has led to poor outcomes such as garbage dumping, trespassing, vandalism, and destruction of natural resources. Respectful outdoor recreation provides important benefits to visitors of the Oquirrhs. Improvement can be made to public trail heads and public access points. Signage and online resources should be developed.