Project Details

The area has, and continues to, experience a significant level of tree mortality. A mountain pine beetle epidemic killed many lodgepole pine throughout the area. A spruce beetle epidemic followed, and killed additional trees. There has been a minor amount of Douglas-fir killed by Douglas-fir beetles. The concern of a large, destructive wildfire that could cause irreparable damage to the watershed, wildlife, aquatic and terrestrial habitats, and vegetation. The major goalof the project is to maintain, restore, and prevent large scale damage to the watershed condition and functions.
The area is considered a municipal watershed. The Ashley National Forest recognizes that this area is at an ecological threshold and would like to begin the NEPA process, but silvicultural prescriptions are essential.
Aspen stands in this area are experiencing conifer encroachment choking out the Aspen. The teams silviculturist will identify areas and treatments to enhance these stands.
Areas not suitable for these other treatments will be surveyed to identify any potential fuel treatments.

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.

Over time dead conifers will dominate the vegetative community leading to high fuel loads and the potential for an ecologically devastating wildfire. The loss of the conifer and aspen communities would have negative impacts to numerous components of the existing watershed and habitat, and may drastically alter ecological function of the area. The widespread mortality of conifer will also leave the area without a productive seed
source leading to a complete vegetative community change. Failure to complete any action will impact duration and timing of surface water runoff and sedimentation patterns(which causes soil erosion and poor water quality). Removing impacted conifers will reduce the risk of catastrophic fire and increase the likelihood of fire suppression if a fire occurs and shelter other ecological functions.
Aspen stands in this area are experiencing conifer encroachment choking out the Aspen. Aspen stands will be identified and recommendations presented for regeneration and enhancement treatments.
The wet meadow in this watershed is being severely degraded by improper motorized access. Continued abuse of this area will lead to decreased water availability for the wetland.

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.

Ashley National Forest Management Plan:
Timber Objective 3: Accomplish timber stand improvement consistent with silvicultural needs and management prescriptions.
Soil, Water, and Air Objective 2: Maintain or improve soil stability, site productivity, and repair or stabilize damaged watersheds.
The Utah Division of Wildlife plans for Elk and Mule Deer:
Elk Habitat Management Goal: Conserve and improve elk habitat throughout the state.
Habitat Objective 1: Maintain sufficient habitat to support elk herds at population objectives and reduce competition for forage between elk and livestock.
This project area is fully encompassed by Elk habitat.
Habitat Goal: Conserve, improve, and restore mule deer habitat throughout the state with emphasis on crucial ranges.
Habitat Objective 1: Maintain mule deer habitat throughout the state by protecting and
enhancing existing crucial habitats and mitigating for losses due to natural and human impacts.
The project area occurs completely within Mule Deer habitat and borders crucial habitat for restoration according the the State plan for Mule Deer.
BOREAL TOAD CONSERVATION PLAN
3.9.3 Create, restore, and maintain new habitats through water management.
3.9.3.b Deepen impoundments to maintain sufficient water levels through
metamorphosis.
State of Utah Resource Management Plan
Forest
Encourage timber harvesting to prevent fuel load and biomass buildup.
Fire
The State will advocate for forest management practices that promote species diversity and overall ecosystem
health.
Wetlands
The State supports using a combination of active water management where necessary
(e.g., Great Salt Lake) and maintaining or restoring natural hydrology when possible to
support wildlife habitat and healthy functioning of aquatic ecosystems.
Duchesne Resource Management Plan
Objective: Reverse the negative fire trends in forest health by actively managing the forest.

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.

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.