Utah Wildlife Board receives 2 new members

Salt Lake City — Two new members were recently confirmed to the seven-member Utah Wildlife Board and will help approve the rules and regulations regarding hunting, fishing and wildlife management in the state.

Paula Richmond, of Beaver, and Lenard Kent Johnson, of Green River, were both nominated by Gov. Spencer Cox to serve on the Utah Wildlife Board and were confirmed by the Utah Senate on June 14. Their six-year term serving on the board will begin Tuesday, Aug. 15. They replace board member Karl Hirst and the previous board chairman, Kevin Albrecht, who will both complete their terms of service on Aug. 15.

During their time serving on the wildlife board, Richmond and Johnson will attend the public Wildlife Regional Advisory Council meetings in their respective regions and will also attend roughly six public wildlife board meetings in Farmington each year.

The positions are unpaid, and members of the board do not become employees of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

Richmond works as a consultant for Reed Carter Farms and Cattle LLC and has also done contract work serving as the fundraising coordinator for several conservation groups, including Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, the Wild Sheep Foundation, the Utah Archery Association and the Western Hunting and Conservation Expo. She has over 20 years of experience working in wildlife conservation efforts through various organizations.

"I am an avid hunter and am very passionate about wildlife conservation," Richmond said. "I've also worked closely with the ranching and farming industries and understand their role in wildlife conservation, as well. I've assisted the DWR biologists on various wildlife projects and have seen the importance of gathering data to make decisions in wildlife management. I'm looking forward to being even more involved with the management of wildlife in Utah through my board service."

Johnson has worked as a signalman and electronic technician for Union Pacific Railroad for 33 years. He also works as a licensed hunting guide and served on the Green River City Council for eight years. Beginning in 2016, he also served eight years on the Southeastern Regional Advisory Council, serving four years as vice chair and two years as chair.

"I have had a lifelong passion for wildlife," Johnson said. "As a boy, I had wanted to go into wildlife management. However, my parents encouraged me into electronics, which became my career. But I have never lost my desire to be involved in wildlife management. And through the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources' public meeting process, I have been able to do that. Serving on the Regional Advisory Council in southeastern Utah has been the most enjoyable volunteer position I have ever participated in. The time spent reading and researching wildlife-related topics for meetings is enjoyable to me, and I truly love being part of that process."