Having spent my life living in northern Illinois where the few hills occur along river courses or areas of glacial deposits, working in Utah has been a mind-blowing change.  I had pursued a CLM internship in hopes of learning about the plants and ecology of a different area of the country and boy is Utah different!

Factory Butte Area

Unlike back home, Utah’s geology is laid bare to inspire and expose the earth’s power to shift and change over vast timescales.  Although it seems to take a long time to get anywhere, driving is great because the landscape gives an ever shifting visual show.  With each terrain shift and turn new formations take center stage and shifting light brings the many color variations to focus.

View of San Rafael Swell

In my two weeks assisting with population monitoring of some listed Sclerocactus and Pediocactus species, I have quickly learned the geology here is not only breathtaking, but is a key component in plants distributions.  Needless to say, I am looking forward to learning more about the region’s geology in the weeks to come and enjoying the geologic show along the way.

The petite Pediocactus despainii

Sclerocactus wrightiae

Cassie Heredia

Bureau of Land Management

Richfield, Utah