INSPIRE

INSPIRE has partnered with Salt Lake County Jail and Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to create and maintain a refuge pond for Least Chub (Lotichthys phlegethontis), a state sensitive fish species. Found only in Utah, wild populations of Least Chub are currently limited to 6 isolated wetlands. Least Chub are an important part of the food web as they are food for many fish eating animals (birds, amphibians, mammals) and provide “ecosystem services,” such as eating mosquito larvae and other insects that may carry diseases. Our refuge population of Least Chub will be a source to supplement wild populations when depletions arise. In addition to providing a secure home for this important fish, the project has created hands-on educational activities for inmates, science lectures, and inspiration for forthcoming conservation projects. Inmates are trained to monitor fish and bird populations and water quality.

The goal of the American Kestrel Project at the Salt Lake County Jail is to participate in national efforts to advance conservation of the American Kestrel (Falco sparverius), a Utah native falcon.  Approximately 14 kestrel boxes have been distributed on jail property and, when occupied by Kestrels, will be monitored weekly by inmates during the spring.  From the time of nesting to the moment the fledgings leave the nest, inmates will collect data specific to the citizen science project established by the American Kestrel Partnership (https://kestrel.peregrinefund.org.)  The data collected include location of Kestrel box, number of adult kestrels in the area (banded and un-banded), their behaviors, number of nestlings, age of nestlings (in days) and gender.  Before the nestlings fledge, Hawkwatch International  (http://www.hawkwatch.org) will be notified that it is time to band the birds so that scientists can continue to monitor their survival and movements.  Hawkwatch uses alpha-numeric color bands enabling identification from afar using binoculars, an activity inmates will also take part in during the summer and winter months.  By contributing to a citizen science project, inmates become part of an effort to understand why the American Kestrel are declining and help researchers develop effective conservation strategies.

In collaboration with Dr. Karin Kettenring (Utah State University) and the Salt Lake County Jail’s existing horticulture program, INSPIRE’s Bulrush Research Project provided an opportunity for inmates to work with scientists and gain hands-on science experience as they helped to identify the optimal growing conditions for alkali and hardstem bulrush (Schoenoplectus). The findings of the research project will contribute to wetland restoration efforts along the Great Salt Lake, where the invasive Phragmites weed is currently out-competing bulrush and other native plants.

In spring 2014, a project team of 16 inmates, two University of Utah students, one Utah State University graduate student, and two INSPIRE staff members provided regular plant care and data collection. Science classes were offered twice each month to inmates involved with the Bulrush Research Project. Classes were taught by University of Utah faculty, staff, and visiting scientists, and they provided an opportunity to further explore the scientific process and topics related to wetland restoration.