Conservation isn't generally a task associated with the U.S. military, but a new land partnership in Utah is turning that idea on its head.
In May 2024, the federal government designated over 2.7 million acres as the Great Salt Lake Sentinel Landscape, Utah Public Radio reported. Sentinel landscapes are "areas where conservation, working lands, and national defense interests converge," according to the Sentinel Landscapes website.
Sentinel landscapes — there are 17 total, from Hawaiʻi to South Carolina — are anchored by at least one high-value military installation or range and contain high-priority lands for the Department of Agriculture, Department of Defense, and Department of the Interior. In fact, the Great Salt Lake Sentinel Landscape is home to Hill Air Force Base, Camp Williams, Tooele Army Depot, and Air Force Little Mountain Test Facility, according to UPR.
The lake's sentinel landscape coordinator Tyler Smith, who spoke with UPR, said it is in the military's best interests to protect a healthy landscape, as flooding, droughts, and wildfires associated with a warming planet can impact training operations.
Meanwhile, conservationists stand to gain collaborative opportunities through the new land designation that will help them secure funding and improve the coordination of their efforts.
"It's bringing together all these different partners from various levels, whether it's local, county, state, federal, and then the nonprofit organizations as well, so that we can all work toward a common purpose," said Elizabeth Carter, a land protection director with The Nature Conservancy, which has a nature preserve in the landscape, per UPR.
One of the main goals of the new sentinel landscape is to mitigate the effects of catastrophic wildfires through fuel management and agency collaboration. This will be especially important as scientists predict increased wildfire risks — even in areas not accustomed to these disasters — as our planet continues to overheat.
One way you can help in the fight against a warming world is by changing the way you get around, such as ditching the gas guzzler for an electric car, using public transport, or choosing to cycle or walk.
The sentinel landscape also aims to protect water sources and the Great Salt Lake Ecosystem — according to the Utah Department of Natural Resources, the Great Salt Lake pumps $1.9 billion into the economy each year and employs around 7,700 people.
Furthermore, the marshes, mudflats, and meadows surrounding the Great Salt Lake provide crucial stopover, wintering, and nesting habitat for millions of shorebirds and waterfowl, according to the State of Utah.
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