Completion Form

2021

Juniper have encroached on the mountain shrub community that provides critical winter range for deer, elk and moose and habitat for sage-grouse. There is a robust mahogany component in the area but they have very little to no recruitment. By removing junipers we hope to see increase in grasses and forbs along with water, and the space left by the junipers will hopefully promote mahogany recruitment. We originally planned for 1,290 acres of juniper lop and scatter.  However, the contractor's bid was low and nearly $100,000 funding was left for extra lop and scatter work.  Additional areas of 1,977 acres of treatments were added later.  A total of 3,267 acres was lop and scattered.

Nearly 5.7 miles of unauthorized routes were identified in the project area using aerial imageries. These unauthorized routes include 18 access points. The unauthorized routes increase motorized access, fragment greater sage-grouse habitat, year-long crucial elk and crucial summer mule deer habitat, increase the spread of noxious weeds and invasive plants, reduce vegetation and site productivity, and increase erosion. Decommissioning unauthorized routes would further enhance those restored habitats for mule deer, elk and sage-grouse use. FS seasonal employees worked on decommissioning about 5.7 miles of unauthorized routes near Hardware Ranch.  Unauthorized routes were closed by installing barrier rocks and buck-and-rail fencing where appropriate. A minimum of the first 100 feet of unauthorized routes were also ripped and rehabed using a SWECO Trail Dozer and/or a Mini Excavator. A total of 14 signs on the Pig Hole Springs road, a combination of "restoration area" signs, "motorized route ends" signs, and route markers/guide signs were installed. A gate and wood fence were installed at Baxter Sawmill road to enforce seasonal closure for protecting big game wintering habitat.  Areas ripped were then reseeded using a native grass and forb seed mix approved by the zone's botanist.

Masako Wright

08/13/2021 10:09:34