Park Record file photo by David Jackson, left, and courtesy of Leslie Miller
Leslie Miller has spent years exploring the hidden nooks and crannies that make up the 910 Cattle Ranch, and she considers herself somewhat of an expert on the land. One of her favorite places is nestled near a worn cabin between a stand of golden aspen trees. She was devastated to discover more than a dozen had been cut down in the spot a few weeks ago.
Miller said she and her partner, property owner David Bernolfo, were not notified about the damage when it occurred in early November. She’s seeking answers from Summit County, which is leasing the 910 Cattle Ranch until it’s able to pay the $55 million, four-year option agreement to acquire the land, and wants to see officials take better care of the property.
The County Courthouse remains confident in its ability to manage the 8,576-acre property north of Jeremy Ranch in East Canyon despite the incident that’s been characterized as a “complete mistake.”
It all started when a group of Summit County Jail workers had been hanging signage throughout the property warning people that hunting and other activities were prohibited on the land. While a forester had been having conversations with Summit County Lands & Natural Resources Director Jess Kirby about the need to create a defensible space around the cabin, there were also unrelated discussions about supplying the jail crew with chainsaws to help them navigate thick brush.
Summit County Manager Shayne Scott said a miscommunication led the inmates to think they were supposed to remove a small portion of aspen trees near the building, destroying less than 1,000 square feet. The group had the best intentions and thought they were assisting staff, Scott affirmed.
Miller, however, was disheartened when she found between 20 and 30 otherwise healthy trees cut down. She said she was troubled no one told her about the incident after it happened.
Bernolfo acknowledged several dead trees on the property could become a fire hazard when the lease agreement was finalized in late August. Miller said county officials told her they had no plans to remove them because they wanted to wait for a report. Then, the next thing she knows, live trees were cut.
“Why was that a priority? How does this fit into the larger scheme of understanding how that property lives? What is the overall ecological importance of certain trees?” she questioned. “They were a healthy grove. It’s just distressing and it’s frustrating and it’s counterproductive, and it’s alarming to tell you the truth.”
Miller confronted the Summit County Council during the public comment portion of the Wednesday meeting. Seeking accountability, she asked for an official staff report to outline the facts and findings of the situation.
The County Courthouse has no plans to do so, Scott said in an interview on Friday. He said an ecologist was brought in to evaluate the land afterward and determined the area had not been severely harmed — though the lost trees were not ideal for the environment.
“People make mistakes,” Scott said. “We’re sorry about what happened.”
County officials are pleased with how the property has been managed in such a short time. Scott said staff are finalizing a forest management plan and hope to involve the property owners in future decisions.
Still, Miller is concerned about the county’s handling of the 910 Cattle Ranch. It’s a massive property that isn’t immune to problems. There’s a history of poaching on the land, for example, and a beheaded bull elk was found by the property owners in late September.
“We had eyes on it. Had we not, it scares me to think what would be happening,” Miller said. “There must be a presence. There must be, and there wasn’t.”
She suggested Summit County embark on a comprehensive planning process — sooner rather than later. Miller would also like to see more collaboration between county officials and those who have critical knowledge about the property after spending more than 30 years there. She’s willing to advise and consult, but Miller said the best way to manage the property would be to hire an independent expert.
“My hope is that the emphasis is on protecting the environmental and wildlife qualities. What they’re trying to buy and what they have optioned is basically a wildlife refuge,” she said.
County officials have said they want to take a slow approach as they learn about the land before officially owning it. They’ve been conducting various assessments to establish a baseline for the area, including the creation of the Lands and Natural Resources Volunteer Ambassador Program launched this fall.
There’s also money in the proposed 2024 budget to help the Lands and Natural Resources Department develop a land management plan or hire additional staff to help Kirby. However, officials could cut funding if it means avoiding a tax increase.
Miller advocated for using Recreation, Arts, and Parks tax grants to pay for an ecology expert specialized in large landscape conservation or to study options for using the land as a park. She welcomed the idea of passive recreation as a way to promote sustainable ecotourism in the community, yet she’s already noticed small changes in wildlife behavior with more people around.
“[Environmental conservation is] what should be remembered and preserved. Fight for that. David has spent the past 30 years of his life managing that property in a way that protects the wild animals and the vegetation they need to survive,” Miller said.
Scott said there is very little work planned at 910 Cattle Ranch until the spring. Volunteers for citizen science and data collection events will be accepted soon. Summit County is making arrangements to share its plans with the public at a later date.