Project Details

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.

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.

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.

Area is identified in Vernal District BLM Fire Management Plan (FMP) and Range Management Plan (RMP).

Vernal BLM Fire Management Plan 
*Achieve the desired mix of seral stages for the Pinyon-Juniper and mountain big sage vegetative types.
*Create fuel breaks within the Wyoming sagebrush type to prevent unplanned fires from removing large amounts of sagebrush. Reduce fuel loads.

Vernal RMP ROD 
Vegetation Management Decisions; 
*VEG-4; Manage the vegetation to attain the ecological stage that will benefit wildlife in crucial habitat and livestock grazing. Manage vegetation in remaining areas that results in high vegetation species diversity. 
*VEG-5; Allow mechanical, fire, biological, cultural or chemical methods for vegetation manipulation, using the type of manipulation appropriate t and consistent with other land use objectives, and incorporating standard operation procedures and BMP's, as applicable, to protect other resources. 
*VEG-9; Manage the vegetation to attain the ecological stage that will: ensure sustainability, meet authorized use allocations (wildlife,livestock),ensure species diversity.
*VEG-13; Restore or rehabilitate up to 200,000 acres of sagebrush-steppe habitat over the life of the plan.

Strategic Management Plan for Sage-Grouse
*Objective B-1; Protect and maintain currently occupied sage grouse habitat and the ecosystems that sustain them, 
*B-1.3,A,#2;Manage to maintain/create large, un-fragmented blocks of sagebrush habitat with a variety of seral stages which will meet the seasonal needs of sage-grouse, 
*B-1.3,E; Reduce conifers that are encroaching on sagebrush habitats using appropriate methods, which may include: masticators, chains, chain saws, prescribed fire, etc., 
*Objective B-2.1,A;Increase the continuity of habitats by designing habitat projects on a landscape scale and working with multiple land management agencies, WRI, and private landowners, 
*B-2.3,A,#9;Restore habitats lost to :type conversion, conifer encroachment, invasive species expansion, wildlife, and development,
*B-3.2,A;Coordinate with and utilize the WRI evaluation crew to monitor and evaluate vegetative and sage-grouse response to habitat improvement projects

Conservation Plan for Greater Sage-grouse in Utah (2013)
*Protection of habitat which provides for the year-round life-cycle needs of the species.

The project will accomplish strategies in the Uintah Basin Sage Grouse Local
*Working Group Sage Grouse Conservation Plan specifically Strategies  improve brood rearing habitat through removing conifer encroachment,prevent P/J reestablishment.

Elk Statewide Management Plan
*Population Objective 1, Strategy C; Support objectives and strategies in this plan to protect elk habitat and mitigate losses, 
*Strategy D; Support habitat improvement projects that increase forage for both big game and livestock. 
*Habitat Objective 1, Maintain elk habitat throughout the state by identifying and protecting existing crucial elk habitat and mitigating for losses due to human impacts, 
*Habitat Objective 2,
*Strategy A; Continue to support the interagency big game range trend study of crucial ranges throughout the state,
*Strategy J; Support land management agencies in the proper management of crucial elk habitats.

Deer Statewide Management Plan
*Population Objective, Strategy B; Support all habitat objectives and strategies in this plan to protect and improve mule deer habitat.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.