Utah land set aside for prairie dogs

Utah prairie dogs have a place to call home, away from development pressures, in central and southern Utah.

The Utah prairie dog, a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act, makes its home in Sevier, Beaver, Iron, Garfield, Wayne and Piute counties. Some of those counties have had to restrict development on prairie dog habitat to protect the animals. But now a designated habitat site in Iron County will free land for developers while preserving space for the creatures.

The Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration has created a perpetual conservation easement on 800 acres in south-central Utah.

The administration also worked with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, Utah State University extension and Environmental Defense to establish a perpetual endowment fund for maintaining the land.