Beneath the picturesque backdrop of Zion National Park, ranch owner John LeRoy is working with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to restore 600 acres of rangeland impacted by wildfire, erosion, and invasive species. When John acquired the property in 2021, he knew he wanted to revitalize the land but wasn’t sure where to start. “I don’t have any experience in ranching or farming, or anything like that,” John said. “I did some research online, and that’s how I found NRCS.” An email to the agency led to a phone call and eventually a visit from the local NRCS field office. “They came up, looked at the property, and then got in touch with me and said, ‘We’ve got a whole plan for you.’” 

Situated three miles northeast of Virgin, Utah, the property has been farmed intermittently over decades. Deep gullies carved by intense rainfall have washed away unprotected soil and altered the landscape. During a field visit on March 16, 2026, John pointed out some of the approximately 200 erosion control structures built across the property to slow runoff, capture sediment and reduce future erosion. Volunteers from the American Conservation Experience (ACE) were spread out nearby, digging up old rock piles to construct Zeedyk structures. ACE, a nonprofit organization that provides conservation project opportunities for young adults, was hired by John for the week to help build the Zeedyks. “It’s a great mission that they’re doing, plus they’re young and can carry a wheelbarrow full of rocks 200 yards all day,” John said.

Finding Balance

The erosion control effort is just one component of a broader conservation plan made possible with assistance through NRCS’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Wildlife-friendly fencing is being installed to create paddocks for rotational grazing, along with new water systems to feed those paddocks. Invasive weed treatments and range plantings are also planned to help restore balance to the herbaceous plant community. 

Soft lines in the ground mark where drill seeding has covered 230 acres to eventually help reestablish grasses and native forbs. The seed mix includes both native and introduced species beneficial to area wildlife, as well as native shrubs intended to diversify the plant community and reduce pinyon-juniper encroachment. “This land is critical winter range habitat for elk and mule deer, “ said Clare Poulson, Range Management Specialist with NRCS Utah, “bringing in a seed mix to get vegetation back in the ground and balance out the grass community will be good for game and livestock and also help with fire control,” Clare said.

Recovering from Fire

A native of southwestern Utah, Clare has seen the mesa burn five times in his lifetime. The most recent fire, the Kolob Fire in July 2024, began after a camping trailer sparked the fire on Kolob Terrace Road. John remembers seeing smoke rise over a hill, and driving toward what he assumed was a small spot fire in his UTV equipped with a water tender. “I crested that hill and saw this wall of flame and immediately turned around,” John said with a laugh. The Kolob fire ultimately burned 579 acres, including approximately 300 acres of John’s land. Emergency fire rehabilitation funding from EQIP, along with assistance from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, helped support initial recovery efforts. Additional conservation work has continued through John’s EQIP contract with mastication and brush treatment applied across 250 acres to reduce fuel loads, protect soils, and mitigate fire risk. 

“It’s a big monkey on your back that you’re always kind of thinking about fire, and if you’ve done enough to prepare,” John said.

 Walking between the different Zeedyk constructions, pointing out emerging seedlings, and listening to the rumble of mastication equipment, John views a lot of the conservation work as moving things back into the right place. “It’s such a spiritual place,” John said. “I wake up every morning just thinking how lucky I am to be here.”

Looking ahead, John plans to apply for NRCS’s Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) to continue his commitment to conservation and restoring the land both for wildlife and future generations. 

By Sarah Welliver, State Public Affairs Specialist, NRCS Utah