Logan City cuts down Canyon Road trees
By Sam Isaacson STATESMAN SENIOR REPORTER
Logan residents held a vigil on Nov. 16 to say goodbye to the historic 100-year-old ash trees on Canyon Road.
The ash trees were part of the group of trees removed as part of the construction for the First Dam Tank & Pipeline project, which the Canyon Road improvement is part of. The City of Logan hired the company Diamond Tree Experts to cut down all the trees. The process started on Nov. 17.
The ash trees have been a source of controversy between the City of Logan and its residents, with many residents wishing another solution could be found to avoid cutting down the ash trees.
Alanna Nafziger, Logan resident and 2025 mayoral candidate, said it was really hard to say goodbye to the trees.
“Emotionally, it’s just really hard because they didn’t consider public input, you know, so I guess I just feel like there’s a lot of grief coming up for me and other residents around this process,” Nafziger said.
Nafziger said the removal of the trees felt like a loss of part of Logan’s history.
“They’re an incredible part of our heritage,” Nafziger said. “It ties to the establishment of Logan as a city, and so it really connects us to that. They have all this cultural value. I’ve even wondered if my ancestors had a hand in planting them, you know, which is really cool, but besides that, they’re providing all these ecosystem services we won’t get back from new trees.”
Nafziger also said she felt the city wasn’t properly balancing the existing residents’ needs with the need for future growth to Logan’s infrastructure and felt this was a continual pattern she sees from the city.
Mike Johnson, member of the Logan Municipal Council, said the concerns residents have had about the ash trees were heard.
“I think a lot of people are concerned that we’re not listening or that we’re not trying to find solutions,” Johnson said. “I can promise that I’ve been listening. Sometimes, just because we don’t agree on the outcome of an issue, doesn’t mean that we weren’t listening and we weren’t trying to work through the process as best as possible. It’s an unfortunate situation, but it’s an infrastructure project that needs to be completed by the city and in the long run will be for the betterment of our community.”
Logan is required by the state to have certain amounts of drinking water in storage, and it is currently deficient. The First Dam Tank & Pipeline project aims to ensure the city is in compliance.
Johnson said it would be much more expensive to have the waterline detour to avoid the trees, and even if this happened, the city would still need to cut down other trees on alternate routes.
“Our estimates show anywhere between roughly 2.5-6 million [dollars] an increase to avoid the ash trees,” Johnson said. “You’re pushing into a 5-10% budget increase for that on the project, so I understand that people are frustrated about the ash trees, but at the end of the day, the increase in cost and budget to go around the ash trees was a bit unfeasible, in my opinion.”
Johnson said he knows this will be a big change, and the council is optimistic the contractors hired on for the improvement plan, J-U-B ENGINEERS, will do a good job putting the road back together and inserting nice landscaping in a way the community will love.
“Will it be different? It will, but I think we can still get it to a point where it has a unique feel and still is a good place for people to love living on Canyon Road,” Johnson said.
Nafziger said she felt even though it’s a wellengineered solution, the project fails to value the landscape or the cultural context of the trees.
“I think that when you don’t value those things, you’re still paying the cost of them, but you just are kind of ignoring it,” Nafziger said. “So, it’s like a wellengineered harm to the community.”
Sam Isaacson is senior studying journalism with a double minor in art and psychology. She is passionate about human rights, animal rights and climate change.
— sam.isaacson@usu.edu
PHOTO BY Alyssa Cook
A construction loader is seen parked in front of ribbon-marked trees at the corner of Sixth Street and Canyon Road on Nov. 17.
PHOTO COURTESY OF BRANDON ELWOOD
Northern Utah experiences rainiest October on record
By Bailey Daniels STATESMAN SENIOR REPORTER
October did not just bring colorful leaves and costumes for Cache Valley residents but also an unprecedented amount of rain. Northern Utah just experienced one of its wettest Octobers on record, with Salt Lake City breaking a 124-year precipitation record.
Casey Olson, climate data analyst at the Utah Climate Center, kept a close eye on the rainfall while it was happening as part of his job. Each storm was more surprising than the last, and he felt as though he was constantly out at the weather station.
“October is usually a quiet month in terms of precipitation, since the weather pattern is transitioning from summertime to more wintertime type storms,” Olson said. “Man, we just got slammed with these storms back-to-back.”
According to qanr.usu.edu, Utah State University has been measuring the weather since 1893, starting with a weather station north of the C. Anthon Ernstrom Nutrition and Food Science Building. Olson shared the gauge ranked this October as one of the top 10 wettest on record.
“The big one that made all of the news was the Salt Lake airport, which broke their record for October,” Olson said. “They ended up with about five inches of rain, which is almost a season’s worth of rain in one month. Overall, it was a really good thing to see after a really dry summer.”
Kelly Kopp is a USU professor who focuses on landscape water conservation and sustainable turfgrass management. She works with many agencies that work toward achieving water use efficiency in the Intermountain West. She spoke with The Utah Statesman on how this anomalous weather will affect Utah.
“Even though most of our water comes from snowpacks, we sometimes have issues in the springtime if our soils
are too dry,” Kopp said. “When we do get runoff, it will actually run off and not just get absorbed into the soil. The other really awesome thing about it was it actually helped raise the level of the Great Salt Lake.”
These facts were echoed by Olson, who explained Utah’s infrastructure is equipped to collect water from snow, not rain. When precipitation comes as rain, it runs into different areas, such as basins, then back into the atmosphere. Although the infrastructure to directly utilize the water may not be in place, it is beneficial from an agricultural standpoint.
