Skip to Content
Main Menu
Search
Utah's Watershed Restoration Initiative
Utah's Watershed Restoration Initiative
Projects
Maps
About Us
Register
Login
Search
Saving...
Thank you for requesting access to WRI.
An administrator will contact you with further details.
Left Fork Stewardship Project Phase II
Region: Southern
ID: 4473
Project Status: Pending Completed
Map This Project
Export Project Data
Project Details
*
Need for Project
A Forest Service interdisciplinary team assessed the project area and determined the following needs: 1) A need to improve and maintain a balance of tree age and size classes within forested stands; 2) A need to reduce tree densities to improve and maintain growth and vigor, and improve species composition; 3) A need to reduce surface and ladder fuels within treated forest stands to improve resilience to wildfire; 4) And a need to regenerate declining aspen stands. The treatments proposed are designed to reduce surface fuels, diversify forest structure and composition to benefit the habitat needs of the northern goshawk, mule deer, Rocky Mountain elk, beaver, and other wildlife. The Left Fork Stewardship Project Phase II is a follow-up project of the Left Fork Stewardship Project. Phase II needs include the construction of "game proof" fencing around aspen regeneration harvest units to protect aspen regeneration from browsing until aspen can withstand browsing pressure and regeneration objectives are met.
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.
*
Objectives
Vegetation objectives in selected aspen stands include managing mature and over-mature aspen stands through coppice clearcut harvesting and activity fuels management to create favorable site conditions for natural aspen regeneration. Wildlife objectives are to diversify forest structure and age classes (development of VSS 1) to meet forage and shelter habitat requirements for a variety of wildlife including the northern goshawk, mule deer, elk, and beaver. Habitat needs of a variety of wildlife species can best be met by managing vegetation complexes to trend toward a properly functioning condition where ecosystems are more resilient to natural disturbance regimes. The stands identified for treatment can be considered within a Fire Regime Condition Class (FRCC) of either 2 (moderately departed) or 3 (highly departed). Fire and fuel objectives are to reduce surface and ladder fuels and return stands to a FRCC 1 (within range of historic variation) following treatments. The Left Fork Stewardship Project Phase II also has an objective to protect investments made to regenerate aspen stands.
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.
*
Project Location/Timing Justification (Why Here? Why Now?)
ASPEN FORESTS-Due to a lack of natural (moderate to high frequency and low intensity ground fires) and cultural (harvest, prescribed fire) disturbance; mature aspen stands are succeeding to conifer forests with insufficient aspen regeneration to sustain aspen dominance. Lack of aspen regeneration provides for poor forage and habitat for beaver, mule deer, and elk. Proposed aspen fencing is needed to protect aspen regeneration from all wildlife and livestock use till the treated areas can withstand endemic browsing pressure. WILDLIFE HABITAT- Homogeneous landscapes do not provide the range of habitat types needed for the northern goshawk, mule deer, migratory birds, and other forest generalists. For instance, habitat needs for the northern goshawk requires forest stand diversity in tree age and size structure. Lewis's Woodpecker requires sufficient snags for nesting and foraging. The threat of high intensity wildfire will result in reducing the number of large diameter snags. Current fuel loading and stand densities are likely to result in stand replacing wildfires which provide reduced diversity of stand conditions. The Left Fork is a contributing drainage to the East Fork of the Sevier which hold Bonneville Cutthroat Trout. A stand replacing wildfire event within the Upper Sevier watershed will have potential negative impacts on trout populations resulting from increased sediments loads, stream bank alterations and increased water temperatures. FIRE RISK- Dense stands of conifers with high surface fuels have an associated risk of high severity fire. Forest stands with a FRCC rating of 2-3 occur within most of the project area. A wildfire in the current environment would transition into the crowns potentially creating large areas of high tree mortality and degrading habitat for goshawk, mule deer and other ungulates for many years. High fire severity may also impact fisheries through large sediment dumps from denuded hillsides. WATERSHED- Vegetation structure within the East Fork Sevier River Headwaters drainage is trending to dense stands of shade tolerant trees species of blue spruce and fir. Aspen in the area is mature and lacks structural diversity. Ground and vegetation fuels are increasing risk of severe fire behavior. These conditions increase threats to water quality and quantity within the watershed and culinary water sources for Bryce Canyon National Park (Upper Sevier Watershed Management Plan pp. 4-113 to 4-124).
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.
