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.

Utah Elk Statewide Management Plan:

Statewide goal A, 
Strategy r.Properly manage elk populations to minimize competition with mule deer on crucial mule deer range.
Habitat Management Goal B: 
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. 
Strategies A. and B. 
Habitat Objective 2:Improve the quality and quantity of forage and cover on 250,000 acres of elk habitat with emphasis on calving habitat and upper elevation elk winter range by the end of this plan. 
Strategies c, d e, h. and j.

Statewide Management Plan for Mule Deer:
Habitat Goal and Habitat Objective 1, Strategies a, and b. 
Habitat Objective 2 and strategies, B, C, D, E, F and H.

Deer Herd #4 Unit Management Plan
Habitat -- Winter range condition is the major limiting factor on the Morgan-South Rich unit. Range condition ranges from Poor to Good depending on where you are on the unit.. Limiting factors could include habitat loss and degradation, increasing numbers of elk utilizing what was once reserved for mule deer winter range, and reduced browse by competition from introduced weedy species. Excessive habitat utilization will be addressed by antlerless harvests.
Habitat Concerns - Loss of browse species on winter range to annual grasses.
The following are some of the areas that have been targeted for habitat projects within the unit over the next three to four years.
* Henefer/Echo WMA winter range rehabilitation and enhancements

Elk Herd #4 Management Plan
Unit Management Goals
Habitat
Maintain and improve current acreages of summer and winter range (298,309
acres summer range, 246,532 acres winter range) through conservation
easements and habitat projects. Much of the winter range is privately owned
could be at risk of being sold and developed. Strive to improve 500 acres/year of
winter habitat on public and/or private property for deer and elk winter range.
Work with private landowners on proper grazing techniques to enhance wildlife
habitat
STRATEGIES FOR REMOVING BARRIERS AND REACHING UNIT MANAGEMENT
OBJECTIVES
Habitat
Actions to Remove Habitat Barriers
Develop a plan to rehabilitate 500 acres of Henefer-Echo WMA property;
targeting old fires that are dominated with annual grasses. Continue to work on
acquiring conservation easements to protect remaining habitat. Continue to work
with private landowners and the Quality Resource Management group on habitat
projects and range improvement methods.

DWR Henefer Echo WMA Management Plan
Improve winter range habitat for deer and elk
Use best management practices to untilize grazing as a tool for beneficial habitat manipulation.

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.