Completion Form

2024

988 acres of hand cutting and thinning were completed by Cutting Edge Forestry for phase 6 of the Upper Provo Restoration Project during 2022.  This phase incorporated Aspen enhancement on Hoyt Peak (365 acres), Aspen and Ponderosa enhancement within the Slate Creek drainage (146 acres), Juniper/Conifer treatment above Samak (196 acres), and hazard tree removal along Mirror Lake Highway (233 acres) and on Hoyt Peak (48 acres).

Aspen Enhancement- 365 acres of Aspen Enhancement were completed on Hoyt Peak in August 2022.  This treatment involved creating 20-foot bole to bole spacing in the conifer by treating all conifer under 12" diameter at breast height (DBH) and constructing piles between 8x8x8ft and 10x10x8ft using cut material under 10" DBH. The remaining cut material over 10" DBH was limbed and bucked into 6-foot lengths and scattered along the ground.  All remaining conifers over 12" DBH were limbed below 6ft. Maximum stump and cut brush height shall be no more than 6" high from the ground on the downhill side.

Aspen and Ponderosa Enhancement- 146 acres of Aspen and Ponderosa Enhancement were completed within the Slate Creek drainage northwest of the Yellow Pine Trailhead during fall of 2021.  This treatment area had three different treatment types within the unit.  1) Areas of aspen (wetland/riparian and upland stands with juniper and conifer encroachment and up to 50ft from the edge of the stand) had all juniper under 12" DBH and all conifer under 8" DBH treated with the remaining conifer limbed up to 6ft.  2) Areas of open stand Ponderosa had all juniper under 12" DBH cut as well as all conifer under 8" DBH to maintain 20ft crown spacing on mature Ponderosa (over 8" DBH) and limb the remaining conifer that are over 8" DBH within 20' of Ponderosa crowns.  3) In closed canopy Ponderosa, all conifer under 8" DBH and all deformed Ponderosa over 8" DBH were cut to create 10' crown spacing in mature Ponderosa (over 8" DBH).  All cut material under 10" DBH was then piled to make piles between 8x8x8ft and 10x10x8ft in size.  All material with a diameter greater than 10 inches was limbed and bucked into 6-foot lengths and scattered along the ground.

Samak WUI Hand Cutting and Piling Treatment (Juniper/Conifer Treatment)- 196 acres of Juniper/Conifer WUI treatment were completed in November 2021-May 2022 up the Left Fork of Beaver Creek above the town of Samak.  This unit had two treatment types in the Juniper/Cedar and in the conifer.  The contractors cut Juniper/Cedar to create 50ft bole to bole spacing.  They favored large diameter over small diameter when determining leave trees.  The areas of conifer were treated to create 20ft bole to bole spacing with the contractors cutting all trees under 5" DBH and favoring healthy and larger diameter trees as leave trees.  The contractors limbed the leaved trees below 6ft and piled all cut material smaller than 10" DBH into piles between 8x8x8ft and 10x10x8ft in size.  All material with a diameter greater than 10 inches was limbed and bucked into 6-foot lengths and scattered along the ground.

Hazard Tree Removal- 281 acres of hazard tree removal were completed April-August 2022 along the Mirror Lake Highway above Soapstone Road (233 acres) and on Hoyt Peak (48 acres).  This treatment involved creating 20 foot bole-to-bole spacing in the conifer for 150ft on each side of the road.  This was achieved by cutting all standing dead/damaged trees as well as all trees under 5" DBH.    All cut material under 10" DBH was then piled to make piles between 8x8x8ft and 10x10x8ft in size.  All material with a diameter greater than 10 inches was limbed and bucked into 6-foot lengths and scattered along the ground.

Phase 6 of The Upper Provo Watershed Restoration Project was completed from October 2021-August 2022 using a combination of funds from WRI, NGOs, Utah FFSL, Utah DNR, and USFS. 
 The funds ran through the fiscal years of 2021-2022 and consisted of a combination of Aspen Enhancement, Aspen and Ponderosa enhancement, Juniper/Conifer hand-cut and pile, and hazard tree removal.   Phase 6 adds to an existing system of fuel breaks along the Upper Provo River Watershed.  These treatments reinforce the goals of previous phases, giving the US Forest Service multiple management options when wildfire enters the watershed. Within the past 4 years there have been 4 separate wildfires in or adjacent to the watershed.  Cumulative fuel loading due to beetle infestations fire suppression has escalated the risk for catastrophic wildfire.  In all, 988 acres were treated using a combination of treatment types.  These treatments include 365 acres of Aspen enhancement, 146 acres of Aspen and Ponderosa enhancement, 196 acres of Juniper/Conifer hand-cut and pile, and 281 acres of hazard tree removal.  Along with previous phases, over 8,000 acres have been treated within the watershed to create an extensive system of fuel breaks.  These areas will enter a maintenance cycle for the unforeseen future to maintain resiliency.

All 988 acres of the treated area contain piles that will enter a period of curing before needing to be burned. The piles from these treatment areas will need to be burned during future autumn/winter months, which may require multiple entries to minimize scorching and maximize consumption.   These areas of strategic fuel breaks can be used to manage future wildfires and decrease fire spread and intensity when they enter the watershed. The Aspen enhancement as well as the Aspen and Ponderosa enhancement units will be monitored by the Forest Service to determine the effectiveness of the treatments.  The hazard tree removal units will be monitored after the piles have been burned to ensure logs/torched trees do not threaten the roadways. The treated areas will enter a maintenance program once completed to ensure their effectiveness. Vegetation plots located within the project area will also be monitored using ocular estimates and post-treatment analysis. There are more phases in the planning and implementation process within the watershed as well.

Josh Cohn

10/18/2024 14:48:03