United in solving Utah’s natural resource challenges
Utah’s natural resources have been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. Growing up in Box Elder County as a fifth-generation farmer and rancher, I learned to work hard and value the land. I worked alongside my dad, brothers, cousins and uncles and found a direct correlation between our united efforts and a successful harvest.
Great Salt Lake, its ecosystem and the recreational opportunities it provides have always been part of my life. Today, the lake is at-risk from unprecedented drought and the increasing demands on our water supply. I’m encouraged by people's interest in the lake and the actions and investments underway to help protect it.
We’ve conserved billions of gallons of water this past year, made historic investments in conservation and changed water policy that will benefit the lake in the long term. However, restoring the lake to healthier levels will take time. Since we can’t control the weather, we need to plan for a drier future and continue to take action. Utahns across all sectors are working together to stretch our water supply and become more drought resilient.
With the agriculture sector accounting for 65% of water use in the Great Salt Lake watershed, investing in agricultural optimization is critical. I have personally incorporated technology like the piping of ditches, drip irrigation systems, minimal tillage and laser leveling on my farm. These improvements have saved thousands of acre-feet of water that can now stay in the system and benefit the wetlands surrounding the lake and the lake itself. As more farmers implement these water-saving tools, it frees the supply for other uses, including the natural environment.
As a former legislator, I worked to pass legislation to improve how we use our water supply. The 2022 legislative session was a record year with about $500 million in appropriations that will yield long-term water savings. We also changed water law to allow water to stay in the system and benefit the environment. It’s a great start, but we need to do more.
In my role as the executive director for the Department of Natural Resources, I pledge to look for innovative ideas and work with elected officials, state agencies and stakeholders to find solutions to the challenges we face. Our natural resources play a significant role in the quality of life we enjoy, and it’s a legacy I want to leave for generations to come.
Sincerely,
Joel Ferry, DNR executive director
Roger Lewis became the Finance Director for DNR in April of 2017. His primary responsibilities include managing DNR’s finances and coordinating budgeting and accounting activities with DNR’s seven divisions. Lewis also oversees the internal audit function of the department.
Tyler Thompson has worked for DNR since 1997 starting his career as a seasonal employee collecting vegetation trend data for DNR’s Division of Wildlife Resources Range trend program. Since this time, Tyler has worked as a research biologist in the development of new grass and forb seed releases and as one of the first restoration biologists hired to implement projects in southern Utah funded through Utah’s Watershed Restoration Initiative (UWRI). For the last decade, Tyler has been a part of WRI’s statewide administration staff. In that position, Tyler helped find matching funding for WRI projects and administered the incoming and outgoing funding contracts to help get project dollars on the ground each year. In January of 2017, Tyler was selected as DNR’s watershed program director. Tyler coordinates and manages WRI through five regional teams that submit and review over 150 restoration projects each year. WRI completes nearly 100,000 acres of restoration work each year in Utah.
Todd Royce currently serves as the DNR law enforcement director and joined the department in 2018. Royce works closely with DNR division leadership and section chiefs to oversee the public safety efforts of DNR law enforcement, including wildlife conservation officers and state park rangers.