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| Friends of Great Salt Lake | |
|---|---|
| Name | Friends of Great Salt Lake |
| Formation | 2010s |
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Headquarters | Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Region served | Great Salt Lake watershed |
Friends of Great Salt Lake is a Salt Lake City–based conservation organization focused on protecting the ecological integrity of the Great Salt Lake and its surrounding wetlands. The group operates at the intersection of science, policy, and community engagement to address water allocation, habitat loss, and industrial impacts on the lake, drawing attention from stakeholders across the American West and linking to broader efforts in Utah, United States, and international conservation networks such as Ramsar Convention signatory efforts and North American flyway initiatives. Its work intersects with state agencies, academic institutions, and nonprofit coalitions active in the Great Salt Lake region.
Founded in the 2010s amid accelerating declines in lake surface area and brine shrimp productivity, the organization emerged alongside rising public concern about dust emissions from exposed lakebed, wetland loss, and impacts on migratory birds that traverse the Pacific Flyway, Central Flyway, and Mississippi Flyway. Early activity coincided with high-profile episodes involving the Utah Division of Water Resources, legal disputes over water rights such as cases in Utah State Courts and regulatory attention from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The group formed partnerships with research programs at University of Utah, Utah State University, and conservation groups like The Nature Conservancy and Audubon Society, while engaging with legislative bodies including the Utah Legislature and federal representatives from Congress of the United States.
The organization's stated mission centers on safeguarding migratory bird habitat, brine shrimp resources, and air quality by promoting science-based water management and restoration of wetlands around the Great Salt Lake. Goals include influencing allocation decisions tied to the Colorado River Compact-era water management practices used in western United States watersheds, advocating for sustainable withdrawals overseen by state institutions such as the Utah Department of Natural Resources, and supporting policies that align with standards from entities like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The group frames its objectives in concert with regional conservation priorities advanced by organizations like Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife, and local watershed alliances.
Programmatic work includes lake-monitoring campaigns, wetland restoration initiatives, and habitat enhancement projects for species such as the American avocet, Wilson's phalarope, and brine shrimp that support the broader Great Salt Lake ecosystem. Restoration projects have been coordinated with municipal partners including Salt Lake City, county land management offices, and tribal stakeholders from regional tribes engaged in western water issues. The organization has launched outreach tied to seasonal events like migratory bird surveys used by networks such as the Christmas Bird Count and collaborates with museum and education partners including Natural History Museum of Utah and university extension programs.
Advocacy efforts target legislative and regulatory reform through testimony before the Utah Legislature, engagement with the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, and input on federal processes administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation. The organization files public comments on environmental impact statements and participates in stakeholder advisory groups addressing water conservation, groundwater management, and industrial permitting for mineral extraction activities linked to the lake. It also interfaces with national conservation coalitions working on saline lake protection alongside groups involved in issues related to the Great Salt Lake Minerals industry and regional planning authorities.
Friends of Great Salt Lake partners with academic researchers at institutions including Brigham Young University, Salt Lake Community College, and the Ecology Center for studies on salinity, brine shrimp life cycles, and airborne particulate matter from playa exposures. Monitoring programs coordinate with state monitoring networks and national research efforts such as those funded through the National Science Foundation and collaborative projects with the U.S. Geological Survey. Data-sharing arrangements have supported peer-reviewed studies published in journals affiliated with societies like the Ecological Society of America and informed policy analyses used by the National Audubon Society and regional basin commissions.
Community initiatives include public forums, volunteer habitat restoration days, educational curricula for local schools in Salt Lake County and outreach during festivals and events like those hosted at Antelope Island State Park and municipal parks. The organization partners with media outlets and civic groups to increase visibility of lake issues, working with reporters from regional newspapers and broadcasters covering environmental topics. It also collaborates with citizen science platforms and birding organizations including local chapters of the Audubon Society and national networks such as eBird to broaden participation in monitoring.
Funding streams combine individual donations, foundation grants from entities like conservation-focused philanthropies, and project-specific support from state and federal grant programs administered by agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Reclamation. Strategic partnerships include collaborations with NGOs like The Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club, and regional watershed alliances, academic partners across Utah's universities, and coordination with municipal governments and tribal organizations. These partnerships enable pooled expertise for grant-funded restoration, research contracts, and joint advocacy campaigns that align with multistakeholder planning efforts at the watershed scale.
Category:Environmental organizations based in Utah