Environmental Program

The Environmental Program is responsible for identifying the environmental needs in our tribal communities. We are dedicated to creating healthier and more sustainable communities by addressing the impacts of climate change. We will protect the quality of the Tribe’s natural environment by establishing an environmentally conscious department where we will prioritize and identify environmental concerns such as air, water, waste, pollution, and climate change and make plans to address any associated hazards or concerns.

Some efforts will include creating green infrastructure areas to reduce energy costs, sustain the fruit orchard for food security and sovereignty, and develop areas with culturally significant plant and animal species.

For information on the Environmental Program, please contact:
Keitti Jake
Program Coordinator
PHONE: 435-586-1112
EMAIL: kjake@pitu.gov

Attendees both young and old at the Pee’kai Project event at the Shivwits gym heard from desert tortoise advocates and created art inspired by this culturally significant animal. To see the full photo gallery from this event, click here.

Environmental News & Events

Volunteer Opportunity – Archaeology Site Clean-up

CLICK FLYER TO ENLARGE

 

 

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Free Desert Tortoise Viewing Event

 The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, in partnership with Utah’s Every Kid Outdoors Initiative, will be hosting a free desert tortoise viewing event.

Join expert biologists for an up-close look at one of the state’s most fascinating reptiles — the desert tortoise! This family-friendly event will be held at the Chuckwalla Trailhead in Snow Canyon State Park on April 25 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

For more information and to reserve your space, click here.

 

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PITU in Action

PITU Environmental Program Coordinator Keitti Jake (left) prepares to take a flyover of the 1.87 million acres of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

PITU Environmental Program Coordinator Keitti Jake was busy in March, serving not only our Tribal Members but also other regional tribes and our Earth in general.

To read about Keitti’s activities as part of the Regional Tribal Operations Committee and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Inter-Tribal Coalition, click here.

 

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Vision Iron County Seeks Your Input

 

 

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Utah Farm and Food Conference

The 10th Annual Utah Farm and Food Conference will feature presentations from Indigenous speakers Darren Parry and James Skeet, among many other presenters.

The conference takes place in Cedar City from Jan 15-17 and is only $20 with a code. To get the code, contact PITU Environmental Program Coordinator Keitti Jake (435-586-1112)

For more information about the conference, click here.

 

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Christmas Tree Permits Available Now!

Christmas tree permits will be available to purchase online through Recreation.gov. Details about designated cutting areas, dates, and types of trees that may be cut may be found here www.Recreation.gov .

To purchase a Christmas tree permit, visit Recreation.gov and search for Dixie National Forest Christmas Tree Permits. It is important to carefully read the overview and need-to-know information prior to purchasing the permit. Visitors will also need to set up or log in to a Recreation.gov account to complete the transaction.

Fourth graders with an Every Kid Outdoors pass are eligible for a free Christmas tree permit and can apply by entering the pass or voucher number when purchasing a permit (note: a $2.50 reservation fee will be applied).

Cutting a Christmas tree also improves forest health. The permit system helps thin densely populated stands of small-diameter trees. Local forest health experts identify areas that benefit from thinning trees that tend to be the perfect size for Christmas trees. Removing these trees in designated areas helps other trees grow larger and can open areas that provide forage for wildlife.

For more information, visit these online resources:
· Recreation.gov Christmas Tree Permit page with map interface
· Help Center article “How Do I Purchase and Print a Christmas Tree Permit?”
· Cut a Tree for the Holidays from Your National Forest article
· Every Kid Outdoors Fourth Grade Pass program

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Free Southern Utah Ice Fishing Seminar

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources will be holding a free ice fishing seminar on Dec. 13 at 1 p.m. at 1470 N. Airport Road in Cedar City.

This seminar is a great learning opportunity for anglers who want to be successful ice fishing high-elevation frozen lakes of southern Utah.

This seminar is a great learning opportunity for anglers who want to be successful ice fishing at the high-elevation frozen lakes of southern Utah. We will cover information such as, safety, preparation, Southern Utah locations, techniques, strategies and essential gear.

Whether you’re a beginner or you have ice fished before, this free event is perfect for anyone looking to improve their ice-fishing skills!

For more information and to reserve a spot, click here.

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Hunter Safety Class

Click flyer above to enlarge

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Beginner Pheasant Hunt – Nov. 1

Join the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife for a guided beginner pheasant hunt on private property near Cedar City! Hunters must be 17 years of age or younger, or be a novice hunter with three years or less of hunting experience. All participants must be registered in advance to attend.

This free hunt will take place on Nov. 1, with a morning session (starts at 8 a.m.) and an afternoon session (starts at 1 p.m.). Space is limited, so visit our Eventbrite page for more details and register today!

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Prescribed Burn Notice

Dixie National Forest, Cedar City Ranger District is planning prescribed fire operations starting the week of October 28, pending all required approvals. We estimate this work to continue throughout the fall and winter of 2025, and into the spring of 2026, as weather conditions allow. We use prescribed fires to help reduce overgrown and dead and down vegetation to help protect local communities, infrastructure, and natural resources from wildfires.