“The drier the atmosphere is, the more likely it is that the vegetation around the state will evaporate more,” Olson said. “From that perspective, it was really awesome to have a cooler and wetter October, because it reduced the evaporative demand of the landscape.”
Despite these positive benefits, there were issues with flash floods. According to the American Red Cross of Utah, on Oct. 4, heavy rain led to flooding in Tooele County and Salt Lake City. On Oct. 6, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall declared a local emergency. As stated by Kopp, the rain did not gradually fall but came in big storms, which overwhelmed Salt Lake Valley’s infrastructure.
Bailey Daniels is a senior studying technology systems. She loves Lana Del Rey, sweet treats and all things whimsical.
ARTWORK BY Lyndee Johnson
Researchers document successful wildlife overpass
By Mia Nielsen STATESMAN REPORTER
Researchers at Utah State University took part in a study to document animal activity at a wildlife overpass in Parleys Canyon. The overpass was designed specifically with mule deer in mind to prevent deer-vehicle collisions in the canyon but also helped many other species of animals safely cross the eight-lane highway.
Nicki Frey, a USU extension wildlife specialist, said the project was highly successful. Frey and other researchers used video footage to monitor mule deer and other animals to see how often they approached the overpass and either crossed it or turned away.
According to this footage, 98% of mule deer and 100% of moose crossed the overpass after approaching it. Over 35 other species including porcupines, weasels, bobcats, squirrels and coyotes also used the overpass.
“To us, that’s very successful because it infers that wildlife see this overpass as part of their environment, not something scary to be worried about,” Frey said. “We had a den of coyotes living right next to it, and they would play around on the overpass, so they were clearly incorporating it into their daily lives.”
Since the overpass targeted prey species, Utah Department of Transportation, or UDOT, engineers and designers kept the overpass open without shrubbery or trees that could conceal a predator.
Frey said UDOT studied animal behavior for several years before building the overpass, identifying highcollision areas and natural crossing patterns. The overpass was designed with these natural behaviors
in mind, and a variety of factors like fences helped to organically guide animals to the overpass.
Blake Ledbetter, a research assistant on the project, was surprised by how quickly mule deer incorporated the crossing into their range. He said researchers put six cameras at the crossing, returning every two weeks and reviewing the footage to determine successful versus unsuccessful crossings and identify things like the species, sex and crossing patterns of the animals using the overpass.
“If they’re not using the crossing to get from one way to the other, then they’re going to eventually find their way onto the road, past the fence, where they stand the risk of getting hit by a vehicle,” Ledbetter said. “It’s really important for us to look at these results and say ‘Okay, this was worth the money.’”
Ledbetter believes their research will help the state design crossings that match the needs of different target species. Though the overpass was highly effective for mule deer and moose crossings, elk only successfully used the overpass once, highlighting the need for species-specific design.
Frey said the overpass is not just good for animals. It also makes financial sense.
“This overpass cost $5 million, which sounds like a lot, but $5 million is less money than what all of the deer-car collisions cost a year, so they paid back the cost of that overpass in just a couple of years,” Frey said.
Ledbetter says wildlife-human conflicts are unavoidable, but projects like the overpass keep both humans and animals safer.
Mia Nielsen is a sophomore studying plant science and journalism. When she’s not writing, she enjoys live music, driving up Logan Canyon and daydreaming about moving to Spain.
— mia.nielsen@usu.edu
PHOTO COURTESY OF UDOT
UDOT pauses Logan Canyon fiber project
By Dylan Moore STATESMAN REPORTER
Drivers moving through Logan Canyon this year have faced delays and lane restrictions as the Utah Department of Transportation continues work on a major fiber optic installation project. The construction, which began in early spring, is designed to place a continuous fiber line through the length of the canyon from Logan to Garden City.
Since last spring, drivers in the canyon have dealt with long waits at temporary lights while the cable is laid in trenches.
UDOT communications manager Mitch Shaw said the project is entering a winter pause due to weather, but construction will resume in the spring.
“We’re winding down construction right now,” Shaw said. “We’re taking a pause over the winter, but the project is not finished. We’re hoping to wrap the whole project up a year from now — basically fall of 2026.”
While work is paused, most normal traffic flow will return to the canyon. Shaw said drivers may still see protected shoulders or occasional equipment, but the roadway will function largely as it did before construction.
The current project is the final phase of a multiyear effort. UDOT previously installed fiber near both ends of the canyon, but the center section has remained without service. This last segment will connect the entire stretch.
“This is the final phase that will connect everything,” Shaw said. “Once this is finished, there will be fiber optic cable throughout the entire canyon connecting to both ends.”
UDOT has coordinated its work with other utilities to avoid multiple rounds of closures. Rocky Mountain Power, Logan City Light and Power Department and Logan Water Department have used the open trench to complete upgrades of their own.
“So, while we have our trench open, they’re up there making upgrades to their power system, Logan power, Logan water,” Shaw said. “We can tackle
everything at once so we don’t have to go in there multiple times and shut down traffic.”
The project cost is approximately $25.4 million, funded through statewide transportation tax revenue. Shaw said UDOT prioritizes projects based on road conditions, traffic data, crash history and public needs. A statewide transportation commission and the legislature both play roles in funding decisions.
Although construction has caused delays, emergency agencies reported coordination with UDOT has helped intain access. Craig Humphreys, assistant chief and fire marshal for Cache County, said dispatch centers communicate directly with UDOT to clear the way for emergency vehicles.
“Dispatch has the ability to make contact with those that run the lights, and they’re able to remotely change the lights in our favor so we can get through as quickly as possible,” Humphreys said.
