Volunteers Fan Out Along East Canyon Road to Clean Up 910 Cattle Ranch

Volunteers fanned out along East Canyon Road this week, collecting trash and pet waste at the 910 Cattle Ranch as part of Summit County's Stewardship Thursdays series, organized in partnership with Swaner Preserve & EcoCenter. The effort focused on protecting the East Canyon Creek watershed, marking one of the first organized stewardship events on the county's newest major conservation property.

The cleanup came about two months after Summit County finalized its acquisition of the 8,576-acre ranch, which the county described as the largest land conservation achievement in its history. Also known as the Wasatch Back Forest Legacy Conservation Project, the property stretches north of Jeremy Ranch into Morgan County and west to the Salt Lake County line, connecting with adjacent national forest lands, state-owned parcels, and protected private estates.

"This acquisition marks a defining moment in Summit County's land conservation history," said Jess Kirby, the county's Lands and Natural Resources Director. "Most of all, I am deeply grateful to the landowner for embracing conservation for his land and for trusting Summit County to honor and care for this extraordinary landscape. His decision ensures that its beauty, heritage, and ecological value will be protected forever."

The purchase drew primarily on a $40 million U.S. Forest Service grant administered in part by the state Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, with the remainder coming from Summit County's 2021 voter-approved open space bond. Doug Campbell, forest operations manager for the Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, said the federal Forest Legacy Program is built to keep working lands intact near growing communities. "Open space is preserved and working forests are protected that provide wildlife habitat, clean water, and recreational opportunities," Campbell said.

Summit County's January announcement characterized the ranch as "creating a vast and continuous corridor for wildlife movement," linking the Snyderville Basin to surrounding public and protected lands.

For now, public access remains tightly limited. The general public is not permitted to roam the 910 Cattle Ranch freely; only the seasonal East Canyon Road is open for public use, and it is closed to vehicles until April 30. As a condition of the sale from landowner David Bernolfo, hunting on the property is strictly and permanently prohibited. Fishing will also remain restricted until restoration efforts establish a sustainable fishery.

County officials are still developing a public recreation plan for the ranch and have pledged a transparent process, noting they have one chance to get this right. The Volunteer Ambassador Program will continue to play a role in stewardship and public education during the planning phase, working alongside Stewardship Thursdays events such as this week's East Canyon Road cleanup.