Invasive Species Mitigation Gets a New Monitoring Specialist

The Utah Department of Agriculture (UDAF) has hired a new Vegetation Monitoring Specialist. Brittany Duncan will be the primary monitoring specialist for the Invasive Species Mitigation Program(ISM). Brittany will work closely alongside Jan Reinhart. Jan has been monitoring the ISM projects since the program began. Jan splits her time between the ISM and the Grazing Improvement Program (GIP). We are fortunate to have Brittany come on board. Cooperators will be able to get help monitoring ISM projects with Brittany and Jan.

Brittany is a Utah native and graduated from Utah State University (USU) with a Master’s Degree in Ecology. She has spent significant time at USU on rangeland monitoring including Phragmites Brittany says she never expected that she would be monitoring noxious weeds but she is enthusiastic about the opportunity to work in such a unique program. Brittany’s experience will bring a new perspective to our ISM program. When Brittany is not at work she is busy spending time with her family and her two girls ages one and seven. 

Getting to Know Aaron Eagar, UDAF, Plant Industry, Noxious Weed Specialist Aaron Eagar recently accepted the position as Noxious Weed Specialist for the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food. Among his many duties, Aaron will oversee the ISM program. Aaron comes from the Utah County Weed Department where he spent the past twelve years. Aaron was responsible for uniting multiple entities to accomplish weed management goals. He worked with The Utah Lake Commission, Utah Division of Wildlife, State Parks and Forestry Fire and State Lands to eradicate Pharagmites and other weeds on Utah Lake. On the east side of the county, Aaron brought Sundance Resort and its landowners together with the U.S. Forest Service to control Garlic Mustard. Aaron also served as the president to the Utah Weed Supervisors Association.

Aaron earned a degree in Chemistry, but his true passion is geology. Aaron can often be found rock hounding in his free time. Aaron also enjoys camping and travelling.

Aaron places great importance on the ISM program. He said that he took the position as Noxious Weed Specialist in order to help expand and fine tune the ISM grants.

Getting to Know Bracken Davis, UDAF, Plant Industry, Deputy Director Bracken Davis has worked for the Utah Department of Agriculture, Food and Conservation (UDAF) for nine years. He has recently taken the position of deputy director for the Division of Plant Industry. Bracken will oversee many programs including the noxious weed program for UDAF.

When Bracken was ten, he worked a summer job breeding irises. Bracken took his passion for botany to Weber State University and graduated in 2002. He worked various seasonal vegetation monitoring jobs including one that took him to Hawaii. Bracken returned to Utah and graduated with a Master’s Degree in GIS and Landscape Management in 2009 from BYU. During the summer of 2008, Bracken was recruited into UDAF to work on GIS and databases in vegetation monitoring.

Bracken is the father of two girls (ages 8 and 9). Bracken is an avid runner and enjoys trail running. When Bracken isn’t working he spends time with his girls playing laser tag, watching movies and hiking.

Bracken hopes to help grow and support all of the programs within the Division of Plant Industry. Bracken feels that he can provide a big picture view to integrate program goals. Bracken emphasized the importance of listening to program managers as a tool to continue improving UDAF’s many programs.