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Firefighters do a controlled burn of "cheat grass," an invasive species that has established itself on the Zion Canyon floor beneath the cottonwood trees.
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Zion National Park is turning 100 this summer.

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Springdale » In 2008, Zion National Park saw 2.7 million visitors, a number that is expected to grow and place ever more pressure on one of Utah's most popular natural attractions.

But growth outside the park, from sprawling residential communities, could also stress the park's ecosystem, and make it harder to find the peace and solitude so many urbanites crave.

"There is a slow incremental loss of the resource characteristics and the integrity that we have from global climate change, air quality, loss of visual resources, impacts on natural and cultural resources and soundscapes," said Kirstin Legg, Zion's chief of resource management and research. "It's harder to protect.

Students from East Elementary School hike together along the Riverside Walk Trail, one of the most popular hikes in Zion National Park. (Al Hartmann/The Salt Lake Tribune )
It's harder to find places where you can go and listen only to nature without sounds encroaching."

The ever-rising number of Zion visitors will require the National Park Service to keep improving such infrastructure as water systems, roads, sewer and trails, said spokesman Ron Terry. But $945,000 in federal stimulus money the park received this year will help. Much of it will be used to maintain trails on such popular hikes as Emerald Pools.

Terry said the park's biggest threat is from such invasive plant species as tamarisk and cheat grass. While the park has a handle on tamarisk, which grows along riparian areas, constant diligence will be needed to keep the water-hungry shrub from choking out native plants.

A propane-powered shuttle system launched in the 1990s will continue to transport visitors up the park's scenic canyon. The system has improved air quality in the park and reduced congestion caused by several hundred cars competing at any given time for a handful of parking spaces.

Park superintendent Jock Whitworth said conserving the park's scenery, wildlife and historic artifacts is his main goal.

"Preservation must come first," he said. "We don't want to keep people out, but we must make sure that we are not destroying the resources we are here to protect and enjoy."

The recent designation of additional wilderness in the park by Congress, which also named a portion of the Virgin River as Utah's first wild and scenic river was good news. And Legg is encouraged that Zion is part of the Northern Colorado Plateau Network of natural resource monitoring. The programs allows scientists to monitor flora checklists, water quality studies, bird populations, air quality, riparian system health, and climate for warning signs.

Asked about her ultimate goal, Legg turned philosophical.

"I would like to be able to say that we have set ourselves up to allow natural processes to take place and to address the challenges ... so our grandchildren and families can come back 100 years from now and be able to walk down the Virgin River and still experience the tranquility that it offers."

wharton@sltrib.com

mhavnes@sltrib.com