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's Wildlife Action Plan (WAP):
 Identifies key habitats that may be addressed: Riverine, Mountain sagebrush and Aspen-Conifer. The WAP lists Inappropriate Fire Frequency and Intensity a high level threat for Aspen-Conifer Ecosystems with the following as potential conservation actions.
2.3.14 Conduct upland vegetation treatments to restore characteristic upland vegetation, and reduce uncharacteristic fuel types and loadings.
2.3.17 Apply or allow more fire in habitats/locations where fire was historically more frequent or intense. 
UTAH MULE DEER STATEWIDE MANAGEMENT PLAN
This project is designed to help meet Habitat Objective 2 to improve the quality and quantity of vegetation for mule deer habitat (p. 19). Specifically the strategies to Initiate broad scale vegetative treatment projects to improve mule deer habitat with emphasis on ranges being diminished by encroachment of conifers into sagebrush or aspen habitats improve aspen communities that provide crucial summer/winter habitat by increasing regeneration and reducing conifer encroachment, improve aspen communities that provide crucial summer habitat for mule deer and manage portions of pinion-juniper woodlands and aspen/conifer forests in early successional stages using various methods including timber harvest. Specifically this project addresses the winter range for mule deer and has specific reseeding efforts that help to restore these critical areas.
UTAH ELK STATEWIDE MANAGEMENT PLAN
This project is designed to help meet to meet Habitat Objective 1 - Maintain sufficient habitat to support elk herds at population objectives and reduce competition for forage between elk and livestock. Specifically the proposed treatment will contribute toward increasing forage production by treating elk habitat, and will be conducted on summer ranges (aspen communities) to improve calving habitat.
UTAH DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY UPPER NORTH FORK VIRGIN RIVER TMDL
6.3.2- Wildlife account for 15% of the bacteria found in the North Fork of the Virgin.  Livestock contribute 78% of the bacteria.  Improving range out of the raprian area theoretically should decrease the time spent in raprian area.
DEER HERD UNIT MANAGEMENT PLAN, DEER HERD UNIT # 29 ZION
February 2015 
-Work with federal and state partners in fire rehabilitation and prevention on crucial deer habitat through the WRI process.
-Future habitat work should be concentrated on the following areas.
     -Seek opportunities to increase browse in burned areas of critical summer and winter
range. 
ELK MANAGEMENT PLAN ZION UNIT #29
2016
Unit Habitat Objectives:
* Continue to be committed to the statewide goal of supporting habitat projects that increase forage
for both big game and livestock. 
* Work with private, state and federal agencies to maintain and protect crucial ranges. Continue
projects with USFS, BLM, state and private entities to enhance habitat across the unit.

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.

The nature and timing of the this fire, decreases amount of erosion that could be expected, but doesn't eliminate the risk of rill and possible sheet erosion on the effect soil.  Increasing the density of plants will stabilize soils maximizing the surface soil loss.  When water movement is slowed, infiltration is increased, improving the soil moisture content and holding capacity.  Deep Creek is a tributary of the North Fork Virgin River.  The North Fork Virgin River is currently listed as 303d because of increased levels in Escherichia coli (E. coli).  These levels have been linked to livestock and wildlife according to the Utah Department of Environmental Quality (UDEQ) report October 2017.   UDEQ has conclude that livestock and wildlife in the raprian areas is leading to higher levels of E. coli in the watershed.  With this information, any seeding that will help attract wildlife and livestock from the raprain systems.  This seeding through small in size, theoretically should provide better forage out of the raprian systems.

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.