Humphreys said the construction has only minimally affected fire response, but it is another obstacle on the roadway.
“It is another hazard on the roadway that we need to work our way around, but it hasn’t been drastic,” Humphreys said. “The value is well worth the minimum it takes right now while it’s in process.”
Once the fiber line is complete, agencies expect long-term benefits from improved connectivity. The installation will allow UDOT to add traffic cameras and electronic message signs, which are not currently possible in the canyon.
“We will be able to install cameras up there,” Shaw said. “It will allow us to install electronic signs so we can give people real-time road messaging.”
The new line will also enable cell service in the canyon for the first time. While UDOT will not install or operate cell towers, private companies and local governments will be able to access the public fiber utility once it is in place.
Humphreys said cell service would significantly improve emergency response because 911 calls are often delayed until someone reaches an area with coverage.
“Right now, the delay happens between the time of an accident and the time it takes someone to get within cell phone range,” Humphreys said. “If they have immediate cell phone coverage, we’ve cut that response time in half.”
Marshall Blom, Logan district ranger for the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, said the construction has slowed U.S. Forest Service travel in the canyon, but UDOT has worked with his staff during emergency situations.
“There were some hiccups in the first two weeks,” Blom said. “But in one case, all of their stoplights and equipment being up there was actually a benefit to us when we had to close the canyon down to the Rick Springs [Wyoming] fire.”
Blom said the Forest Service will review environmental impact documents related to future infrastructure. However, he worries about an increase in distracted drivers who would have cell service where they previously didn’t.
UDOT is encouraging travelers to sign up for updates through its project website to monitor future impacts when construction resumes in the spring.
Dylan Moore is a junior majoring in political science and minoring in anticipatory intelligence and Russian. He loves going on outdoor adventures and cooking.
PHOTO BY Dane Johnson
A recent layer of asphalt is seen on the road in Logan Canyon on Nov. 20.
PHOTO BY Dane Johnson
Construction workers and equipment are seen at the mouth of Logan Canyon on Nov. 20.
PHOTO BY Jack Burton
Cars wait at a light in Logan Canyon near Wind Caves Trailhead on Oct. 2.
Utah’s air pollution: A decades-old problem
By Sam Isaacson STATESMAN SENIOR REPORTER
Utah is known for struggling with air pollution, with the American Lung Association rating the Salt Lake City-Provo-Orem area as No. 9 worst for ozone pollution, and No. 19 worst for short-term particle solution pollution.
More specifically, Utah is known for having some of the worst wintertime air pollution in the world due to yearly temperature inversions. These events are caused when a bubble of cold air gets trapped under a layer of warm air between mountains, preventing the polluted air from escaping.
Seth Lyman, a research professor in the Utah State University Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said when polluted air stays trapped for a long time, it can lead to unhealthy air quality.
“The reason that we have those problems more than some surrounding areas is that Utah — especially in the wintertime — has low wind,” Lyman said. “We’ve got mountains everywhere that kind of block wind and make it so pollution that’s emitted stagnates and stays there rather than blowing away quickly.”
USU experts are studying two notable types of pollution, ozone and PM2.5, that can have negative impacts on health.
Lyman said the ozone layer higher in the atmosphere is crucial because it blocks and absorbs UV light from the sun. However, ozone near the surface can cause health problems in the lungs.
“Wintertime ozone is a reactive gas, so it’s three oxygen atoms combined together, and normal oxygen that we breathe is two oxygen atoms,” Lyman said. “That third oxygen atom can react to our lung tissue and cause respiratory problems.”
Lyman said the Uinta Basin area struggles with an abundance of ozone formation, partly because the emissions from the oil and gas industries get trapped in the cold air bubble. To combat this issue, Lyman said oil and gas industries need to get better equipment and look at their facilities more often.
“It’s probably not possible for us to get to a place where we don’t have any emissions of pollution caused by the oil and gas industry, but I work at the Vernal campus and I’ve been here since 2012, and over that 12-13 years that I’ve been here, we’ve seen a pretty dramatic reduction in the emissions of pollution from the oil and gas industry,” Lyman said.
PM2.5 pollution refers to particulate matter that is 2.5 microns or smaller.
Randy Martin, associate research professor of environmental engineering at USU, said the danger of PM2.5 pollution comes from its size.
Martin said the particles between 2.5-10 microns will get caught in one’s nasal passages and upper respiratory tract and won’t make it down to the lungs.
“But the smaller stuff, stuff that’s 2.5 microns and smaller, will actually filter its way all the way down through your whole respiratory system and get into the alveolar regions of your lungs, where the oxygen exchanges into the capillaries and starts causing damage there,” Martin said.
Martin said if the particles are smaller than 1 micron, they can get into the bloodstream. In Utah, many particles are about 0.8 microns. Martin said what the particles are made of may not be as big of an issue compared to what they may be carrying.
“That particle can also be carriers for other compounds, and it’s a lot of those other compounds that could be problematic,” Martin said. “You hear PFAs, chemicals, you hear of microplastics, you hear of lead and metals, and there have been several studies where they found lead and mercury in people’s brains, and that’s because it gets into your circulatory system and makes its way through.”
Professors at USU are also putting in the work to help reduce air pollution.
Edwin Stafford, marketing professor at USU, found a unique solution to improve air quality in Utah. Stafford and his colleague Roslynn Brian McCann co-lead the annual Utah High School Clean Air Marketing Contest, which focuses on teaching kids about air pollution and marketing.
Stafford said they started this competition back in 2015 with about 75 kids. They have hosted the contest since, and it has grown exponentially in the last few years.
“We had 1,200 students involved last year, and we had high schools from southern Idaho to southern Utah involved,” Stafford said.
