On the edge of the Great Salt Lake, the marshes at the mouth of the Bear River are some of the top producers of waterfowl in the country.

Here, Western Rivers Conservancy just completed protection of 696 acres of wetlands in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Friends of the Bear River Refuge.

We began acquiring this property, the former Feather and Finn Club, in 2008. Now, the entire ownership will become part of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

The acquisition includes rich wetland and riverfront habitat, as well as nesting and rearing areas used by species such as tundra swan, black-necked stilts, white pelicans and marbled godwits. WRC had previously conveyed 424 acres of this property to the Refuge, utilizing the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Now, we will complete the remainder, thanks to funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Conservation Fund.

This is the first of several properties that Western Rivers Conservancy and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hope to acquire in order to expand the 74,000-acre marshland complex that is preserved within the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

Set aside in 1929, the Refuge plays host to more than 200 species and millions of birds each year on their migratory journeys. More than 50,000 people visit each year to witness the phenomenal gathering and diversity of birds.