Wasatch Shooting Star found only in Big Cottonwood Canyon!
Studying and researcing a rare plant.
The Wasatch Shooting Star, Dodecatheon dentatum var. utahense, is an extremely rare taxon that is restricted to Big Cottonwood Canyon within Salt Lake County, Utah. This taxon has a Heritage Rank of G4T1 and a State Rank of S1, and is considered a sensitive plant taxon within the Wasatch-Cache National Forest. There are four Element Occurrence Records for this taxon, all within a 4 square mile area.
The main barrier to creation of a long-term conservation plan for this species is that not enough data exists in two areas: 1) Population range and extent and 2) Population trends and stability. We seek to fill these two major gaps, establishing a workable framework of information to be used in drafting a long-term management plan. Others have established permanent monitoring plots in 2002 and to date, three years of monitoring data has subsequently been collected. Data collected will provide 4 years of data over 6 years and would begin to elucidate a trend.
This summer, through funds donated by Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort, we have hired a crew to survey for plant populations. We have also partnered with Red Butte Gardens and the Utah Native Plant Society to expand the reach of our crew.