According to Stafford, the goal is for students to take what they learn about air pollution and marketing and apply it in their designs for the contest.
“The whole purpose of the contest is for the kids to make public service announcements on how they would educate other high schoolers, or maybe Utahns in general, on how to keep the air clean,” Stafford said.
“So, we teach them about not idling your car, carpooling, taking public transit, riding your bike and walking. We have all of these different things that the students learn, and then they use that as messages for their public service announcements.”
Logger’s Ball: A gathering of history, community
By Kenadie Jackson STATESMAN REPORTER
It’s one of my favorite events of the year,” said Elijah Manwill, the Utah State University S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources senator.
The annual Logger’s Ball took place on Nov. 15 at the Logan Country Club, where a room was transformed into a forest. This year, the event was put on by the newly merged S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney College of Agriculture & Natural Resources.
The new senator collaboration has worked out, according to Manwill.
“It’s been a lot of fun working with Senator [Brinley] Rhoade s, and it’s been a lot of help having her,” Manwill said.
The QANR college is now the largest college on campus, and according to Manwill, the collaboration and support while adjusting to the changes has been beneficial.
“With the college merger, the way we structured student council is we took representatives from our old department but decided to include the new geology department and include the Plants, Soils & Climate Department,” Manwill said. “Now, we’ve got new ideas and new people coming in that are interested in Logger’s Ball, whereas traditionally, it was just like a Forestry Club thing.”
A night of live music, activities and peers, the ball dates back to the beginning years of USU. The Forestry Club plays a large role, as without the history of their club, the event would not be here today.
“Forestry Club is actually the oldest continually running club on campus. We’ve got a scrapbook with photos dating back to the 1920s, and so it’s pretty old,” said Truman Mitchell, president of the club.
The ball is structured around forestry degrees and students within the natural resource college. However, that does not mean it is only for them.
“We’re all about getting students experience out in the world. College is good, but you need some experience. We help people work with chainsaws to learn how to saw,” Mitchell said. “We do maple seed collecting to plant in Idaho. We do tree identification. We do a whole lot of stuff. We try to give students skills to go out into the workplace with.”
The ball originally served as a fundraiser for the club. Over time, the size of attendance grew, which is when it was delegated to the natural resource senator.
This year’s ball had many activities, such as cracking geodes, corn hole, painting pots and photo props. The biggest tradition, though, is the food with live, local music.
The bands this year were KIN, Strawberry Jam, Iris Isadora and Xavier and the Beehive Boys.
The student council in charge of planning this event delegated tasks. It was a “team effort,” according to Manwill.
The council integration officer Mercy Smith also felt the team effort.
“For Logger’s Ball, I feel like we all shared responsibilities for planning stuff,” Smith said. With some side activities, the main focus is on community.
“It is usually a pretty rough spot in the semester, and everyone’s trying to get through, so getting everyone and anyone who wants to come together for music, food and fun times is the goal,” said Kennedy Price, the student advocate officer on the council.
As the semester comes to an end, this event is meant to help students get a break and a night off full of community.
Kenadie Jackson is majoring in journalism and communications and minoring in marketing design. She is from Draper and loves anything active and outdoors. — kenadie.jackson@usu.edu
On “Your Favorite Artist’s Favorite Radio Show,” Sophie dives into her favorite musicians’ inspirations. She loves to highlight collaborators, producers, tour partners and bandmates who make her favorite music so good. Tune in at Aggie Radio 92.3 FM!
PHOTO BY Dane Johnson
Kinley Hess, known by the stage name KIN, performs at the Logan Country Club during the annual Logger’s Ball.
FALL 2025 PHOTO COLLECTION
PHOTOS BY Jack Burton
Alyssa Cook
Hadley Sintay
Dane Johnson
Elise Gottling
Column: Ride along with a conservation officer
By Essence Barnes STATESMAN REPORTER
After wrestling my beat-up Subaru through the curling canyon roads of U.S. Route 89, I reached the peak of West Logan Road and was reminded why the drive to Bear Lake is always worth it. The waterfront was gray and quiet as it often is this time of year, but the unmistakable Bear Lake blue still managed to shine through. Despite the town’s calm surface, the man I was going to meet would soon show me this vast ecosystem holds far more activity than meets the eye.
I met Kolby White, a senior conservation officer, and his energetic K-9 partner Bear at the Bear Lake visitor’s center to join them for a typical day in the field. The irony of a journalist who spends most of her time behind a computer screen accompanying a wilderness expert on his daily outdoor adventures wasn’t lost on me, but I approached the day with a curious and open mind.
My curiosity was quickly tested when we set out on our first task and White pulled the head of an antlered elk from the bed of his truck. Today, he explained, Bear would be practicing locating animal remains, and the elk head was a new, if unfortunate, addition to their collection of training specimens.
White explained while his job as a conservation officer grants him many of the same responsibilities as a police deputy, his main specialization is protecting wildlife under Idaho Fish and Game Code Title 36. One way he and Bear do this is by locating animal remains to investigate wildlife-related crimes and deter or intercept poachers. This particular elk head came from a case involving an antlered bull hunted and abandoned illegally in the Idaho wilderness. Violations like this, White said, weren’t rare. In fact, they were a regular, if not daily, occurrence. It is his and Bear’s job to keep up with and enforce the ever-changing hunting laws. I had yet to realize just how regular those violations were.
As White hid plastic-sealed samples of deer and grouse remains among a row of cars, he explained although these regulations can seem excessive to some, they’re grounded in scientific monitoring of the ecosystem. Protecting individual populations often means protecting the health of everything that depends on them.
