Completion Form

2023

The terrain proved to be extremely rocky and our plan to treat in a "bunchy/clumpy" pattern worked very well here. We were on-site the first two days all day as we worked with the contractor to decide exactly how to implement. The contractor was extremely good to work with us as we made slight modifications to our treatment design. What we ended up with was treating all available acres in the flats and benches. That allowed our leave areas in our original design to be the rocky ridges and rocky stringers. The result of this modified treatment design left us with many edge/travel/resting areas for wildlife throughout the treatment. 
An abundance of rocks prohibited the full size machines to access a few areas. These small areas were treated with a Bobcat style excavator that could gain access because of its smaller size. We estimated that we were unable to treat roughly 300 acres in the project area due to excessive rock on the surface.
In addition to treating trees we obtained a seed mix containing grasses, forbs and brush species. As areas were checked for compliance this seed mix was hand applied to soil areas that had been scalped by the equipment as the polygons were treated. A total of 200 pounds of this seed mix was applied in this way in the treatment. 
We received more snow during this winter as the treatment progressed but there were only a few days of work missed. The snow was not too excessive to continue working. 
The completed polygons are clearly visible from the valley and several people walked into the treatments during the fall and spring and then called me with questions. All the comments and questions I received from the public were very positive!

A phased approach to implementation allows for mountain brush and sagebrush community response monitoring to inform future phases. Phase four of this project is planned to extend these treatments to the east across Government Creek.  As monitoring indicates a need for re-treatment, and capacity allows, areas will be treated to maintain grass, forb, and shrub communities. The project area will be monitored for re-encroachment and proposed for re-treatment either through volunteers like the DH program or a full WRI proposal depending on the severity and extent of the re-encroachment. 
This project will also help with managing natural fire ignitions in the future by giving land managers more fire management options.
Sage-grouse use on the nearby leks in the Parker SGMA will be monitored annually by UDWR utilizing the PARM working group.
The project is located on both the North Slope and Dark Valley grazing allotments.  These two allotments are managed under a deferred rotation grazing system which is in compliance with allotment management plans and annual operating instructions. Implementers will coordinate project activities with permittees in order to minimize impacts.  Areas within the project have not been highly utilized by livestock in the recent past.  With the small amount of hand seeding that was done, treatment areas will not likely be rested from livestock use following treatment.

Jim Lamb

09/14/2023 15:48:33