division decided to use the money to fund a five-year study with the Berryman Institute and
Wildlife Services of the U.S. Department of Agriculture on the effects of predator control
measures on pheasant populations.
Dr. Messmer stated the pheasant study is ongoing in four counties in Utah. Study sites
are all located on private property. Efforts have been focused on controlling predators during the
winter when their impact on populations is the greatest. He noted that in areas where predators
have been removed, the pheasant population has increased.
3. Management of Elk Depredation - Mr. Allan Smith, rancher, told the committee about his experience with elk depredation on public lands. He explained that he operates on Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) lands during the winter and on Forest Service lands, as well as his
private range, in the summer. Over the last ten years he has worked with the Division of Wildlife
Resources and the BLM in cooperative monitoring programs to determine which species was
feeding off the BLM range. It was determined that elk were taking a good deal of the range
before he was able to reach the area with his cattle. Mr. Smith said a possible solution to the
depredation would be to spread usage by elk over a wider area by improving vegetation and
making water available over a larger part of the range. He asserted that allowing earlier grazing
of livestock should also be considered.
Mr. Smith said that on his private range he has worked cooperatively with the Division of
Wildlife Resources to make range improvements resulting in increased usage by both cattle and
elk. He expressed a concern, though, that he has not been paid for a conservation lease he gave
to the division.
Mr. John Kimball, Division of Wildlife Resources, stated that the big game damage
appropriation made to the division is to be used for damage compensation to landowners and not
for conservation leases. He committed to look into the payment problem, however.
Mr. Kimball distributed information on the status of the Cooperative Wildlife
Management Unit program, which has enabled private landowners to earn over $7 million in
trespass and access fees.
4. Cedar Mountain Project and Proposed Ecosystem Initiative - Mr. Kim Christy, Utah Farm Bureau, explained that the Cedar Mountain range experiment project began in 1979 and
has been jointly administered by Utah State University and Southern Utah University under the
direction of Dr. Jim Bowns. The project has turned out to be a major win/win situation for both
the livestock industry as well as natural resource managers. Mr. Christy indicated that last spring
a group met to discuss the future of the project. After some discussion, it was recognized that the
original objectives of the project had been met and the project had run its course. It was also
recognized that there were new dimensions of research that could be pursued with the project
site. It was agreed that future research should address issues of livestock/wildlife
interrelationships. Another component of the research that is being recommended is the issue of
aspen displacement by conifers.
Dr. John Malechek, Utah State University, discussed funding needs for the project. A
one-time request for infrastructure development would require $100,000. Ongoing funding
requirements total $250,000 per year. Approximately $150,000 of the ongoing funding would
provide personnel and $100,000 would be used to match other sources of funds to pay for experts
to look at specific questions of aspen replacement, deer/livestock competition, livestock as a
wildlife management tool, and the economic value of wildlife.
Dr. Jim Bowns, Southern Utah University, confirmed that money is need to upgrade
fences, water systems, and roads.
Mr. Don Peay, Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, stated they support investment in
rangelands and range improvements on public and private lands. He noted there is a huge
amount of sales tax generated from the wildlife industry, and they do not feel a representative
proportion of sales tax revenues is used for range improvements.
Mr. Hardy Redd, rancher, said the increased elk population has had an impact on
rangeland and soils. He said ranchers don't know what is happening out on the range because of
the increase in elk numbers and the interaction between livestock and elk. He expressed his
support for the project in order to obtain more information to make better decisions for the
future.
Mr. Paul Rasmussen, Utah State University, explained that when the project was started,
there were no elk. However, the increase in elk creates an entirely different set of circumstances
that had not been a part of the initial objectives. He noted that in the entire U.S. budget only
$675,000 is budgeted for rangeland research, which indicates that those east of the Mississippi
River don't consider rangeland a priority. The Agricultural Experiment Station is dedicated to
continue the work and respond to the stakeholder requests.
MOTION: Rep. Hatch moved that the committee support the concept of the Cedar Mountain initiative. The motion passed unanimously by the House members. Reps. Anderson,
Tuttle, and Wright were absent during the vote. There was not a quorum in the Senate.
5. Appropriation for Soil Conservation Districts - Mr. Gordon Younker, Utah
Association of Soil Conservation Districts distributed information on the how the legislative
appropriation for the association will be used. Proposals from soil conservation districts
amounted to $944,092. They were able to provide $615,672 from Department of Agriculture and
Food funds. He noted that may of the proposals are matched by a substantial amount of
additional cash or inkind equipment, facilities, or training. Much of the funding will be used to
continue planning for agriculture resource development loans. He said they have readjusted
some of the priorities of the current staff and have assigned an individual to serve half-time as
the state water quality specialist for the districts.
MOTION: Rep. Buttars moved to adjourn the meeting at 12:05 p.m. The motion passed unanimously.