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.

A no action management alternative would result in a continued aspen decline in the project area.  If the project was delayed, existing aspen-encroached stands may cross a threshold where conifers would dominate and further reduce the overall North Slope aspen population. As conifers become more dominant, canopy closure increases and understory plant species richness and diversity would decline creating a loss of forage production for wildlife and livestock. Soil moisture would also decrease as conifers increase because the conifer needles and branches would intercept precipitation before reaching the forest floor causing precipitation to evaporate into the atmosphere.

Aspen to conifer succession is a concern for the North Slope. Aspens are clonal and need disturbance (e.g. wildfire) to initiate sprouting. Aspen is more successful over the long-term when fire intervals are short enough to regenerate aspen. If treatments are not implemented, conifers in existing aspen-conifer stands will shade out and out compete aspens.  When a disturbance does occur, creating a possible scenario for aspens to sprout, conifers would have a stronghold making it difficult for aspen re-establish.

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.

1. 2003 Wasatch-Cache Forest Plan:
- (Subgoal 3d) Restore or maintain fire-adapted ecosystems (consistent with land uses, historic fire regimes, and other Forest Plan direction) through wildland fire use, prescribed fire, timber harvest or mechanical treatments.

-(G24) Management activities that negatively affect pollinators (e.g. insecticide, herbicide application and
prescribed burns) should not be conducted during the flowering period of any known Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive plant populations in the application area. An exception to this guideline is the application of Bacillus thuringiensis.

- (G37) Use prescribed fire in wilderness only to meet wilderness management objectives. The objective of prescribed fire management in wilderness (FSM 2324.21) is to reduce, to an acceptable level, the risks and consequences of wildfire within wilderness or escaping from wilderness.

- (G3.1W-1) Vegetation/fuel treatment, prescribed fire, and wildland fire use are allowed for the purposes of maintaining, improving or restoring watersheds to desired conditions, and to protect property in the wildland urban interface.

- (G3.2U-1) Vegetation/fuel treatment, prescribed fire and wildland fire use are allowed for the purposes of maintaining, improving or restoring terrestrial habitat, for hazardous fuel reduction, and to protect property in the wildland urban interface.

- (G4.2-1) Vegetation/fuels treatment, prescribed fire, and wildland fire use are allowed to mimic historic
conditions and to restore ecosystem functioning.

- (G4.3-1) Timber harvest, vegetation/fuels treatment, road construction, prescribed fire and wildland fire use are allowed to mimic historic conditions and to restore ecosystem functioning as compatible with the
backcountry recreation opportunity and natural setting desired.

- (G4.5-1) Timber harvest, road construction, vegetation/fuel treatment, prescribed fire, new recreation
development, and new trail construction are allowed for the purposes of providing public enjoyment, safety, and protection of site investments.

- (G5.2-) Prior to use of prescribed fire and wildland fire use, investments made for timber production, such as road systems and silvicultural improvements, and the value of the timber for wood production receive consideration.
- (G6.2 -1) Timber harvest, vegetation/fuels treatments, prescribed fire, and wildland fire use are allowed to maintain or improve forage production or for hazardous fuel reduction.

-(Objective 3.b.) Stimulate aspen regeneration and reduce other encroaching woody species in aspen by
treating (fire use and/or timber harvest) approximately 3,200 acres average annually1 for a 10- year total of 32,000 acres.

- Vegetation cover types will form a mosaic of plant communities representing a diverse mix of ages, sizes, and species. Fire use will play a role in reducing fuels, maintaining the historic dynamic of aspen regeneration and ratio of conifer to aspen and mountain brush vegetation patterns and age classes. Mechanical treatment of fuels along with limited use of prescribed fire will emphasize the safety of people and protection of property in the heavily populated and increasingly developed urban wildland interface adjacent to National Forest.

2. 2001 Roadless Rule:
-Prohibits cutting, sale, and removal of timber in inventoried roadless areas, except:
-For the cutting, sale, or removal of generally small diameter trees which maintains or improves roadless
characteristics and to:
-improve habitat for threatened, endangered, proposed, or sensitive species, or
-maintain or restore ecosystem composition and structure, such as reducing the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire effects.

3. Utah Mule Deer Statewide Management Plan:
-Initiate broad scale vegetative treatment projects to improve mule deer habitat in ranges being diminished by encroachment of conifers into aspen habitats.
-Seek opportunities through WRI to improve aspen communities that provide crucial summer habitat for mule deer.
-Encourage land managers to manage portions of aspen/conifer forest in early successional stages using
various methods including timber harvest and managed fire.
-North Slope is a habitat restoration priority area for mule deer in Utah.

