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ST. GEORGE — As development encroaches on a quiet plot of land near the White Dome Nature Preserve, a coordinated effort is underway to preserve the seeds of an endangered plant.
Nearly 20 people gathered in the preserve's parking lot on June 6, expecting temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. After a brief introduction and a warning about unexploded ordnances — the area was previously used by the Army National Guard — a line of vehicles traveled down East River Road to a rugged dirt road situated near Interstate 15.
"If it looks like a grenade, it probably is a grenade. Don't touch it," said Jennifer Lewinsohn, a species assessment team project manager with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The road led to land owned by the Utah Trust Lands Administration, which is being leased to a private party and slated for development. The area is also home to a robust population of Holmgren milkvetch.
