Utah Invests $5 Million In Wildlife Conservation Projects

Utah is making a significant investment in the future of its native wildlife, with $5.1 million allocated to dozens of conservation projects through the Utah Species Protection Account. The funding was approved during the annual funding meeting hosted by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources on April 16 and will support 33 projects during the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

The Utah Species Protection Account, formerly known as the Endangered Species Mitigation Fund, was established in 1997 to help prevent species from being listed under the federal Endangered Species Act. By funding conservation efforts before species populations reach critical levels, Utah aims to maintain local control over wildlife management while avoiding the economic and regulatory impacts that can accompany federal listings.

These Projects Help Keep Management Decisions In The State

“Proactive conservation helps keep Utah’s native species healthy,” said Utah Wildlife Action Plan Coordinator Scott Gibson in a press release. “Healthy populations don’t need protection under the Endangered Species Act, which in turn keeps management decisions at the state level and reduces additional federal oversight and economic restrictions that can come with Endangered Species Act listings.”

Courtesy Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

This year’s funding total represents an increase over previous years, aided in part by a tax on certain new energy development projects approved by the Utah Legislature during the 2025 legislative session. The tax generated $1.2 million for the Species Protection Account in 2026, with additional growth expected in future years.

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Several high-profile projects received substantial support. Efforts to remove invasive carp from Utah Lake, benefiting the threatened June sucker found only in the lake and its tributaries, received $150,000. Research on the Wilson’s phalarope, a bird recently petitioned for federal protection, was awarded $147,000. Another $280,000 will support rare plant and insect conservation through a partnership between the Division of Wildlife Resources and Utah State University.

Courtesy Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

The Species Protection Account Advisory Committee, made up of seven stakeholders and organization representatives, selects projects for funding each year. Since its creation, the program has completed more than 700 projects, invested over $90 million in native species conservation, contributed to two species delistings and three downlistings under the Endangered Species Act, and helped prevent more than 20 species from requiring federal protection.

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The Species Protection Account funding comes in addition to $6.5 million recently allocated to wildlife research and habitat projects through Utah���s Watershed Restoration Initiative, further strengthening conservation efforts across the state.