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.

West Box Elder CRMP
Objectives/Strategies (2 objectives): 
a)	Implement improvements to improve forage and grazing opportunities.
b)	Grazing invasive plants- initiate early season grazing of cheatgrass or other annual non-native invasive plants. 
This project addresses improving grazing management and controlling cheatgrass and other invasive species. Improving diversity of understory species and browsing species in sage-steppe.  This project is found within important sagebrush habitat and supported by the WBCRP and WBCD supervisors.
http://www.utahcbcp.org/htm/groups/boxelder

Utah Greater Sage grouse Mgt. Plan 2013
Objectives/Strategies (11 objectives): 
a)	Enhance an average of 25,000 acres of sage-grouse habitat in Sage-grouse Management Areas annually.
b)	Increase the total amount of sage-grouse habitat acreage within Sage-grouse Management Areas by an average of 50,000 acres per year, through management actions targeting Opportunity Areas.
c)      5.2 Invasive Species- Habitat loss due to invasive species, such as... cheatgrass and others are a serious threat to greater sage-grouse habitat. These species displace native communities, and alter the soil and environment in a way that makes reestablishment of native ecosystems very difficult. An aggressive response to new infestations is key to keeping invasive species from spreading. Every effort should be made to identify and treat new infestations before they become larger problems. Additionally containment of known infestations in or near sagebrush habitats should be a high priority for all land management agencies.
d)	Livestock grazing is a major resource use in most SGMAs, and can be an effective tool to improve habitat quality and seasonal nutrition, and thereby enhance local populations. 
e)	5.1.5 Consider the use of prescriptive grazing to specifically reduce fire size and intensity. This could be particularly effective in areas where cheatgrass is encroaching on sagebrush habitat. This will require cooperation and coordination among different land managers and owners and livestock owners. 
f) 	.9 Improper Livestock Grazing- Livestock grazing is a major resource use in most SGMAs, and can be an effective tool to improve habitat quality and seasonal nutrition, and thereby enhance local populations. Existing grazing operations which utilize recognized rangeland best management practices increase the necessary vegetation, and thereby increase the potential for nesting success and population recruitment. Should concerns be raised about the effect of grazing on sage-grouse, and such effects are documented over a sufficiently long time-frame, corrective management actions should be addressed through the best management practices identified by the Department of Agriculture and Food's Grazing Improvement Program. (UDAF GIP). 
 g)	.9.1 Rangeland habitat treatments to improve grazing should fully consider the impact on sage grouse seasonal habitat during planning and implementation. 
h) 	9.2 Address incompatible grazing strategies through established rangeland management practices consistent with the maintenance or enhancement of habitat.
i)	.9.3 Allocate funds and effort to the development of grazing strategies that will enhance or improve habitat for the preservation of greater sage-grouse.
j)	Maintain forb cover greater than 10% and grass cover greater than 10% during nesting/brood-rearing season;
k)	Maintain or improve wet meadows, when present; and
This plan will help toward the acreage goals for enhancement and increased Sage grouse habitat by improving rangeland health and diversity with improved grazing management. Part of the plan is to enhance wet meadows by relieving grazing pressure from the riparian corridor. The fire risk and invasive species invasion will also benefit from this project. 
https://wildlife.utah.gov/uplandgame/sage-grouse/pdf/greater_sage_grouse_plan.pdf

Utah's Comprehensive Wildlife Management Strategy or Wildlife Action Plan (WAP)
Objectives/Strategies (4 objectives): 
Mountain Sagebrush and Lowland Shrub
a)	Funding restoration that reduces older age classes and stimulate younger age classes...treat non-native invasive species...
b)	Continue the development of new restoration techniques suited to this habitat.
c)	Deploying techniques to diversify the understory species composition and age classes of decadent even-aged sagebrush stands.
d)	Promoting management that includes ... that will lead to increased resiliency and resistance in the plant community.
This plan addresses invading cheatgrass, mitigation of non-native invasive species, new restoration techniques (grazing management with this project), and diversification through grazing of understory species composition in mountain and lowland sagebrush steppe.
http://wildlife.utah.gov/cwcs/

Governor's Executive Order EO/2015/001
Objectives/Strategies (1 objective): 
The Order ensures state agencies will conform to the Conservation Plan and make management and policy decisions that (1) "maintain, improve and enhance Greater Sage-Grouse habitat." State agencies will continue to work with federal agencies to assure the conservation needs of the bird.
The purpose of this plan is to improve and enhance Sage grouse habitat through improved grazing management.
http://www.rules.utah.gov/execdocs/2015/ExecDoc156045.htm