Before Bear began his search, White took us out for a quick routine compliance patrol. On the way, he shared why this work matters so deeply to him.
White grew up on a dairy farm, spending most of his childhood hunting, fishing and exploring the outdoors. His grandfather, a longtime conservation officer, known more commonly as a game warden, showed him firsthand the importance of protecting a resource so many people rely on. Through those experiences, White learned wildlife management isn’t just about enforcing rules — it’s about stewardship.
According to White, the wildlife in a given area belongs to the citizens who live there. In that sense, poaching is a form of theft, but he believes it’s more serious than that.
A stolen TV can be replaced. A deer cannot be revived and returned to its ecosystem. Without officers like White in place, opportunities to hunt, fish or simply enjoy wildlife could be stolen from future generations.
The compliance check went smoothly. The two men White approached had all the required licenses. The only criminal activity present at the scene was an old fish carcass lying on the rocks— a minor but illegal disposal method and as White pointed out, an unsanitary one.
Back at the parking lot, Bear completed his sniff test quickly and confidently, bouncing with excitement each time he located a sample. White walked alongside him, explaining what makes dogs like Bear perfect for this work isn’t just their breed or physicality but their relentless drive to search.
I got to see Bear’s full abilities in action when White received a call about a possible wildlife crime. The body of an antlered elk had been discovered on private property during antlerless hunting season, and it was now White’s responsibility to determine what happened.
Following the directions from the report, we eventually reached a hillside where Bear darted ahead, disappearing into sagebrush before quickly alerting White he had found the elk.
White began surveying the area for clues. Tire tracks led from the elk’s body into a grassy field, suggesting it had been moved. The elk had been covered in freshly pulled sagebrush — an attempt to hide it, though not a very effective one. Based on the condition of the carcass, White estimated it had been there for at least a couple of days.
A crucial part of the investigation, he explained, would be locating the bullet to determine the type of gun used. That meant he needed to skin the animal. He warned me the process might be intense for someone unfamiliar
with field work, but I stayed, wanting to understand his perspective as completely as I could.
Nothing could have fully prepared me for the sensory experience, but once the initial shock of the sight and smell faded, I found myself feeling strangely clearminded.
While he worked, White explained hunting and skinning an animal for consumption is a universal practice that goes back thousands of years. Around Bear Lake, hunting and fishing remain essential parts of many people’s livelihoods. Knowing where your food comes from, he said, brings a sense of security and a responsibility to protect the resources that provide it.
Barnes is a thirdyear student majoring in journalism who enjoys reading, writing and storytelling.
— essence.barnes@usu.edu
Essence
PHOTO BY Essence Barnes
Kolby White places evidence markers at the scene of a wildlife crime near Bear Lake on Nov. 12.
How to live sustainably as a student
By Katie Smith STATESMAN REPORTER
How can students live sustainably? This is the kind of question Utah State University’s Sustainability Club answers.
“Sustainability club is trying to get students involved in sustainability initiatives in approachable ways,” said Mercy Smith, club president.
Because of their initiative to teach and excite students about sustainability, the club welcomes students passionate about sustainability and those wanting to know more about it. Smith said she wants the club to be a pathway for students to become more involved with sustainability in their own community.
“It’s really important for people to be educated and aware of how the choices they make personally do affect the environment and people around them,” Smith said. According to the club, the environment in Cache County and all of Utah has a few issues that need attention. Some of these issues include water conservation, air quality and most common among college students, waste.
Maddy Guillory, club vice president, said students are often moving around, rarely staying in the same place from year to year. This leads to the inevitable clean out after each school year, finding things that may no longer be needed or wanted and not knowing what to do with them. Guillory said many students throw items away instead of finding sustainable ways to displace them.
“It’s about preserving the earth for future generations,” Taelie Kennedy said in an interview with The Utah Statesman.
Kennedy is the president of the USU Food Science Club and participated at the Plant-Based Potluck held by the sustainability club and the USU Culinary Arts Club on Nov. 14.
“Sustainability in general is really important in today’s world of consumption,” Smith said. “It’s important to encourage the small steps that people can take towards living more sustainable lives in ways that aren’t extremely inconvenient or extremely scary.”
Smith said sustainability is sometimes a more privileged lifestyle — it can be hard to make some of these inconvenient or expensive decisions when you don’t have the funds to do so.
This makes living a sustainable life as a student much more difficult, Smith said. But while there are disadvantages, students do have a few perks when it comes to living sustainably.
According to Guillory, there are many resources on campus that can be used to the advantage of students. These advantages include recycling and compost bins all around campus, as well as the extreme walkability of campus that gives students an opportunity to be sustainable many outside of the school do not have, Smith said.
“We live on or near a campus, and we do a lot of stuff on campus,” Smith said. “It’s a very centralized location where you have your classes and people to hang out with and the library and food all in close proximity.”
While sustainability can require a lot, Smith said there are many simple and easy ways students can make their lives more sustainable.
According to Smith, biking or walking is an indirect way of reducing the pollution in Logan. Another suggestion Smith made is limiting the amount of waste being produced.
“Being conscious of how much waste you’re producing, trying to reuse things whenever you can, trying to recycle things — it’s a tiny bit more effort to sort out your recycling and trash, but you can do it,” Smith said. Being conscious is especially important when it comes to clothes, according to Smith.
“It’s both a financially positive decision and a sustainable decision to reuse or repair your clothes,” Smith said. “Wear them for a long time, thrift them.”
The Christensen Office of Service and Sustainability provides opportunities for students to make sustainable decisions with their clothing. According to Guillory, students can donate their clothes and participate in clothing swaps held by COSAS and the sustainability club.
