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SR Mule Deer Winter Range Bitterbrush Enhancement FY20
Region: Southern
ID: 4961
Project Status: Completed
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Project Details
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Need for Project
To seed disturbed locations throughout the Southern Region to avoid invasive species encroachment and bolster Mule Deer habitat. In recent years, multiple projects have occurred to remove Phase III pinyon-juniper trees in locations where bitterbrush historically existed. Now that competition of the evil trees of darkness has been removed, we seek to reestablish bitterbrush plants in those previously inhabited locations.
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.
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Objectives
By increasing the canopy cover of bitterbrush within the project site within two to five percent, the quantity of bitterbrush plants will be increased to a level that will substantially impact mule deer habitat. This project would support the maintenance or provide an avenue to achieve an increase in deer populations to meet current objectives stated in the mule deer statewide management plan.
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.
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Project Location/Timing Justification (Why Here? Why Now?)
PJ encroachment has contributed to the declining trend in bitterbrush and the survival of bitterbrush plants. To combat this trend, planting bitterbrush in previous project areas where competition with the Trees of Darkness has been alleviated, will increase the efficacy of the planting project.
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.
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Relation to Management Plans
Utah Mule Deer Statewide Management plan (2008) The encroachment of pinyon and juniper threatens to choke out understory grass, forbs, and shrubs. Increasing risk of catastrophic wildfire. In order for mule deer herds to thrive in Utah, it is essential that extensive habitat treatments be completed. To address the decline in mule deer habitat throughout Utah, restoration projects are being implemented to target habitat improvement on crucial mule deer ranges that have shifted in dominance to less desirable types or have degraded and provide little productivity. Panguitch lake Deer Herd Unit Mangement Plan (#28) 2015 The mid elevation upland site supports a pinyon-Utah juniper community and is generally considered to be in very poor condition for deer winter range. This community is prone to infilling from pinyon-juniper trees which can reduce understory shrub and herbaceous cover if not addressed. It is recommended that work to reduce the pinyon-juniper cover (e.g. bullhog, chaining, lop and scatter, etc.) should continue in this community. Parowon Front Wildlifre management plan All of the units on the Parowan Front WMA have pinyon-juniper forests that are encroaching on the sagebrush flats and choking out many of the browse species important to wintering deer. Several thinning (lop and scatter) and chaining projects have been done in the past to remedy this problem. However, due to the extent of the encroachment an aggressive thinning policy needs to be carried out on the Parowan Front WMA to improve habitat for wintering deer. Southern Utah Support Area Fire Mangement Plan 2004 which states: Mechanicallly treat to convert pinyon and juniper invasion (condition class 3) into sagebrush/perennial grass (condition class 1 or 2) vegetation types. . Utah's Standards and Guidelines for Rangeland Health which address watersheds, ecological condition, water quality and habitat for special status species National Fire Plan (2000) Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003 which state protecting forests, woodlands, shrub lands, and grasslands from unnaturally intensive and destructives fires Utah Wildlife conservation Strategy (2005)
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.
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Fire/Fuels
Restoring habitats to a more natural state results in decreases in fire risk. The goal of this project is to aid in efforts to move project area to FRCC 1 from the previous condition of FRCC 2 or 3.
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.
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Water Quality/Quantity
Appropriately vegetated sites assist in retaining runoff and preventing erosion; resulting in higher quality water in adjacent waterways. In addition the previously completed projects have eliminated the trees of darkness from the competition for water resulting in a greater retention of water and aiding in its return to the aquifer as well as decreased runoff.
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.
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Compliance
Projects will be conducted on state, BLM, or private lands that have received prior authorization. DWR will consult within its sections and with other agencies to determine the best locations for reseeding. No NEPA is required for this project.
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.
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Methods
Seed will be distributed to Dedicated Hunters to conduct the planting (via drill seeding) according to the mapped locations.
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.
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Monitoring
Sites will be monitored by wildlife and habitat sections to asses growth of bitterbrush and usage of adult plants. Previous bitterbrush plantings have had 100 foot transects established on sites with planting occuring every foot in order to establish a percent germination and eventually establishment. One or two of these sites will also be established in these project areas. Photos will be taken from point of origin on transect.
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.
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Partners
UDWR partners with USFS, BLM, and sportsmans groups to identify high quality areas to assist in the creation of better mule deer habitat.
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.
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Future Management
The Dedicated Hunter program would like to continue to work with the habitat and wildlife sections on future projects. It is anticipated that this will become an annual proposal to help aid habitat projects with sites suitable for bitterbrush re-establishment. Future site selection will be informed as we look at success rates on these sites and identify the best suitable sites for future plantings.
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.
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Sustainable Uses of Natural Resources
Many of these seedings will take place in areas with exisitng grazing permits and help contribute to the forage base available for both wildlife and livestock. Recreational uses of both hunting and wildlife viewing is also high on the sites these plantings will occur. Kane County sites exhibit good fawning range, and may keep a few deer out of private lands and make them available for public harvest. The Millard and Iron County sites are good for winter range; Iron County sites will provide habitat for deer, and Millard County sites will contribute to elk and deer habitat.
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.
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