SWCA was contracted by the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) to assist in developing a conceptual design for the Legacy Nature Preserve (LNP), which will mitigate wetland impacts from the construction of the Legacy Parkway, located East of the Great Salt Lake shoreline.

Avian surveys of water-associated and upland birds

Vegetation surveys of wetlands and associated upland playas

Collected surface and groundwater data

Coordinated with agency personnel and community stakeholders

Developed and implemented a long-term monitoring plan

Facilitated CDT meetings and prepared management plan with the team over a 12 month period

SWCA's efforts and approach significantly helped UDOT create a collaborative atmosphere around a project that had deeply divided special interests and communities along the Wasatch Front. The Legacy Parkway had been locked up in a legal impasse for two years after construction had already begun and another environmental process had been completed. SWCA's role was instrumental in helping bring many of the environmental interests back to the table and developing a collaborative process not only for development of the Preserve, but for the parkway project as well. A Record of Decision on the supplemental EIS was issued and construction has proceeded on the parkway.