“I’m a big supporter of hand-me-downs, free stuff on the side of the road, Facebook Marketplace,” Smith said.
Guillory encourages anyone passionate or simply interested in sustainability to follow the club’s events and come to some of the activities.
“The whole point of clubs is so that you can make friends and you can meet people who are like-minded,” Guillory said.
Smith explained when she first started school, she found it hard to find clubs for the topics she was passionate about.
“I want to make it easier for other students to be able to connect with initiatives that they’re interested in,” Smith said. “I feel like it’s just nice to see people around you in your college who are also interested in the same sort of thing.”
Beyond USU, opportunities to make a sustainable impact exist in the Cache Valley community. These opportunities include organizations such as Flores Family Community Garden, Hope Community Garden, Cache Garden Club, Stokes Nature Center and soon, the Grow the Flow movement.
“I want to get people involved with off-campus sustainability initiatives as well,” Smith said. “There’s a lot of cool stuff that goes on just within Cache Valley itself.”
To learn more about sustainability and ways to get involved, visit the sustainability club’s Instagram at @sustainabilityclub.usu.
Smith also suggested watching or listening to a short documentary by Patagonia titled “We Are the Water” about sustainability.
Katie Smith is a sophomore still exploring her options at Utah State. She is a big country music fan and loves spending her time in Cache Valley’s beautiful natural landscapes.
—katie.smith@usu.edu
PHOTO BY Elise Gottling
Emily Samuels, Sajad Karami and Josh Kunhi sit down to eat at the sustainability club potluck held in the TSC on Nov. 14.
USU report highlights Utah’s environmental challenges for lawmakers, students
By Jayke Martin STATESMAN REPORTER
Utah State University’s latest environmental report shows how issues involving land, water and air are likely to shape daily life for Utah residents in the years ahead.
The university released its annual Report to the Governor and Legislature on Utah’s Land, Water, and Air this week, offering a condensed look at the research informing policy decisions on water supply, air quality and public land management. Compiled by USU’s Institute for Land, Water & Air, the report is designed to give lawmakers quick, accessible guidance as they navigate some of the state’s environmental challenges.
Anna McEntire, the institute’s managing director, said accessibility is central to the report’s purpose. Legislators, she said, often have only minutes to absorb information before key votes.
“They are required to know a little about so many different topics,” McEntire said. “You’ve got five seconds — you could either read a headline, a takeaway or a caption and you learn a little bit. If you have five minutes, you can read it closer and understand a little bit more.”
The topics included in the report come from a wide network of contributors throughout Utah. McEntire said each section responds to a question someone in the state is actively asking. One example is a section that explains the science behind airplane contrails, added after lawmakers requested help addressing misinformation.
“We’ve had a lot of people who have been asking questions about contrails that people see in the sky. There’s been a lot of conspiracy theories that they’re actually full of chemicals,” McEntire said. “We were able to tap one of our researchers here to say, ‘Hey, can you just explain the science of what we
see in the air when we see an airplane fly by?’ And he’s like, ‘Yeah, it’s simple science.’”
The report uses the same principle, highlighting issues appearing across the state to spotlight lesser-known topics as well.
One such entry examines Utah’s fast-growing cut flower industry, which USU agriculture faculty identified as an emerging sector tied to water use and urban agriculture.
“It’s a story that people don’t know about, and it’s not a huge ‘Save the Great Salt Lake’ story, but it was one that we weren’t aware of,” McEntire said. “That’s part of what this process is — what should we be elevating that’s happening in the state that people might not be aware of?”
Now in its fifth year, the report not only introduces new topics but also returns to ongoing environmental challenges. A recurring example is an air quality graph included every year showing steady emissions improvements along the Wasatch Front.
“We certainly have challenges and problems, but if you look at the actual data of how things are going, we’re actually doing better over time with the amount of emissions,” McEntire said. “That’s a big success story that we’re trying to talk about. The more people know about different types of air pollution, the more we can have a conversation about what the specific problems are.”
McEntire emphasized recognizing long-term improvements in emissions is important, but she said the report also wants to spark more detailed conversations about different types of pollution. USU environmental engineering student Elisabeth Ludington agreed, praising the report’s ability to show how connected Utah’s environmental issues are.
“When people talk about health, they like to talk about
The more people know about different types of air pollution, the more we can have a conversation about what the specific problems are.
— Anna McEntire
the holistic approach, right? You can’t just solve this one symptom. You have to solve the whole problem, and I think that’s what they’re trying to do with this report,” Ludington said. “It’s hard to solve one symptom without affecting anything else. You have to look at the problem as a whole.”
The report shows how environmental issues are interconnected and also serves as a valuable tool for students to better understand Utah’s natural resources, according to USU civil and environmental engineering professor Brian Crookston, who contributed a section.
“I think students are sensitive to some of the things we’re experiencing in the climate,” Crookston said. “I think students are aware of periods of drought with big snowpack and how rivers are responding, but I think the report would be really helpful to give more information on some of those details.”
Crookston said students may notice the effects of climate and water changes, but by reading the report online through USU’s Institute for Land, Water & Air, they can learn context and data to better understand what’s happening. McEntire said the goal is to make statewide environmental issues tangible for young people, showing how policy decisions today will shape the communities they will live in.
“Whether you are a business major, an art major or a communications major, you should have some knowledge or care about these things,” McEntire said. “How are they going to afford a house or what are their future lawns going to look like? Those are the types of things that if you don’t care about it now, you will care about it in five years, and you can get smart on it pretty quickly if you spend 10 minutes flipping through.”
