Summit County Climate Change and Public Health speaker series is designed to elevate public health as a critical consideration of climate change action in Summit County. The speakers series aims to:
Stay tuned for more information on our Speaker Series event this fall!
2025
May 7th at North Summit High School & May 28th at Park City High School
Summit County Health Department staff engaged senior students from North Summit High School and Park City High School in a discussion on public health planning processes including the Community Health Assessment and the Community Health Improvement Plan.
The purpose of these events were to understand how youth ideas, thoughts, and opinions are similar to or differ than adults regarding these topics addressed in the Community Health Assessment: (1) factors that make Summit County a healthy community; (2) what needs improvement to support health in Summit County; (3) to what degree the Summit County community is concerned about climate change
Key Takeaways:
– Youth sentiment generally aligns with CHA results on most topics
– Changes to the environment are of the highest concern to our youth but which changes specifically vary depending on the community in which they live
2024
September 19th at the Dejoria Center
The event kicked off with a presentation by the Summit County Health Department Director, Phil Bondurant, followed by a panel discussion focused on understanding how extreme weather and drought are experienced on the ground by the livestock and agricultural industries in Summit County, sharing strategies being used to manage these environmental factors, including long-standing strategies and new/emerging strategies, and identifying how others in the community can support those working in these sectors
Moderators:
Elizabeth Cohen & Hailey Davis with USU Extension
Panelists:
– Colby Pace, Rancher, Half Circle Cross Ranch
– Craig McKnight, Ranch & Farm Manager, Bill White Farms and Ranches
– Leah Trapp, APHIS Emergency Coordinator, USDA
– Gregg Simons, Consultant, Open Range Consulting
Key Takeaways:
– Best practice techniques of rotational grazing, cover crops, and more are being actively utilized by Summit County ranchers to benefit the ecology, biodiversity, and resilience of the landscape
– The interconnection between soil health, animal health, and human health
– Local food systems contribute to national security
– Conservation practices, breeding strategy, drought & livestock insurance, and local marketplaces are all resilience strategies in agriculture
– Buying from local producers supports their ability to implement the conservation strategies discussed at the event and establishes social connections throughout the community
– In addition to the time and physical demands of farming and ranching, mental health and wellbeing is a crucial aspect to success for those working in the agricultural sector
Resources:
Link to event slides here
May 14th at the Kamas Services Building & May 20th at the Swaner EcoCenter
The Community Health Assessment Speaker Series events began with a brief presentation on two key topics by Summit County Health Department Staff:
– What are some of the risks posed by a changing climate to environmental and human health in Summit County?
– What is a Community Health Assessment and how does it connect to this topic of a changing environment?
Following the introductory presentations, a breakout of smaller discussion groups facilitated by the Mountain Mediation Center gave community members the opportunity to voice ideas, questions, and concerns regarding a changing environment, climate change, and health. Each group was asked the same set of questions, including what information individuals need to better understand how climate change might pose a risk to personal health, examples of lifestyle changes people are making in response to these risks, and more.
Key Takeaways:
– Attendees are concerned about climate change and its impact on health, particularly mental health and those in the outdoor and agricultural economies
– Common themes of both events included worries about wildfire, drought, and vulnerable communities.
– Community members desire more robust data collection at the county level and outreach from public health agencies
Resources:
– Read the Summary report from Mountain Mediation Center for more themes and comments from breakout group discussions
– Slides from the event can be found here
2023
September 19th at the National Ability Center
Our second Speaker Series event focused on identifying how climate change is and will continue to impact physical and mental health in the U.S., understanding how current conditions and health disparities impact vulnerability to climate change, and identifying resources for coping with climate grief.
Event moderator:
Alexis Lee, Director of Environmental Sustainability, University of Utah Health
Presenters & Panelists:
– Kimberley Shoaf, Professor of Public Health, University of Utah Health
– Jeremy Bekker, PhD Candidate in Clinical Psychology, BYU
– Nataunya Kay, Creative Arts Psychiatric Program Specialist, HMHI
Key Takeaways:
Physical and mental health impacts from climate change should be looked at in the context of larger systems
– The environmental, social, and behavioral context in which people and communities exist – from the individual, community, and ecosystem level
– The pathways through which people and communities are exposed to climate-driven impacts, such as increased temperature being experienced as extreme heat, extreme weather events being experienced as population displacement, and wildfires being experienced as poor air quality
Resources:
– Slides from the event can be found here
– A recording of the event here
May 9th at the Blair Education Center
In the first installment of the Summit County Health Department’s Climate Change & Public Health Speaker Series, presenters and a panel discussion focused on identifying how climate change is and will continue to impact environmental health in Summit County, the interconnections of environmental health on human health, and how the climate risk assessment can help with our actions and decisions moving forward.
Event moderator:
Dorothy Adams, Deputy Director Salt Lake County Health Dept
Presenter:
Darcy Glenn, Research Associate with Woodwell Climate Research Center
Panelists:
– Darcy Glenn, Research Associate with Woodwell Climate Research Center
– Ben Abbott, Ecology Professor, BYU
– Brian McInerney, retired National Weather Service Hydrologist
– Matt Yost, AgriClimatologist with USU
Key Takeaways:
– Summit County’s climate risk assessment indicates an increase in wildfire danger days, increased prevalence and intensity of drought, and water demand outpacing “renewable water” supply
– The health of the environment is human health
– Interconnectedness makes impacts far-reaching. For example, the water we use here affects availability downstream. Dust from the Great Salt Lake already travels over Wasatch Mountains into Summit County
– Connection and investment in local food systems are important for creating and building resilience to climate impacts on agriculture
Resources:
– Slides from the event can be found here
– A recording of the event can be found here
– Read the Climate Risk Assessment here
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