4. Utah Statewide Elk Management Plan
-Identify habitat projects on summer range (aspen communities) to improve calving habitat.
-Increase forage production by annually treating a minimum of 40,000 acres of elk habitat
-Encourage land managers to manage portions of forests in early successional stages through the use of
controlled burning and logging. Controlled burning should only be used in areas with minimal invasive weed and/or safety concerns.

5. Utah Moose Statewide Management Plan:
-Initiate prescribed burns and other vegetative treatment projects to improve moose habitat lost to ecological succession or human impacts.

6. Utah Bighorn Sheep Statewide Management Plan:
-Encourage land management agencies to use fire as a management tool to improve bighorn sheep habitat. When possible allow fires that can have beneficial effects for bighorn sheep to burn.
-Initiate vegetative treatment projects to improve bighorn habitat lost to natural succession or human impacts.

7. Northern Goshawk of Utah: Habitat Assessment and Management Recommendations:
-Early and mid-seral species should be increased using both mechanical means and fire.
-Polices should be adopted to manage for the production of large early seral species through clearings,
thinnings, and weedings, using mechanical means or fire.
-Fire or mechanical treatments or both should be used to create conditions favorable to lodgepole pine and quaking aspen.

8. Guidelines for Aspen Regeneration on National Forests in Utah:
- Much of the loss of aspen-dominated acreage is attributable to encroachment and overtopping by conifer. It has often been presumed that this encroachment i.e., the natural succession process for seral stands, is the result of fire suppression.

9. Boreal Toad Conservation Plan:
-(3.1.1) Protect habitats in forest stands adjacent to and within 2.5 miles of breeding sites.
-(3.1.2) Restrict burns to late fall through early spring during which time boreal toads are inactive in known occupied areas.
-Burning of downed woody materials approximately 18 to 25 cm DBH is detrimental to boreal toads, because these materials are often selected as beneficial microhabitats. However, fire may eventually result in higher shrub densities in the understory that may provide cover and improved dispersal corridors.

12. Utah Black Bear Management Plan:
-Successional replacement of aspen stands by conifers can significantly reduce bear-food production in aspen communities. Both fire and selective logging of conifers can be used to maintain aspen vigor.

13. UDWR Wildlife Action Plan:
- While the Aspen-Conifer physical (abiotic) habitat remains largely intact in Utah, coverage of aspen itself
within that setting has declined greatly for two main reasons: (1) departure from natural fire regime (reduction in disturbance), resulting in widespread forest succession to conifer dominance; and (2) heavy ungulate browsing on young aspen stems, following disturbance.

- The growing problem of catastrophic mega-fires can be solved by a systematic campaign of active restoration via mechanical fuel-reduction treatments and prescribed fire to safely return wildfire as a viable, natural, cost effective means of maintaining necessary patterns of ecological succession across the landscape.

- Increasing disturbance from either prescribed or natural fire. Recent studies have shown that larger scale burns (e.g., 5,000 acres) that burn more intensely have been the most successful in terms of aspen
regeneration. Higher-intensity burns stimulate higher numbers of young aspen per unit area, than lower intensity burns. A larger treatment area distributes ungulate browse pressure, allowing most young aspen
stems to reach a safe height.

- Applying mechanical disturbance agents such as timber harvest. This can also be used to stimulate aspen regeneration and avoid or reduce resource losses to conifer beetles. As with fire, larger mechanical treatment areas serve to distribute browsing pressure and reduce damage to individual stems, increasing regeneration success.

14. State of Utah Catastrophic Wildfire Reduction Strategy:
- Rather than just reducing fires, the ultimate goal is to return landscapes to a condition of health and
resilience that allows for wildfires to burn without becoming catastrophic to either human or natural systems.

15. Conservation Agreement and Strategy for Colorado River Cutthroat Trout in the State of Utah
-Natural climatic events such as flood, fire and drought may threaten specific populations of Colorado River cutthroat trout (CRCT); however, these forces only pose threats as long as CRCT range remains fragmented and populations are small. Small, isolated populations are more susceptible to catastrophic loss and impacts from demographic stochasticity.

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.

The use of prescribed fire on the North Slope has been very limited during the past and most wildfires have been suppressed.  According to fire statistics, the number of large wildfires appears to be increasing since 1980. The majority of the project is within fire regime IV (35-100+ years) and V (> 200 years) with a condition class of 2.  One of the objectives of this project is to manage hazardous fuel loads, continuity of hazardous fuels, and minimize the potential for large, high intensity/high severity wildfires. This project will help the North Slope move towards properly functioning condition (composition, stand structure, age classes, and patch size).  It will promote aspen regeneration and reduce conifer encroachment. Aspens are a more fire wise than conifers since they have a higher moisture content, have a less chemicals, and provide less fuel during their dormant period.  Fuel loads would be reduced and aspen regenerated within the Northern and Southern Units covering approximately 25,000 acres.  Protected values would include Hoop Lake Campground, trailheads, the North Slope Road (used as a corridor to access recreational areas), and big game habitat.  Reducing hazardous fuels along the road corridor and around recreational areas would mitigate public safety risks should a wildfire occur.  Mechanical treatments would allow prescribed burns to be safely implemented by reducing hazardous tree risks and protecting fire personnel from injury during implementation.

