12/5/2023 0 Comments Treasured sunrise acres land size![]() Salt-tolerant plants like pickleweed ( Salicornia rubra) and iodine bush ( Allenrolfea occidentalis)-each specially adapted to varying levels of salinity-thrive across the Lee Creek Natural Area. Unlike most ecosystems where freshwater is of the utmost importance, here, it is not everything. Water expands and retreats across shallow, salty shorelines, a natural process that creates an incredibly unique and dynamic habitat. ![]() At the Lee Creek Natural Area, salt, water, and land meet in constant fluctuation. What at first appears as barren land is in fact vibrant and full of life. To truly understand the significance of the Lee Creek Natural Area, one must also understand the remarkable ecosystem that exists there. With sustained effort over the past 25 years, the land is healing and populations of nesting and migrating water birds-including American Avocets, Black-necked Stilts, Marbled Godwits, Snowy Plovers, and more-have increased significantly.Ĭurrently, National Audubon Society manages the 305-acre Lee Creek Natural Area as part of the South Shore Preserve. Then, starting in 1996, National Audubon Society, Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation, The Nature Conservancy, the Mitigation Commission, and the Utah Division of Water Quality joined forces to acquire the Lee Creek property and begin a restoration program. Degradation of habitat has been severe, affecting Lee Creek as well as its natural drainage all the way into the Great Salt Lake. Proximity to population centers and unfettered access have long resulted in significant trespassing and illegal use of motorized vehicles in the area. ![]() Like the rest of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem, the Lee Creek Natural Area is of tremendous importance to bird conservation on a hemispheric scale.ĭespite its importance, Lee Creek has not always received the recognition and protection it deserves. It is part of the southern arm of Great Salt Lake-known as Gilbert Bay-which in 2004 was recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International and National Audubon Society. A critical site for migrating birds and avian biodiversity, Lee Creek Natural Area is part of a larger conservation complex with Kennecott’s Inland Sea Shorebird Reserve and the South Shore Preserve that includes National Audubon Society’s Gillmor Sanctuary and Mitigation Commission properties. Nestled within the internationally recognized treasure that is the Great Salt Lake ecosystem is the Lee Creek Natural Area. Restoring and protecting unique and vital habitat at Great Salt Lake. ![]()
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