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.

The goal for the project is to protect, enhance and maximize the benefit for the wildlife resources and the public that use these WMAs.

The management objective for this area is for species diversity and providing public use for those who enjoy Utah's wildlife. Management efforts are directed to provide a hunting opportunity for waterfowl and pheasant hunters to hunt in good quality habitat. This requires providing habitat that can sustain a viable population of diverse wildlife species. To develop habitat that will facilitate better over winter survival and recruitment of young wildlife species into the wild population of birds on the area.

To provide a diversity of habitats in good functional condition for many of the 200+ wildlife species that visit the area.

Maximize Productivity and Satisfaction: Habitat development, restoration, enhancement and maintenance are critical to conserving wildlife that use these areas. The wetland/upland habitats associated with these WMAs provide many needs for the 200+ species that use the area during some part of the annual cycle. Without continuous efforts these habitats decline in value and function. SCWMA is the only public land in Box Elder County that provides quality pheasant habitat and an adequate opportunity to hunt pheasants for pheasant hunters. This area provides an opportunity that is sought out by hunters from numerous counties within the state.

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.

DWR Strategic Plan: Conserve, Protect and Enhance Wildlife and Ecosystems; Enhance Recreational Experience. The project as described above promotes this objective.

WAP objectives and actions are described below.

Invasive plant species 
1) Locations/habitats that currently do not have non-native plant problems remain free from the introduction and spread of invasive non-native plants. 
2) Invasive plant dominance/presence is reduced or eliminated in locations or habitats where such an outcome is realistic (ecologically and economically). 
Actions suggested by the WAP to achieve these objectives are 2.1.9 Establish or enhance fuel breaks in locations that are susceptible to large or intense fires. 2.2.2 Survey and inventory established and new populations of invasive/problematic species. 2.2.3 Eradicate established populations of invasive/problematic species. 2.2.4 Contain established populations of invasive/problematic species. 2.2.9 Avoid establishment of new invasive/problematic species through education, planning, management, and/or regulation.
Control of invasive plant species will continue mostly through chemical applications. Native perennials will be planted in select areas to help reduce cover of invasive plants. Continual monitoring of the WMA's will continue to help minimize spread and control of new invasions.

Inappropriate Fire Frequency
 "Fire is excluded from habitats in which potential burns now would be frequent, large, and destructive to soils and native vegetation; the habitats are being actively managed (treated) to reduce components or factors that promote risk of catastrophic fire, such as cheatgrass, excessive conifer encroachment, or unnaturally large stands of mature Gambel oak." Actions the WAP suggest for achieving this objective are 2.1.9 Establish or enhance fuel breaks in locations that are susceptible to large or intense fires. 2.2.5 Conduct mechanical control of invasive/problematic species. 2.2.6 Conduct biological control of invasive/problematic species. 2.2.7 Conduct chemical control of invasive/problematic species. 2.3.14 Conduct upland vegetation treatments to restore characteristic upland vegetation, and reduce uncharacteristic fuel types and loadings. 2.3.15 Conduct riparian vegetation treatments to restore characteristic riparian vegetation, and reduce uncharacteristic fuel types and loadings. 2.3.9 Conduct fuels reduction through targeted grazing. 
Fire breaks will be mowed where needed. Vegetation management through control of invasive plants that are highly susceptible to catastrophic fires (cheatgrass), planting of native perennials, and selected grazing will reduce this risk.

Objective #1 for Droughts
Terrestrial SGCNs and key habitats persist on the landscape, despite increasing drought conditions. 
2.3.14 Conduct upland vegetation treatments to restore characteristic upland vegetation, and reduce uncharacteristic fuel types and loadings.
3.3.1 Develop list of priority reintroduction species and locations
Drought condition over that past several years has reduced the resilience of highly functional upland and habitats. In order to maintain, and rehabilitate these upland habitats, renovation, reseeding, and in some cases, irrigation is necessary in order to minimize the impacts of drought.

Other ecosystem modifications
Objective #2 for Other Ecosystem Modifications Land management agencies and agents develop vegetation management projects that avoid, minimize, or mitigate impacts to species and habitats identified as vulnerable to these threats such as brush eradication and vegetation treatments.

Habitat modification and loss is being mitigated against by native perennial plantings and food crops/plots and shrub-rows for cover and food resources for wildlife.

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.

Vegetation manipulation is an effective way to stimulate new growth and extending the long-term value of many plant species. It has been demonstrated that renovation efforts can nearly double the duration that good quality habitat can be maintained on these areas. Complete replacement of these habitats through ground preparation, weed control and planting is time consuming and expensive, and establishment to the desired growth form may take two or more years. Without some manipulation efforts taking place, the value of these new plantings last for about eight to ten years.

The plan is for annual restoration or enhancement by seeding of perennial habitat and planting of annual food plots. Perennial plantings of mixed species of grasses (Russian wildlrye, pubescent wheatgrass, Siberian wheatgrass, Newhy wheatgrass, Great Basin wildrye), shrubs (forage kochia) and forbs (alfalfa, strawberry clover and yellow blossom sweet clover), will be planted throughout the area.

Annual food plots consist of wheat, triticale, safflower, barley, corn, sorghum, sunflower, and/or millet. These areas are strategically located through the perennial habitats.

Renovation techniques using fire, grazing, mechanical disturbance, chemical treatments, water regulation and re-seeding efforts will be used to improve existing habitats. Habitat manipulation will include the use of an agricultural tractor, light disking and/or spring tine tillage equipment for digging to remove annual grass. Burning will be used where conditions allow removing residual dead vegetation. Existing conditions at the time will determine the exact locations and acreage. A grazing plan has been completed and approved. Grazing treatments will be used to remove plant material, stimulate growth and remove non-desired competitive plant species. Paddock determinations will be determined based on fall assessments for the following winter/spring grazing period. Paddock formation is ongoing with the need to finish permanent gates and wings to be used in conjunction with removable electric fencing materials and natural barriers. Grazing has been used as a management tool on the areas for the past 19 years. Mowing up to approximately 100 acres may occur.  Water developments will be developed and maintained for livestock and wildlife dispersion in order to reduce damage to riparian areas. Herbicide treatments will be applied in areas where noxious and invasive weeds are found to be competing with desirable plant species. Approximately 3000 acres throughout PSG/SCWMAs will be covered to detect undesirable species.  These chemical treatments will be applied with backpack sprayers, agriculture equipment, track machines, UTV and/or ATV.

The retention ponds and ditch systems that have been developed to collect return irrigation water will be maintained. This water is of higher quality and suitable for perennial cover, food crop and tree/shrub irrigation. Ditching systems also provide additional areas for tree and shrub planting. These areas provide travel lanes for wildlife movement and a degree of protection from avian predators. Predator control is an annual event prior to the nesting season. Trappers and DWR personnel remove Red Fox, Striped Skunk, Raven (by permit) and Raccoon to enhance the reproductive effort of numerous avian species.

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.