On a clear, sunny Saturday, BYU Sustainability joined nonprofit LDS Earth Stewardship for a fall cleanup at Utah Lake State Park. About 25 volunteers, including families with children, pulled weeds and picked up trash along the main entry road and atop a mound of dredged lakebed. BYU students from the life sciences, law, and engineering colleges, along with other BYU staff and community members enjoyed views of snowcapped peaks, brilliant fall colors, and milky blue waters. Special thanks to LDSES board members Shannon Ellsworth, who serves on Provo City Council, and Brigham Daniels, who teaches environmental law at BYU, for organizing this event.
Beyond pollution and the spread of toxic algal blooms, Utah Lake is threatened by drought and urban development. A keystone of our ecosystem and the centerpiece of our community, it provides critical habitat, abundant recreational opportunities, and invaluable ecological benefits, such as the creation of local precipitation, and it needs our care. To learn more about Utah Lake and to find ways to get involved, visit BYU's Utah Lake Symposium website.