Building Healthy Ecosystems: New Research From the Fife Wetland Preserve

By Olivia Barney 

Nestled along the meandering Jordan River sits an important wetland ecosystem. There, a wide variety of insects thrive alongside red swamp crawfish, muskrats, and blue heron. It’s a hidden gem among the bustling city, and many of us will drive past it without ever realizing it’s there. 

Some argue that sunset is the best time to visit Fife, for the views and possibly bat sightings. Jack Rodgers

The Fred and Ila Rose Fife Wetland Preserve is a unique urban greenspace — a pocket of nature within the city that provides an outside oasis close to home, as well as a prime opportunity for researchers to study the complex relationship between human innovation and the natural world. 

NHMU’s Invertebrate Zoology Collections Manager, Christy Bills, has a vested interest in the site, both personally and professionally. Her work involves tracking any changes in invertebrate population and diversity. “If left alone, you would think nature could just happen on its own,” she said. “But in urban areas, nature needs help offsetting the disruptions caused by human impact.” Even the most nature-conscious individuals are impacting these spaces. One common example is found on our shoes. As we travel from place to place, our shoes can bring in seeds, insects, and bacteria that while native to one location, are invasive to another.  

Museum staff and volunteers check their specimens after collecting insects.

Ensuring that these preserves stay healthy requires management from both professionals and everyday visitors alike. This is what Bills, and many others, have been doing at Fife for more than six years now. “A tree could take decades to reach maturity. But insects are having new generations all the time, and they move around, unlike shrubs and trees.” Bills explained. “So, what we're hoping is to get a baseline of bugs in this particular place, at this particular time. And that as different organizations are planting native trees, native plants, and keeping an eye on the water quality, we'll see a change in the insect population, hopefully, to be more diverse and more reflective of a healthy environment.” 

Over the years, Bills has worked toward this goal alongside a variety of community organizations, such as TreeUtah, and they’re already seeing remarkable changes in the landscape. “It’s gotten a lot better, and it’ll be interesting to see how it gets better over time.” Bills said. “The Parks Department has cleared out a lot of the weeds. There were a lot of thistles in one part of the meadow where you couldn't even walk. But city officials have really improved it.” 

Even a tiny fly can inform researchers about a place, and a moment in time. Jack Rodgers

As these groups have worked to remove invasive plants and weeds, plant native trees and shrubs, and encourage community involvement, the landscape and its ecosystem have changed. From snakes, bats, hawks, and pelicans, there’s already plenty to see during a visit to the Fife Wetland Preserve. But as Bills emphasized, her real hope is to see the population and diversity of bugs change, “That could be an epicenter of positive change, affecting bird migration stopover, pollinators available to the local community, those kinds of things.” 

A Stunning Community Resource in Salt Lake City, Utah

Though the preserve is a hotspot for scientific research, it’s also an accessible community gathering place. The area is within the city, not up the canyon or far from public transportation options. For those driving, there are no tolls or parking fees, making the park an excellent, economical option for when you want to spend time in nature. It’s also physically accessible, with flat trails and boardwalks that are wide and sturdy. 

Important Note: To promote wildlife diversity and to ensure the preserve stays quiet and relaxing, dogs and bikes aren’t allowed onsite, but they are allowed on nearby trails. 

For community members who want to learn more about the work Bills is doing, check out NHMU’s new, News from Our Scientists exhibit, which features her research. You can also search our online database of invertebrates that have been found at Fife. 

The yellow plants that bloom throughout Fife in the late summer are called rubber rabbitbrush. Jack Rodgers

For those who want to get even more involved, Bills suggested visiting the location and learning more about the vital resources it provides. You can also take photos of your observations and upload them to iNaturalist, which is an easy was to provide scientists with more data to explore. 

But perhaps the most important thing Bills thinks we can do is learn to love the preserve — and nature generally. “It's a really surprising, peaceful place in the middle of the city. And I hope more people go to it and surprise themselves with how much they enjoy it. Fife is perfect. It's there for us. And I hope more people will take advantage of it.” Bills said. “So, be good stewards, enjoy nature, and learn to love the bugs around you because they're really very helpful to us.”