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.

Runoff and erosion rates associated with high intensity/severity wildfires are much higher than those associated with prescribed burns. After severe and intense wildfires, soils become hydrophobic increasing runoff and decreasing the soil moisture content in the ecosystem. Runoff introduces large quantities of sediment, ashes, and other chemical contaminants into the river system negatively impacting water quality. Intense/severe wildfires can cause riparian areas to be denuded of vegetation, increase water temperature, decrease dissolved oxygen, and lead to eutrophication and poisoning of aquatic organisms. This project would remedy catastrophic wildfire effects to water quality by using prescribed fire and mechanical treatments to reduce hazardous fuel loads.  Five sub-watersheds (West Fork Beaver Creek, Beaver Creek-Henry's Fork, Gregory Basin, Burnt Fork, and Birch Creek) would be protected against catastrophic wildfire effects.  These systems flow into the Green River, which is used for recreation and many municipalities along its course.  The project area encompasses several ecological communities e.g. lodgepole pine, aspen, aspen-conifer, spruce-fir, Douglas fir, and the tributaries that that flow through these forest communities.

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.

General Method:
The project area is divided into three treatment units: the northern (4,510 ac), eastern (1,300 ac), and the southern (20,088 ac).  The project will include 20,000- 30,000 acres (prescribed fire, lop and scatter, and cut and pile).  Some treatments will overlap in acres.

Phase II:

Eastern Treatment Unit:
Mechanical treatments will target live densely spaced, diseased, damaged, and poorly formed conifer to improve young lodgepole pine in the eastern unit near Beaver Meadows Reservoir and the North Slope Road.  Timber will be cut and placed in piles to be burned or used to create biochar.  Biochar containers will be placed on existing old timber roads near piles to reduce heat related impacts on soils.  Biochar treatments will be implemented through a USU agreement separate from WRI.

North Slope Road Hazard Tree Removal and Fire Line Preparation:
A shaded fuel break will buffer up to 100 feet on each side of the North Slope Road (131 acres), Fishlake trail (74 acres), and Burnt Fork trail (58 acres).  Treatments will remove all hazardous trees (dense, diseased, damaged, and poorly formed) and open the canopy to 14 foot spacing.  Trees will be piled or lopped and scattered during Phase II and will be burned in a future phase(s) to setup for a larger prescribed burn.

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.

During Phase I of this project partners included UDWR through obtaining funds to hire Utah Conservation Corps crews to conduct timber stand, Browns transect, and goshawk surveys and hiring an archaeology contractor to survey project area.

For Phase II, we will be working with Utah State University to burn piles using biochar containers, which would provide a research opportunity for the university.  A Mule Deer Foundation stewardship agreement is being pursued for the mechanical treatment portions of this project.  UDWR will be an integral part of this project through WRI and advice and collaboration on areas to target for bighorn sheep and big game habitat improvements.  Prescribed fire treatments maybe conducted through an interagency effort.  Adjacent private landowners will be involved in the project and an agreement will be reached for the prescribed burn operations in the Northern unit.  Burning may occur on private lands, Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA), and Ashley NF where natural fire lines are present.    Early conversations have occurred with SITLA and the Ashley NF, but prescribed burning will occur in later phases of the project, so those agreements may be forthcoming.  District staff will work with permittees to ensure safety of livestock.

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.

The project area includes two cattle allotments encompassing mostly the non-wilderness portion of the project area. Cattle include 307 cow/calf pairs from late June to late September.  Conifer removal and aspen regeneration open up the forest canopy and increase understory plant species richness and diversity.  Studies within the project area and across the district indicate successful aspen regeneration and sustainability concurrent with permitted livestock grazing and wild ungulates following disturbances such as fire, timber harvest, chaining, and etc.  Therefore, permitted livestock grazing following the project is not anticipated to inhibit aspen regeneration and sustainability.  Rangeland resources will be evaluated post-fire and if needed, permitted livestock grazing will be adjusted.

In addition to improve livestock forage and distribution, the project would create an opportunity for sustainable timber harvest in the Eastern Unit.  Biochar containers will be used to reduce woody debris in Eastern Unit.  The residual will help Utah State University determine if the product has an economical use in the marketplace.

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.