Jayke Martin is a junior studying journalism with a minor in theater. She loves reading and meeting new people.
— jayke.martin@usu.edu
PHOTO BY Hazel Harris-Staples
From campus to canyon, USU students find ways to love winter
By Emma Shelite STATESMAN REPORTER
When the snow stacks up in Logan Canyon and Beaver Mountain starts spinning its lifts, winter can turn into one of the easiest seasons for students to get outside. From full-moon snowshoe hikes to backcountry yurt weekends and low-cost rentals, Logan is built so even total beginners can step into the snow.
Utah State University Outdoor Programs, part of Campus Recreation, runs four main areas: adventure trips, skills courses, a rental shop and the climbing wall. In winter, that means trips like cross-country skiing, backcountry skiing and snowboarding, weekend yurt outings and snowshoeing and spring clinics in wilderness medicine and avalanche safety. USU students get a 35% discount on rentals, and the climbing wall offers a warm alternative when it’s too cold to head outside.
“Every spring the OP offers a plethora of outdoor adventure trips to students at a very affordable rate,” Maizy Troxell, OP graduate assistant wrote in an email to The Utah Statesman. “All of our trips are beginner friendly and include the guidance of our experienced trip leaders, transportation, gear, snacks and so so much fun.”
tucked into the Bear River Range behind campus. Each spring, the program runs three yurt weekends, typically in late January, over Presidents’ Day weekend and during spring break. Groups ski in with their overnight packs and spend the weekend backcountry skiing or snowboarding, cooking together and hanging out by the fireplace. Because of the terrain, these trips are recommended for students with previous skiing experience.
Once students do get to the hill, places like Beaver Mountain help keep the local feel going.
“I’ve been skiing since I was two years old, and I grew up in a ski family,” said Emma Christopher, USU student and avid skier, in an interview with the Statesman. “What I love most about Beaver is the local feel and community that’s built around it. It’s such a homey vibe.”
For many students, the first step is simply signing up on the website. After that, a trip leader sends an email with basic information. For overnight trips, groups meet in a pre-trip meeting the Tuesday before departure to go over the itinerary, needed gear, food and questions. On trip day, everyone meets behind Maverik Stadium at the old shop location, does a quick round of icebreakers and a gear check and then loads into vehicles and heads for the canyon.
Cooper Linderfelt, OP student trips manager, first joined the program as a participant on a first-year student orientation rafting trip in Labyrinth Canyon. He applied to be a trip leader the day he got back and has since led almost every kind of outing the program offers, from rafting and backpacking to skiing and canoeing.
“One of the best ways to keep participants calm is to keep things casual and show excitement,” Linderfelt wrote in an email to the Statesman. “If there is a situation that is a little scary or intimidating, we talk participants through the problem and explain how the situation is controlled and safe.”
Linderfelt said trip leaders follow a “challenge by choice” approach, so students can always opt out of anything that doesn’t feel right in the moment.
For students who want to push into deeper snow, OP manages the Blind Hollow Yurt, a Mongolian-style yurt
For everyone else, there are easier on-ramps. Troxell calls snowshoeing the easiest first step for someone who’s never experienced winter sports. OP runs full-moon snowshoe trips for around $20, or students can just rent a pair of snowshoes, get fitted in the shop and head up Logan Canyon on their own. Troxell also points to fat biking on snowy roads and groomed trails as an underrated way to experience Cache Valley in winter.
Those rentals are often the key that makes winter feel possible on a student budget. The shop rents goggles, snowshoes, fat bikes, powder surfboards, cross-country skis, resort skis and snowboards, split boards, alpine touring and telemark skis. For students interested in the backcountry, avalanche packages include a beacon, probe and shovel. Camping gear like tents, sleeping bags and sleeping pads is available year-round. On big snow weekends, the shop often rents out every resort ski and snowboard package, so staff recommend reserving by Thursday and grabbing backcountry setups early for those who know their size.
Linderfelt said trip fees are designed to be as all-inclusive as possible. A single payment covers transportation, food, snacks and extra gear, with most students only needing to bring clothing and a water bottle. Ski and board packages for a day on the hill can cost students just under $20.
Christopher’s favorite spot is Marge’s, a tree run that reminds her of “skiing with friends and fun times.” Christopher describes Beaver as a small local mountain with several distinct areas, plenty of trees, beautiful views and real snow. For students trying to build a gear setup on a budget, she recommends ski swaps and online marketplaces with an emphasis on buying quality pieces that last instead of replacing cheap gear every season.
Skiing, she said, is also how she keeps herself grounded during the semester. She tries to build her class schedule so she has two days a week when she can ski. For anyone curious but nervous to start, she points to the skiing class through Utah State as a good way to learn alongside other beginners and tap into the campus ski community.
Back on campus, OP’s clinics help fill in the gaps. Tune and wax nights teach students how to keep skis and boards in shape, while weekly clinics at the new shop and rolling sessions at the HPER pool give students low-stakes environments to learn. RecRe lockers in the ARC make it easy to grab basic sports equipment and climbing shoes without even visiting the rental shop.
Whether it’s a first snowshoe in Logan Canyon, a weekend at the Blind Hollow Yurt or a spring desert river trip, Troxell and Linderfelt both emphasized the same message: You don’t have to show up knowing anything — just willing to try.
Emma Shelite is a senior pursuing a bachelor’s degree in communications and journalism. Outside of the newsroom, she is passionate about cooking, athletics and her love for dogs.
— emma.shelite@usu.edu
STATESMAN FILE PHOTO
Ski equipment ready to be rented at the USU Outdoor Programs Rental Shop.
