Project Details

Historically, Green, Providence and Logan Dry Canyons wintered large numbers of mule deer. The number of mule deer wintering within sagebrush and bitter brush that grow on the foothills of these canyons have declined for at least two decades (UDWR Northern Region Range Trend Studies in1984-2011) indicating that these habitats are not in properly functioning condition. The cause of these declines are a combination of droughts, fires, encroachment by juniper, and competition from non-native grass species such as cheat grass, intermediate wheat grass and smooth brome. The 2006 Northern Region Range trend Studies publication states "herbaceous understory's are dominated by annual grasses and weedy forbs. Recruitment from young sagebrush and other shrubs has been minimal the last 3 readings (taken every 4 years) and the competitive understory may be limiting them from replenishing the population." In the Cache Unit Area, which includes the Logan Ranger District, "The browse trends for the mountain big sagebrush studies have steadily been declining since 1996. Only 6 out of 17 studies in 2006 had young shrubs to replace old, dying plants in the population." Range trend surveys were read again in 2011 and 2016, and a similar trend continued. Because of the lack of recruitment, sage brush and bitterbrush, as well as key forage species for wintering big game the average number or shrubs per acre has declined. 
Winter habitats along the south-facing slopes of Green, Providence and Logan Dry Canyons are crucial habitat for the survival of wintering big game on the Logan Ranger District. While summer forage appears abundant at higher elevations, wintering animals congregate in limited areas in winter time because of the snow and cold temperatures. Winter survival of deer in these areas depends on the quality and quantity of forage on winter ranges. Since deer and elk eat mostly shrubs during the winter, shrubs are a crucial component of their winter habitat.  Declines in shrub density have caused high losses of deer and in particular, fawns, in this area.

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.

The project is consistent with the following plans, as well as goals and objectives:

Forest Plan of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest
Forest wide Goals: 3-Biodiversity & Viability, Goal 3d, Goal 3f., Goal 3g. Goal 3o., 
The project is consistent with the following Forest Plan Objective:
3.d. Increase grass and forb production and plant species and age class
diversity in sagebrush and pinyon/juniper by treating
approximately 2,000 acres average annually1 for a 10-year total
of 20,000 acres.

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 UNIT MANAGEMENT PLAN, Deer Herd Unit # 2 (Cache)
Meets habitat goals and objectives for this plan. * Logan, Green, Providence and Blacksmith Fork Canyons. Projects should be focused on removal of encroaching juniper, and reestablishing understory with winter browse species as well as species of plants that can be used in the spring by wintering deer.

ELK HERD UNIT MANAGEMENT PLAN Elk Herd Unit # 2 Cache:
Habitat objective: Maintain and/or enhance forage production through direct range improvements throughout the unit on winter range to achieve population management objectives. Pay special attention to WMA's and areas were holding elk could alleviate pressure on private landowners experiencing damage by wintering elk.Work with private and federal agencies to maintain and protect critical and existing winter range from future losses.

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.