2026: A Year of Community and Friendraising
This past year at the Bear River Land Conservancy was about more than protecting acres and monitoring easements, it was about connecting people to the land and to each other. 2026 was truly a year of "friendraising." We spent time building the community relationships which make conservation possible in the Bear River watershed.
From formal policy discussions to wading through wet meadows, here is a look back at the incredible events that brought our village together this year.
Land and Water Conservation Summit
We brought together county and state elected officials, agency partners, and community leaders for our invite-only Summit. This forum provides a critical space for policymakers and conservationists to exchange ideas, build relationships, and chart a sustainable course for protecting Northern Utah’s open spaces, working farms, and wildlife habitats.
Sunsets to Dye For: A Night at the Schiess Ranch
At the historic Quarter Circle JV Ranch in Nibley (home to our Schiess Ranch Easement Project), we stepped back in time for an evening of authentic BBQ, spinning wheel demonstrations, and natural wool dyeing. Owner Sheri Schiess affectionately calls the protected property the "last piece of green in Nibley," and shared a secret about natural dyeing: you cannot create the color green using just green plants. You must dye the wool yellow, then over-dye it with indigo blue. It was a beautiful metaphor for conservation: by protecting the yellow harvest of our working lands and the blue sky of our open spaces, we ensure the landscape remains a vibrant, thriving green forever.
Mendon BBQ & Volunteer Appreciation Party
In August, we partnered with Stokes Nature Center to throw a massive thank-you party for the people who keep our wild spaces wild. Hosted under the open sky at Slide Ridge Honey and Winery, we celebrated with foot-stomping bluegrass from Logan’s own White Pine Lonesome and a feast showcasing Northern Utah’s local bounty. All food and drinks were 100% locally sourced and generously supplied by Steep Mountain Farm, First Frost Farms, Hobbled Dog Cider, Home Range Brewery, and Le Croissant. It was a perfect intersection of local commerce and conservation, honoring the volunteers who serve as the backbone of our healthy community.
Flight Night at Hobbled Dog Cidery
We celebrated two kinds of “flights" this summer! Gathering at Hobbled Dog Cidery, we paired local craft cider flights with Wingspan, a board game centered on building thriving bird sanctuaries. It was a relaxed evening that highlighted a dual reality of Cache Valley: our agricultural open spaces produce the apples in our glasses while simultaneously providing critical habitat for our local bird populations.
Mendon Meadow Orchid Counts
It takes a village to protect a threatened species. This summer, 18 dedicated volunteers logged 84 hours walking grid lines across the wet meadows to track the federally threatened Ute ladies'-tresses orchids, building on a 15 year tradition of community monitoring. Beyond the rigorous scientific data collected, the counts served as a vibrant botanical scavenger hunt, bringing together plant enthusiasts, university Summer Citizens, and new friends to explore wet meadow ecology and safeguard this rare native species.
Work Diversion Day
Community stewardship takes many forms. In partnership with Forestry, Fire and State Lands (FFSL), we hosted a work diversion day for individuals on probation. The crew spent the morning tackling hard-to-reach hillsides around our mitigation ponds, successfully removing invasive Dyer's woad by hand where sprayers couldn't reach. It was a quiet but highly effective day of restoring habitat and giving back to the land.
We are incredibly grateful for the momentum, the partnerships, and the new friends we made in 2026. Because of this year's success, we are already looking ahead. Next year, we will be bringing back the Land and Water Conservation Summit, the Mendon BBQ, and even more opportunities to gather on the landscapes we love.
Thank you for being a part of our village.