Utah State Wildland Fire Club looks over Green Canyon fire remains
By Emi Ludlow STATESMAN REPORTER
This year, the Utah State University Wildland Fire Club has taken trips to observe conservatism in Yellowstone National Park and the origin of fires in Green Canyon. The reason behind the trip to Green Canyon was to identify the point of origin of a fire because that affects how firefighters will react to putting out the flame.
“Every year, there’s typically a fire or two that occurs along the Wasatch Front,” said Bradley Washa, wildland fire science assistant professor at USU. “Concern for those fires [is] that a lot of times, those are human caused or have some human element to them. They’re not natural ignitions, and those fires are typically burning in light, flashy fuels, so they burn really fast.”
If the fire is started naturally — through lightning, for example — the firefighters will let it burn to help keep the land in a natural cycle to allow native plants the chance to grow as well as for forests to develop further. If the fire is caused by humans, it is the obligation of the fire department to put it out right away.
“Property is huge,” said Kyle Hamilton, club president. “People’s entire homes can be at risk. That’s becoming an increasingly larger issue with building into the wildland. We’ve seen a lot of shifts over time with larger fires. More of them can be harder to control over time.”
As Utah becomes more populated, people are building their homes close to the WUI, the wildland-urban interface.
“There’s a ton in Utah, but all over the country, people [are] building houses farther and farther into what has traditionally been wild lands unmanaged, like high firerisk areas,” Hamilton said.
The suspected cause of the fire in Green Canyon was an issue with the utility pole of Rocky Mountain Power and their transmission station where charred grass, shrubs and the poles are.
“Right underneath there was some charred grass, twigs and leaf litter,” Hamilton said. “It looks like it lit up right under one of the utility poles and started spreading up on the slope of Green Canyon.”
Hamilton, Chris Archibald and some more members of the club are all red carded, which means they are certified to work on wildfire incidents as firefighters. Others are working toward their certification.
“I was on an initial attack engine crew out in the west desert and got a lot of good experience,” Archibald said. “For all the fires I was on, which was eight, the management practice was immediate suppression.”
Many members of the club are in ecological majors, but anyone can join.
“I originally heard about the fire club [at] the Day on the Quad at the beginning of the semester,” Hamilton said. “The old fire club president Jake Lancaster was super friendly and invited me to come learn about it and participate. Just being in that world of outdoor natural resources work led me into it. I think the ecological science side of fire is really interesting.”
The club began in 2018 as a way to create connections for students interested in wildlife and resources.
“I’m in the college of natural resources, so it sounded like a good opportunity for getting good experience for natural resource management and making connections with people,” Archibald said.
Undergraduate and graduate students participate with professors such as Corey Ransom, who specializes in invasive weeds prevalent in Utah like cheatgrass and rye. These have high fuel index because they dry out quickly and outcompete the native grasses.
“In the case of cheatgrass, look at using chemical treatments, or if you’re a homeowner, going out there and cutting that grass. Cheatgrass is kind of unique,” Washa said. “It’s what’s called a cool season grass. It carpets the landscape.”
Other solutions to combating these grasses include using goats and sheep to graze and try to prevent fuels for fires.
Looking at Green Canyon now, there are still burnt shrubs and trees so one can see where the fire spread up the slope before it was under control. There were no casualties or harmed property.
“The priority is always safety. Human lives first,” Hamilton said.
Emi Ludlow is a first-year student majoring in English hoping to go into the journalism field. She has been involved in journalism for four years now, and her favorite part is telling people’s personal stories.
— a02474473@aggies.usu.edu
PHOTOS BY Claire Ott
Dallin Bodrero, Cache County fire warden, points out the path of a fire that burned close to Green Canyon this year to the USU Wildland Fire Club on Nov. 7.
Charred shrubs at the location of a fire that burned close to Green Canyon, as seen on Nov. 7.
Tuna Melt
Find most of these ingredients at SNAC!
Ingredients
Tuna mixture:
1 can tuna (drained)
1 TBSP mayo
1 tsp mustard
¼ of a diced bell pepper
½ of a stalk of celer y Other
Cheddar cheese
4 slices of bread
Last week’s solution:
Pack the Pantry has begun!
This university-wide food drive competition supports the Student Nutrition Access Center (SNAC) This is your chance to give back, have fun, and make a difference here on campus!
Food Drive Details
Dates: November 15 – December 12
Goal: 5,000 pounds of food to stock SNAC’s shelves with essential items and to spread holiday cheer.
1 TBSP butter
Instructions
Put tuna, mayo, and mustard in a small bowl
Dice bell pepper and celer y well. Add cut veggies to the bowl with tuna and mix
Heat a small frying pan on medium-low heat
Butter the outside of the bread and put in the pan butter side down Add the tuna mixture and top with cheese
Cook on low until the bread is toasted to your liking Carefully flip with a spatula and repeat on the other side
Sudoku puzzles are provided by www.sudokuoftheday.com.
What should I donate?
Any nonperishable items such as canned fruits, veggies, soups, pastas, or self-stable meals. SNAC is also in need of hygiene products like soaps, menstrual products, shampoo, or body wash!
WE NEED?
How do I donate?
There are bins placed all across USU’s main campus Place your donation in your team’s bin for a chance to take the championship belt from the current title holders: the Quinney College of Agriculture & Natural Resources and the College of Veterinar y Medicine
Locate the food donation bin nearest to you and find resources for financial donations on our website! (QR code above)
Represent your college in the battle for the Pack the Pantry Championship Belt!
BLOCK A BRIGADE
By Jack Burton