Cave Towers is an archaeological site built and used by the Ancestral Puebloan people, likely between A.D. 1000–1300. The dramatic site, part of which resides on school trust lands, includes towers, kivas, and other structures that are centered around a “cave” and natural spring.
The site is well-known locally and has been a popular tourist stop for decades. However, in recent years the area in general has seen a significant increase in visitation. To temper the potential wear and tear typically caused by such an increase, Trust Lands partnered with Friends of Cedar Mesa to implement a plan that allowed continued access as well as provided information to educate visitors about the importance of protecting this site. This was a multi-step process that included organizing and designating areas to park and camp, cleaning up hundreds of pounds of trash, erecting additional fencing to prevent cattle from entering the site, and establishing kiosks that provide information about the site with tips on how to ethically visit these types of resources.
As recognition for these efforts, Trust Lands was recommended for and received the Governor’s Award of Excellence.
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Penstemon Conservation Agreement
A multi-agency Utah conservation team is working to protect two species of penstemon found in the Uinta Basin, Graham’s and White River beardtongue. The team includes representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Utah Public Lands Policy Coordination Office, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, School and Institutional Trust Lands