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Lower Bowns Habitat Improvement
Region: Southern
ID: 6643
Project Status: Completed
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Project Start Date
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Project End Date
Fiscal Year Completed
2024
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Final Methods
Methods: Three treatment types were used to achieve the objectives. The northern portion of the project area near Fish Creek and Carcass Creek were treated with a hand treatment lop and scatter crew that was contracted by the USFS in fall of 2023. The contractor (3 B's) completed this project with the use of hand tools and chainsaws. The contracted crew started in June of 2024 and completed the total acres of 1,251 by the end of July. All successional pinyon and juniper less than < 8-inch DBH (diameter at breast height) was removed. The Lower Bowns portion of the project had two treatment types. A mechanical mastication contract was awarded by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to Halls Hammer Time Construction. The contracted work began April 5, 2024, and ended June 15, 2023, on 1,021 acres. Prescription was removing any pinyon and juniper less than <12 inches DRC- diameter and root collar using heavy equipment excavators with masticating heads. The second treatment was an aerial seeding on approximately 565 acres on the lower portion of the Lower Bowns project area. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources contracted Hammond Helicopter to aerial seed a native seed mix using a helicopter at a rate of roughly 3.6 lbs. per acre. The seed was flown on April 12, 2024, during the mechanical operations.
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Project Narrative
The Forest Service USFS (Fremont River Ranger District) and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources completed a habitat restoration project on the east side of Boulder Mountain near Lower Bowns Reservoir and north near Carcass and Fish Creeks. These project objectives are to improve wildlife habitat along with creating a more fire resilient landscape. This project focuses on reducing pinyon and juniper succession on approximately 2,272 acres within the mountain shrub and sagebrush steppe vegetation types along the north and east slopes of the Boulder Mountain.
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Future Management
The Lower Bowns Habitat Improvement project is part of the Fishlake Pinyon Juniper Environmental Assessment project. This project will coincide with other Boulder Mountain vegetation projects nearby to conserve and improve wildlife habitat. Monitoring will continue in the future. Long-term vegetation trend data collection is performed on a three- year rotation on the Dixie National Forest and in this general area with multiple sites pre- established in the mechanical treatment area and the seeding area. Wildlife data will be collected by USFS employees on Forest Sensitive species and Focal species post treatment. The Utah Division of Wildlife has migration and survival studies going forward on big game that use this project area for winter and transitional habitat for mule deer and elk. The reservoir and streams in the vicinity have 3--5-year rotational monitoring surveys by USFS fish biologists on fish populations and stream function attributes.
Submitted By
Devin Johnson
Submitted Time
09/17/2024 08:38:52
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