On its journey to the Great Salt Lake, the Bear River’s 350-mile length takes one of the most circuitous rivers routes in America. Its giant, inverted “U” shape begins in Utah’s Uinta Mountains, then snakes north into Wyoming and Idaho, and back south into Utah to become the largest source of fresh water for the Great Salt Lake.

Here, the marshes at the mouth of the Bear River are among the top producers of waterfowl in the country. In the middle of the desert, this freshwater oasis is a phenomenal gathering place for birds to rest, feed, nest and rear their young. Set aside by the public in 1929 as the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, this area sees more than 200 species and millions of birds throughout the year, much to the delight of visitors.

Now, we have an exciting opportunity to protect additional Bear River marsh land, adding to the Refuge. In December 2008, Western Rivers Conservancy purchased 120 acres, the first piece of a nearly 700-acre property that soon will be conserved as part of the adjacent 74,000-acre Refuge. We plan to purchase the remainder of the property over the next two years.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been trying to acquire this property for the Refuge for many years. The land has excellent and diverse wetland habitat, including open water and upland areas. This project will conserve feeding, nesting and rearing areas for a tremendous array of waterfowl, including ducks, geese, egrets, avocets, tundra swan, American Pelican and black-necked stilts.

Above: An open-water area of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. Photo by Kris247