*
Relation to Management Plans
DIXIE NATIONAL FOREST LAND AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN The activities comply with the goals and objectives of the Forest Plan as amended. Specifically: Goal 15- Maintain or enhance the terrestrial habitat for all wildlife species that presently occur on the forest. Goal 17- Manage classified species habitat to maintain or enhance their status through direct habitat improvement and agency cooperation. Goal 17A (Utah Northern Goshawk Project Plan Amendment) - Restore or maintain forested landscapes in a properly functioning condition (PFC). Functioning forested landscapes provide habitat for the northern goshawk and its prey to support a viable population of goshawks in Utah. Goal 24- Emphasize harvesting productive sawtimber stands that are highly or moderately susceptible to attach by the mountain pine beetle and other forest pests. Goal 25- Harvest timber in coordination with other resources. Goal 26- Improve the growth rate in timber stands through silvicultural treatment. Goal 33- Increase water yields where possible through timber harvest program when consistent with other multiple use goals. Goal 48- (Utah Fire Amendment) - Ecosystems are restored and maintained, consistent with land uses and historic fire regimes, through wildland fire use and prescribed fire. UTAH BEAVER MANAGEMENT PLAN The project meets the Watershed Restoration Objective 1 to improve aspen habitat to support translocated beaver populations (pp. 18-19). UTAH MULE DEER STATEWIDE MANAGEMENT PLAN The project meets Habitat Objective 2 to improve the quality and quantity of vegetation for mule deer habitat (p. 19). Specifically the strategy to improve aspen communities that provide crucial summer habitat by increasing regeneration and reducing conifer encroachment. UTAH ELK STATEWIDE MANAGEMENT PLAN This project meets Habitat Objective 2 to improve the quality and quantity of forage and cover of elk habitat with an emphasis on calving habitat (pp. 14-15). Specifically strategies to improve aspen communities on summer ranges which provide crucial calving habitat and to manage forests in early successional stages through the use of logging. UPPER SEVIER WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN The project meets the watershed goal to maintain and restore desired vegetation that is resilient and sustainable (p. 3-5). The project corresponds to the strategy to use mechanical treatments to increase aspen representation within the watershed and encourage regeneration of young aspen (p. 6-20). Paunsaugunt Plateau Boreal Toad Conservation Action Plan I A) 1) b) Improve woody browse important for beaver population maintenance I A) 1) b) iv) Targeted temporary fencing (excluding domestic and wild ungulates) to improve aspen regeneration and recruitment around already completed aspen regeneration treatments that have already been implemented under the existing Paunsaugunt Vegetation Management Decision I b) 2) b) Improve woody browse important for beaver population maintenance Aspen stands targeted for fencing in this proposal are in the headwaters of Upper Kanab Creek. One of the stands is just upstream from the Left For Kanab Creek breeding area for boreal toad and others are along the Middle Fork Kanab Creek just upstream from historic boreal toad observation, as well as a 2017 toad observation. Regenerating aspen and protecting that regeneration will help maintain future planned beaver reintroductions in this area that should benefit the potential breeding habitat for boreal toad in these low flow areas.
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.
*
Fire/Fuels
Currently the stands within the proposed treatment area can be classified as an FRCC 2 or 3 where the conditions are moderately to highly departed from historic vegetation conditions. Dense stands of conifers with high surface fuel loading have an associated risk of high severity fire. A wildfire in the current environment would transition into the crowns potentially creating large areas of high tree mortality and degrading habitat for goshawk, mule deer and other ungulates for many years. High fire severity may also impact beaver dams and fisheries including the endangered Bonneville cutthroat trout through large sediment dumps from denuded hillsides. Bryce Canyon National Park adjacent to the project area is at risk of high severity fire crossing into the park, impacting visitor safety and park resources. Thinning climax species results in removing ladder fuels which reduces total fuel loading and promotes regeneration of seral species. Piling natural and activity fuels reduces fuel loading and promotes natural regeneration of seral species. The combination of these activities moves the project area toward the desired condition FRCC 1 and increases resilience of treated stands to the effects of wildfire.
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.
*
Water Quality/Quantity
The project corresponds to the Upper Sevier Watershed Project's recommendations to improve watershed conditions through reducing tree densities, a focus on increasing forest composition of seral tree species (aspen, ponderosa pine, and Douglas-fir), and improving fire and fuel conditions. The potential impact to water quality/quantity relates to the decrease in severe fire effects resulting from reduced fuel loading and an increase in seral species composition (fire adapted species). Paired catchment studies conducted in the Southwest indicate that harvest treatments as performed with the Left Fork Stewardship can increase water yield by an average of 15-45 percent for a period of 3 to 6 years. This is due to a decrease in canopy cover in the treated stands allowing for more snowmelt yield rather than a loss to evapotranspiration (Baker, 1986 Effects of Ponderosa Pine Treatments on Water Yield in AZ).
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.
*
Compliance
NEPA- The proposed treatments are authorized under the Paunsaugunt Vegetation Management Project Decision Notice signed May 22, 2012. ARCHEOLOGY-All areas proposed for treatment were surveyed for cultural resources and received a concurrence of no effect with the Utah State Historic Preservation Office in 2012.