Prescribed fires planned for the Cedar City Ranger District include:

  • Approximately 194 acres south of Highway 14, approximately 4 miles Southwest of Swain’s Creek Village, Kane County.
  • 604 acres 1.5 miles Northwest of Mammoth Creek Village, Garfield County.
  • 800 acres 5 miles Northeast of Duck Creek Village, Kane and Garfield Counties.
  • 1,000 acres spread out across Cedar Mountain in Kane, Iron, and Garfield Counties.

These areas may be closed to the public for several days for public safety. We ask the public to not enter active prescribed burn areas especially during active burn operations. Please watch for warning signs that will be placed along roads near all prescribed fire areas before, during, and after burns.

To read the complete press release from Dixie National Forest, click here.

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Community Cleanup – Week of April 21

The community cleanup project is today. The PITU Environmental Program will be placing dumpsters in the community areas in Kanosh, The Village in Cedar, Cedar Band area, and Shivwits area starting the week of April 21.

All items will be accepted except oil and concrete.

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6 Tribes Announce Formation of GSENM Inter-Tribal Coalition

On Tuesday, March 25, 2025, representatives of six tribes – including the Hopi Tribe, the Navajo Nation, the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians, the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, and the Zuni Tribe – announced the formation of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Inter-Tribal Coalition.

For more information, click here.

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Tribe Members Attend Public Lands Rally

The weather was cold, but the energy was high as several members and employees of the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah attended the “Land, Love & Hope” Rally for Public Lands on the steps of the Utah Capitol in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 11.

For more information, click here.

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Every Kid Outdoors Adventure Challenge

The Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation is excited to introduce the Outdoor Adventure Challenge in 2025, a program designed to engage school-age youth (ages 5-18) in fun, seasonal outdoor activities. While the challenges are primarily aimed at youth in grades 4-6, the program is open to all school-age children and their families. Each month, participants will be invited to take on new challenges that promote outdoor recreation, nature exploration, and skill-building, all while fostering a lifelong love for the outdoors.

The challenges range from organized activities taking place on a particular date — such as stargazing in Kane County in April and harvesting veggies with Wasatch Community Gardens in September — to activities that can be done at any time in almost any place. For more information, click here.

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Southern Utah Bird News

Photo of a gilded flicker in Kanarraville, Utah. (photo by Alysha Lundgren and courtesy of St. George News / STGNews.com)

With its drastic changes in elevation and various ecosystems, southern Utah can be a great place to spot a variety of wild birds. Learn more about the different birds and the locations to spot them, as well as actions being take to protect them at the following articles from St. George News:

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Christmas Tree Permits Available Now!

The USDA Forest Service is again selling Christmas tree permits through Recreation.gov, which makes it convenient for visitors to find and purchase permits to cut holiday trees from their favorite national forest. Recreation.gov makes it easy to purchase a permit. However, the public is always welcome to purchase a permit from their local National Forest Office.

“We are thrilled to see so many people embracing the tradition of cutting their own Christmas tree,” Dixie National Forest Supervisor Kevin Wright said in a press release. “It is a wonderful opportunity to create lasting memories and connect with nature.”

Approved methods of harvest:

  • Tree Height: 20 feet maximum. Trees up to 10 feet are $10. Trees from 11-20 feet are $20.
  • Stump height: 5 inches maximum
  • Take the whole tree. Do not remove the top of the tree; cut down the entire tree
  • If snow is on the ground, remove it from around the stump so you can accurately measure the tree height

You can use this guide to help you identify what kind of tree you are allowed to harvest.  No bristlecone pine may be harvested.

Permits are currently on sale through Recreation.gov. Trees are available to harvest Nov. 4 through Dec. 31, 2024. Permits will also be sold in person at the following offices:

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Where To See Kokanee Salmon in Utah

At summer’s end, kokanee undergo a transformation from sleek silver to fluorescent red. (Photo courtesy Utah DWR)

On Sept. 14, PITU held a cultural event at the Twin Creeks recreation site at Fish Lake (see coverage of Paxetsi Pay Day here). In addition to being considered “holy ground” to the Paiute Indian Tribe, Fish Lake (and especially Twin Creeks) is one of several great places in the state to see Utah’s kokanee salmon as they run upstream to lay their eggs.

At Fish Lake, this natural phenomenon is best witnessed in mid-September into October. For more information on the kokanee salmon and other places in the state to witness their spawning, click here.

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Hunter Safety Class – Sept. 16-21, 2024

The Hunter Safety Class, taught by Blaine Nay, included classroom learning from Monday through Friday and a shooting day on Saturday. Registration fees for the class were covered for PITU Members and descendants, and the 10 participants were glad to show off their skills on Saturday. To see the photo gallery from this event, click here.

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Pee’kai Project – Aug. 29, 2024

Presented by the PITU Cultural and Environmental Departments, the Pee’kai Project event took place in Shivwits on Aug. 29. Attendees heard from desert tortoise advocates and created art inspired by this culturally significant animal. To see the photo gallery from this event, click here.

Fire & Smoke/Air Quality Map

For a map that includes current wildfires and air quality statuses, including outdoor activity advisories, click here.

Other Environmental Resources