IWP has been awarded a 15 year grazing permit for a 160 acre parcel of Utah school trust lands located on the Left-hand Fork of Garden City Canyon Creek in Rich County, Utah approximately one and one half miles west of Garden City, Utah and Bear Lake.
The prior grazing permit for this land had been canceled for non-payment, and IWP was the only applicant. IWP also applied for two adjacent parcels with 550 acres and has not heard as yet from SITLA as to their disposition. In IWP's application the listed desired use of the land was for rest with no livestock use to occur on the permitted lands. Even though IWP applied for only a ten year permit for these lands, SITLA has awarded IWP a 15 year permit which states that the "season of use" for livestock is "Non-applicable" in this case.
This is only the second time a non-governmental entity has acquired a grazing permit in Utah for the express reason of preventing the grazing of domestic livestock ! The other case was a lease acquired for a wild horse and mustang association. IWP also has a pending application for a 4,400 acre Utah school trust lands grazing permit on the east side of Bear Lake. The rancher in that case has until April 30 to match IWP's premium bid of $3,000.
The award of this grazing permit for non-grazing purposes reestablishes and confirms the ability of conservation organizations or individuals the right to compete with public land ranchers for the use (or non-use) of these trust lands in Utah and sends a clear message to other states seeking to block such competition!