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.
*
Methods
Ground based logging systems will be utilized to accomplish the commercial timber harvest objectives within the Left Fork Stewardship Project Phase II area. Within aspen dominated stands even-aged silvicultural systems will be used. Even-aged silvicultural systems will include coppice clearcut. Coppice treatment will be applied to aspen stands, removing all live overstory trees except snag recruitment trees, to stimulate aspen sprouting. Mixed conifer stands will be treated using a group selection harvest method where individual trees are thinned to a specified basal area and patch cut opening of up to 2 acres are established to promote natural seeding of conifers and or aspen sprouting. Surface fuel piling and site preparation for natural aspen regeneration is planned to be conducted concurrently with logging using mechanical methods. Following harvest, a pre-commercial thinning will be conducted to improve understory tree species composition and density as well as to facilitate disease sanitation. Surface fuels are expected to be reduced using prescribed fire through broadcast and pile burning 1 to 3 years following harvest and thinning activities. Fencing will be required to manage ungulate browsing will also be provided for if aspen regeneration is browsed excessively. Adaptive management strategies to reforest sites are approved if natural regeneration does not establish satisfactorily. The Mule Deer Foundation will prepare contracts, solicit bids, award, and manage the activities associated with the stewardship. The USDA Forest Service will provide inspection and monitoring services.
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.
*
Monitoring
During harvest and other proposed activities, MDF and USFS sale administrators and inspectors will be monitoring contractors for adherence to contract specifications and soil and water conservation best management practices. This allows for either prevention or immediate mitigation of damage to forest resources. The Utah Division of Wildlife regularly conducts mule deer and elk population estimates in and surrounding the project area. The Dixie NF conducts annual goshawk territory occupancy and population surveys within the project area. The Dixie NF conducts annual soil and hydrology surveys within project areas to monitor effects of harvest operations. Within aspen and conifer regeneration treatment areas, stocking surveys are conducted following the first, third, and fifth growing seasons as directed in Forest Service Handbooks. Adaptive management actions are defined within the project's Decision Notice to assure satisfactory tree stocking.
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.
*
Partners
The Mule Deer Foundation is a partner with the US Forest Service with this project. The project meets the objectives and mission of the Mule Deer Foundation to improve habitat for mule deer. The Mule Deer Foundation is providing cash funds, and project management. The project area is adjacent to Bryce Canyon National Park. The Park Service was consulted regarding activities proposed. The proposed logging methods used to manage the conifer and aspen stands slated for treatment are not consistent with Park Service direction and the project was not expanded to include the Park Service.
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.
*
Future Management
Aspen Stands- Aspen stands receiving coppice treatments will be monitored and protected from browsing pressure till sufficiently stocked. The treated stands will be evaluated in about 10 years to determine condition and potential treatments including removal of any constructed fencing to maintain desired conditions. Group selection harvest units, will be reevaluated within 30 years to determine stand densities and create new small openings (2 to 4 acres) for natural regeneration of seral tree species and to determine any pre-commercial thinning needs of the regenerated stands. In 2016 WRI funded project 3631 in large part to improve woody browse on the Paunsaugunt Plateau in order to maintain and expand beaver populations to generate additional boreal toad breeding and summering areas. That planted and fenced riparian areas to increase riparian woody browse as well as fencing some existing aspen regeneration treatments and completing additional regeneration treatments. Currently the Powell Ranger District is in the process of analyzing a project that would propose additional mechanical and Rx fire treatments in the headwaters of Upper Kanab Creek and as the East Fork Sevier River in an effort to create a woody browse community capable of sustaining browse by domestic ungulates, wild ungulates and beaver. Monitoring has shown that browse is limiting willow growth and willow and aspen regeneration across much of this area. The combined implementation of these projects should allow for more hands off management in the future as larger tracts of forest should be returned to an early seral condition. Once a mosaic of seral stages has been created, natural ignitions will be allowed to burn for Forest Plan benefit and to maintain the investments WRI, MDF and the Forest have made in this area..
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.
*
Sustainable Uses of Natural Resources
The project area is within an active livestock allotment. With existing conditions, the forest stands identified for treatment receive only transitory use from livestock due to tree densities, surface fuels, and shaded understories. Following treatments, the thinned stands would be expected to have an increase in quantity and quality of grass, forb, brush, and aspen understories allowing for improved forage and cover for livestock and wildlife. The environmental analysis has determined that the proposed silvicultural treatments will help disperse livestock better throughout the pastures and relieve grazing pressure within the heavier used areas of the pastures.
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.
Title Page
Project Details
Finance
Species
Habitats
Seed
Comments
Images/Documents
Completion Form
Project Summary Report