Cattle Controversy: How Two Environmental Groups Clash Over Sustainable Practices

It may surprise you that two organizations focused on environmental conservation are in conflict, but that’s exactly what’s happening in the Indian Creek area of the Bears Ears National Monument. A judge has ordered a pause on a grazing improvement project there.

The Nature Conservancy is a global group that works on conservation issues in Utah. Locally, its Shorelands Preserve in Davis County is well-known. The organization also manages Dugout Ranch, which includes over 5,200 acres of private land and 335,000 acres of nearby public grazing land overseen by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service.

Dugout Ranch is located about 20 miles northwest of Monticello, near the entrance to Canyonlands National Park’s Needles District. The ranch plans to build 13 reservoirs for cattle and add more fencing. However, the Western Watersheds Project has requested that this project be stopped.

An administrative judge agreed, stating that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) didn’t sufficiently examine how new cattle operations would affect the pristine environment. The judge pointed out that creating these reservoirs could cause lasting harm to the land and that the BLM had failed to demonstrate how livestock would actually protect the area’s natural values.

In her decision, the judge highlighted that the BLM needed to evaluate the effects of redistributing livestock on rangeland health. Concerns included both immediate and long-lasting impacts from construction and increased cattle concentration.

The Nature Conservancy maintains that its work aims to protect this iconic landscape. According to their website, acquiring Dugout Ranch has helped safeguard the area from development. The ranch and its grazing allotments are essential for the Canyonlands Research Center, which studies the impacts of climate change and land use.

Supporters of the Western Watersheds Project argue that halting the project is crucial. Laura Welp, their southern Utah director, stated that this decision protects vulnerable soil and vegetation in the northern part of Bears Ears. She emphasized the need for rigorous analysis under federal law, suggesting that science should guide decisions about land management over commercial interests.

Welp pointed out that cattle tend to congregate around water sources, which can damage nearby plants and soil. This concentration of livestock can lead to desertification and promote invasive species like cheatgrass. She called for more concrete evidence from the BLM to show that allowing cattle into untouched areas wouldn’t harm the delicate ecosystems they aim to protect.

In response, the Nature Conservancy reiterated its commitment to sustainable land management. Their proposed changes aim to provide water for cattle away from sensitive areas, aligning with the BLM’s management policies. This approach seeks to balance the needs of local communities with ecological health.

Here’s what the process looks like:

• In 2017, alongside the BLM, the Nature Conservancy proposed building small stock ponds and new fencing in the Indian Creek Allotment.
• On November 13, the BLM authorized the project after an environmental assessment. Following this, the BLM received several appeals, including requests to halt the project from Western Watersheds Project and Sage Steppe Wild.
• On January 31, the Department of Interior’s Office of Hearings and Appeals suspended the final decision, stating that the environmental analysis lacked enough data to proceed.