NRCS SGI 2.0
Objectives/Strategies (2 objectives): 
a)	Reduce threats...by grazing sustainably ...re-vegetating disturbed areas and combatting noxious weeds. Avoid further loss of sagebrush grazing lands to wildfire by reducing annual grass threat.
c)	Avoid further loss of riparian edges, wet meadows, restore and enhance degraded mesic areas to help increase (Sage grouse) populations."
This plan will support this initiative by improving grazing distribution, management, sustainability and enhancing degraded wet meadows.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0ahUKEwjcn47rzK_KAhWLaz4KHVyACisQFggiMAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nrcs.usda.gov%2Fwps%2FPA_NRCSConsumption%2Fdownload%3Fcid%3Dnrcseprd391816%26ext%3Dpdf&usg=AFQjCNHWGtF7AMa-Zb9dz3eZ82IG9FdBbQ

State of Utah Hazard Mitigation Plan (March 2011)
Objectives/Strategies (1 objective):
a)	The proposed action accomplishes statewide goals including 1) Protection of natural resources and the environment, when considering mitigation measures and 2) Minimize the risk of wildfire (p12). http://publicsafety.utah.gov/emergencymanagement/documents/IntroductionMarch2011.pdf

Box Elder County Resource Management Plan 
(14 objectives listed)
7.3.3 Management Objective--- Support vegetation management activities to reduce risk of property damage and uncharacteristic fires and to maintain vegetation habitats within historic range of variation. Policies and Guidelines * Conduct vegetation management to maintain or return vegetation communities within their historic range of variation that sustains habitats for viable populations of species. * Focus on approximating natural disturbances and processes by restoring composition, age class diversity, patch sizes, and patterns for all vegetation types. * Fuel load reduction projects through thinning, harvesting, and other mechanical means.
15.2 Desired Future State- Box Elder County desires that public lands continue to provide livestock grazing. The county desires grazing to be used as a tool to improve resource and watershed health, forage productivity, wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities while reducing invasive weed species and the risk of wildfire. 
15.3.2 Management Objective- Encourage range vegetation management to support maximum sustainable forage growth.
18.3.1 Management Objective- Control, prevent, and reduce noxious weed infestations throughout the County. * Encourage the use of grazing as a weed management tool through proper timing, intensity and duration to control weed infestations.
21.2 Desired Future State Box Elder County desires to protect and restore functioning and connected riparian areas while increasing resiliency and adaptation to change.
21.3.1 Management Objective- Maintain and restore riparian areas. * Support projects and management efforts that protect or restore riparian ecosystems, increasing the riparian area's resiliency and ability to be used for multiple purposes. * Support education efforts about best management practices in riparian areas including managed grazing and weed control in riparian areas.
21.3.2 Management Objective- Increase riparian resilience by managing riparian areas for multiple uses that don't degrade the resource.
22.3.2 Management Objective- Provide connectivity between fragmented habitats that support at-risk wildlife and plant species.
22.3.3 Management Objective- Encourage the protection of open lands that support at-risk wildlife and plant species.
22.3.4 Management Objective- Restore degraded habitats where at-risk wildlife and plant species are found. * Limit grazing in sensitive areas, including riparian areas and aquatic habitats. * Restore or maintain hydrologic functions of water bodies and waterways. * Promote aquatic habitat protection. 
25.3.1 Management Objective- Protect, maintain, and/or improve water quality and watersheds. *Identify watershed areas not in properly functioning condition. Improve plant species composition, ground cover and age class diversity in these areas. * Maintain and/or restore stream channel integrity, channel processes, and sediment regimes (timing, volume, character of sediment input/transport) under which riparian & aquatic ecosystems developed. * Discourage unauthorized cross-country Off Highway Vehicle use in the county to reduce impacts to streams and riparian areas. * Designated watershed protection areas should not be developed in order to preserve the hydrologic activity important for conserving the county's valuable water resources. 
25.3.2 Management Objective Review, study, and develop a water storage project in the western portion of the county 
26.3.2 Management Objective-Support a watershed that maximizes water yield and water quality to meet present and future needs including water for livestock, wildlife, and human uses.
27.3.1 Management Objective- Conserve and enhance wetland and riparian area functions and values.[2] ...soliciting Utah Department of Wildlife Resources assistance in wetland/riparian habitat enhancement efforts.[3] 
This project supports all these count resource management goals and objectives. This project will be completed an the same ground NRCS has already cost shared with to remove encroaching junipers.

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.