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Taylor Mountain Fire--Private Lands
Region: Northeastern
ID: 3206
Project Status: Completed
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Project Details
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Need for Project
The Taylor Mountain Fire burned 305 acres of private lands near Steinaker Reservoir on July 5, 2014. The fire intensity was severe, and the site burned clean. The drainage from this burned area lead directly into Steinaker Reservoir, an important fishery, irrigation storage, and culinary water supply. In addition, the site is crucial winter range for mule deer. Deer frequent the area in the winter, and without reclamation, will likely be forced into the Ashley Valley where depredation problems will increase. The site was dominated by Wyoming sagebrush and Utah juniper before the fire, and generally lacked diverse herbaceous understory. As a result, this leaves the site as a candidate for cheatgrass invasion if reseeding is not completed. Because cheatgrass densities on these parcels were generally low prior to the fire, application of Plateau herbicide is not proposed at this time.
Provide evidence about the nature of the problem and the need to address it. Identify the significance of the problem using a variety of data sources. For example, if a habitat restoration project is being proposed to benefit greater sage-grouse, describe the existing plant community characteristics that limit habitat value for greater sage-grouse and identify the changes needed for habitat improvement.
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Objectives
The objectives of the project are to: 1.) Restore a diverse vegetative community on the site. 2.) Restore crucial mule deer winter range by establishing shrubs on the site. 3.) Prevent erosion and sedimentation into Steinaker Reservoir, and important water supply for the Vernal area. 4.) Establish perennial vegetation before invasive annual grass dominates the site.
Provide an overall goal for the project and then provide clear, specific and measurable objectives (outcomes) to be accomplished by the proposed actions. If possible, tie to one or more of the public benefits UWRI is providing.
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Project Location/Timing Justification (Why Here? Why Now?)
Without successful rehabilitation, the site will not function as crucial winter habitat for mule deer. Furthermore, annual weeds will likely dominate the site. Elevated erosion will occur and increase sedimentation into Steinaker Reservoir.
LOCATION: Justify the proposed location of this project over other areas, include publicly scrutinized planning/recovery documents that list this area as a priority, remote sensing modeling that show this area is a good candidate for restoration, wildlife migration information and other data that help justify this project's location.
TIMING: Justify why this project should be implemented at this time. For example, Is the project area at risk of crossing an ecological or other threshold wherein future restoration would become more difficult, cost prohibitive, or even impossible.
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Relation to Management Plans
The project is relevant to the Statewide Mule Deer plan, by supporting objectives to enhance and improve habitat for mule deer and reclaim habitat lost by wildfires. South Slope Vernal Mule Deer management plan.--Habitat improvement for mule deer. The Steinaker Reservoir TMDL identifies phosphorous from run off as an issue. This project will help address some of those issues.
List management plans where this project will address an objective or strategy in the plan. Describe how the project area overlaps the objective or strategy in the plan and the relevance of the project to the successful implementation of those plans. It is best to provide this information in a list format with the description immediately following the plan objective or strategy.
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Fire/Fuels
If applicable, detail how the proposed project will significantly reduce the risk of fuel loading and/or continuity of hazardous fuels including the use of fire-wise species in re-seeding operations. Describe the value of any features being protected by reducing the risk of fire. Values may include; communities at risk, permanent infrastructure, municipal watersheds, campgrounds, critical wildlife habitat, etc. Include the size of the area where fuels are being reduced and the distance from the feature(s) at risk.
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Water Quality/Quantity
Describe how the project has the potential to improve water quality and/or increase water quantity, both over the short and long term. Address run-off, erosion, soil infiltration, and flooding, if applicable.
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Compliance
1 Archaeologist, 248 acres x 23 = 5,704$, Sep 17 2014 / 2 PMArchaeology, Survey needed., Sep 8 2014 / 6 NEPA, NA, Sep 8 2014
Description of efforts, both completed and planned, to bring the proposed action into compliance with any and all cultural resource, NEPA, ESA, etc. requirements. If compliance is not required enter "not applicable" and explain why not it is not required.
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Methods
A total of 305 acres of private lands will be aerially seeded with a seed mix of browse, grasses, and forbs. Following aerial seeding, and anchor chain will be drug across the site. There will only be one chaining pass. Following chaining and near the first snowfall, a secondary seeding pass of sagebrush and forage kochia seed will be applied to the site.
Describe the actions, activities, tasks to be implemented as part of the proposed project; how these activities will be carried out, equipment to be used, when, and by whom.
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Monitoring
Photo points combined simple line intercept cover monitoring will be established to document the success or failure of the project to establish.
Describe plans to monitor for project success and achievement of stated objectives. Include details on type of monitoring (vegetation, wildlife, etc.), schedule, assignments and how the results of these monitoring efforts will be reported and/or uploaded to this project page. If needed, upload detailed plans in the "attachments" section.
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Partners
List any and all partners (agencies, organizations, NGO's, private landowners) that support the proposal and/or have been contacted and included in the planning and design of the proposed project. Describe efforts to gather input and include these agencies, landowners, permitees, sportsman groups, researchers, etc. that may be interested/affected by the proposed project. Partners do not have to provide funding or in-kind services to a project to be listed.
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Future Management
The private landowners have agreed to rest the treatment area for two years. However, they have not been grazing livestock on the parcels in the past decade.
Detail future methods or techniques (including administrative actions) that will be implemented to help in accomplishing the stated objectives and to insure the long term success/stability of the proposed project. This may include: post-treatment grazing rest and/or management plans/changes, wildlife herd/species management plan changes, ranch plans, conservation easements or other permanent protection plans, resource management plans, forest plans, etc.
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Sustainable Uses of Natural Resources
Potential for the proposed action to improve quality or quantity of sustainable uses such as grazing, timber harvest, biomass utilization, recreation, etc. Grazing improvements may include actions to improve forage availability and/or distribution of livestock.
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