During the June board meeting of the Central Wasatch Commission, the group approved funding for 12 project proposals from its public call for ideas in March, including several in Summit County relating to wildlife preservation, weed management and more. The goal was to identify projects that im plement transportation and transit solutions, protect the ecosystems and watershed that originate in the Central Wasatch, steward recreational access, and sustain the economic viability of the Cottonwood Canyons. Credit: Central Wasatch Commission Starting in June, the CWC will partner with organizations on the following projects: 910 Ranch-East Canyon Creek Corridor Cooperative Priority Weed Management Project: Cross-jurisdictional mitigation project from Summit Cooperative Weed Management Area that targets invasive weeds that accelerate erosion, reduces soil water availability, increases fire risk, threatens livestock and wildlife forage, and poses risks to trail user safety and ecosystem and watershed resilience. East Canyon Creek Restoration: Continuation of a CWC funded project from 2025 that was started by Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter. This project will work to improve stream-side habitat and restore safe wildlife movement along a section of upper East Canyon Creek. S.R. 224 Wildlife Connectivity Safety Project, Phase 2: Implementation Readiness Targeted Mitigation: Multi-year project, by Save People Save Wildlife, to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions. Phase 2 entails installing cameras to collect data that will inform next steps on fencing improvements, wildlife detection systems, and longer-term crossing infrastructure. Wasatch Front Transit to Trails: Expansion of successful reservation-based shuttle, created by Utah Open Lands, to Bonanza Flat Conservation Area serving the Wasatch Back into a pilot shuttle serving the Wasatch Front for free to users. Central Wasatch Watershed Education Program: Continued support for the Cottonwood Canyons Foundation’s educational programs including the naturalist and ranger programs as well as the Wasatch Wildflower Festival. Tri-Canyons Sustainable Trail and Habitat Restoration Program: Ongoing stewardship, by the Cottonwood Canyons Foundation, of plants and trails in the tri-canyons, leveraging volunteers for trail work, invasive plant mitigation, and native plant restoration. Central Wasatch Youth Symposium: Youth-oriented symposium event, hosted by the CWC Youth Council, featuring networking within the Central Wasatch region, short film screening, letter-writing workshops, and guest presentations. Uinta-Wasatch-Cache Toilet Pumping: Funds contracted pumping, organized by the National Forest Foundation, of vault toilets at recreation sites in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. Fixed Anchor Maintenance for Wasatch Rock Climbing Routes: Continued support of the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance’s professional fixed anchor maintenance program that sustains safe, reliable climbing infrastructure in the Central Wasatch. Wilderness Stewardship Project and Save Our Canyons Kids: Wilderness Stewardship Project engages volunteers for trail maintenance, invasive weed pulls, and trash cleanup. SOCkids provides hands-on, place-based environmental education for youth, including watershed science and responsible recreation. Advocacy and Education Program: Funding a program, provided by the Utah Wildlife Federation, aiming to strengthen public understanding of the interconnected relationship between wildlife, water, transportation, and recreation by educating youth, outdoor recreationists, educators, and local leaders. Millcreek Winter Pilot Shuttle: Strategic re-focusing of the Wasatch Backcountry Alliance’s established Backcountry Shuttle Program onto Millcreek Canyon to serve one of the highest-use winter recreation areas in the Central Wasatch. This program aims to gather pilot data, reduce vehicle trips, improve public safety, protect the environment, and manage concentrated weekend demand. “The Central Wasatch Commission is pleased to fund 12 separate programs and projects from organizations working to steward recreational access, sustain the ecosystems, and champion transit solutions within the Central Wasatch,” said Emily Gray, chair of the Central Wasatch Commission short-term projects committee and Holladay city councilor. “These projects and programs align with the commitment of the CWC and the broader community to preserving our beloved mountains.”  For the 2027 short-term projects grant cycle, the Central Wasatch Commission will begin accepting project ideas in January 2027. The post Central Wasatch Commission funds 12 short-term projects appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less