- Volunteers and officials plant 1,500 prickly pear cacti to restore fire-damaged foothills.
- The cacti stabilize slopes and benefit local wildlife by providing food and habitat.
- Future volunteer events will focus on wildfire mitigation; residents can check online for updates.
SALT LAKE CITY — Volunteers and Salt Lake City Department of Public Lands officials are working to restore foothill areas damaged by the Bonneville Fire, planting vegetation to help stabilize hillsides and improve habitat for wildlife.
The fire, which burned above Red Butte Garden and threatened nearby areas, left a significant burn scar on the city’s eastern foothills.
“Some of the Gambel oak is just starting to recover,” said Blake Wellard, restoration ecology program supervisor with Salt Lake City Public Lands…