Project Details

Quaking Aspen are in decline throughout the western part of their range. Specifically in this project area, Aspen are in the mature and over-mature life stage and are being replaced by more shade-tolerant conifers. Aspen and it's associated understory of grasses and forbs are a vital habitat for all manner of wildlife, including several big game species. The are many reasons for aspen decline, but prescribed fire is a proven tool to start new aspen growth, and large burns have an excellent chance of rejuvenating entire stands which can make it successfully through the seedling stage. Burning will recycle nutrients and provide increased light on the forest floor to stimulate tree regeneration.

Invasive weeds are threatening the Intermountain West with negative impacts on wildlife habitat, native plant communities, soil and watershed resources, recreation, and aesthetic values. A shift from native vegetation to invasive weeds decrease wildlife forage, reduces species diversity, and increases soil erosion. Activities associated with pre-commercial thinning often serve as a source for new noxious weed invasions, and can also spread existing infestations. Recreational activities in this area also spread noxious and invasive weeds, especially with an increase in unauthorized off-road travel. An attempt to control the spread of noxious weeds in this area will preserve the value of previous habitat improvements associated with the Red Ryder pre-commercial thinning and prescribed burns, and prevent spread to other areas.

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.

This project will address low regeneration of aspen in the aspen/conifer community.  A very high threat to this key habitat is inappropriate fire frequency and intensity.  No action would result in older age classes in the aspen/conifer and eventually the replacement of the aspen component with spruce, fir, and lodgepole pine, leading towards a less diverse understory and less habitat value to big game as well as other important wildlife species that depend on the aspen ecosystem.  An ecological threshold is quickly approaching at which point entire aspen clones may "age-out" and be lost, converting to forest type to conifer permanently.
Syrian beancaper, a Class I noxious weed in Utah, has been identified within the project area. Nodding plumeless thistle, Canada thistle, bull thistle, field bindweed, houndstongue, black henbane, dyers woad, scotch cottonthistle, and burdock have also been documented within the project area. Adverse impacts as a result of noxious weed invasion include a change in the composition of native plant communities, a decrease in biological diversity, undesired shifts in wildlife populations, increased soil disturbance and surface water runoff, decreased water quality, decreased recreational opportunities, and increased economic costs. Many wildlife species are linked to specific native plant communities that are degraded by invasive species. Loss of these communities can lead to higher mortality due to lack of cover and forage. Additionally, the conversion of native perennials to an annual plant mono-culture creates a landscape inhospitable to many pollinator species. Reduction or loss of key pollinators can reduce wildlife forage, and indirectly lead to lower wildlife populations.

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.

Utah's Wildlife Action Plan  2015
The project area occurs within the aspen-conifer habitat type which is one of the key habitats identified in the Utah 2015 Draft WAP.  A very high threat identified in the WAP is inappropriate fire frequency and intensity.  Prescribed fire is a top strategy to address this threat.  Portions of the burns also include the key habitat of Mountain Sagebrush. http://wildlife.utah.gov/wap/wap2015draft.pdf

Utah Mule Deer Statewide Management Plan 2014
The project is designated crucial summer range for Mule Deer.  Section IV Statewide management goals and objectives. This project will address Habitat Objective 2: Improve the quality and quantity of vegetation for mule deer on a minimum of 500,000 acres of crucial range by 2013 (p11-12). Strategy F. Encourage land managers to manage portions of pinion-juniper woodlands and aspen/conifer forests in early successional stages. https://wildlife.utah.gov/hunting/biggame/pdf/mule_deer_plan.pdf

Utah Elk Statewide Management Plan (2010)
The project is designated crucial summer range / calving habitat for Elk.  It will address Habitat Objective 2: Improve the quality and quantity of forage and cover on 250,000 acres of elk habitat with emphasis on calving habitat and upper elevation elk winter range by the end of this plan. Under this objective, strategies C, D and F apply.  Strategy C. Noxious Weed Control a) Work with land management agencies and county weed boards to control the spread of noxious and invasive weeds throughout the range of elk in Utah.Strategy D. Initiate broad scale vegetative treatment projects to improve elk habitat with emphasis on calving habitat and winter ranges. Strategy F. Encourage land managers to manage portions of forests in early succession stages through the use of controlled burning and logging. Controlled burning should only be used in areas where there are minimal invasive weed and/or safety concerns. This project area is of minimal weed concern. https://wildlife.utah.gov/hunting/biggame/pdf/elk_plan.pdf

Utah Moose Statewide Management Plan (2009)
The project is in moose crucial winter range.  It would address the habitat objective: Maintain or enhance the quantity and quality of moose habitat to allow herds to reach population objectives, and habitat strategy D: Initiate prescribed burns and other vegetative treatment projects to improve moose habitat lost to ecological succession or human impacts. https://wildlife.utah.gov/hunting/biggame/pdf/moose_plan.pdf

2003 Wasatch-Cache Revised Forest Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement
Eastern Uintas Management Area, Chapter 4-Pg. 196: "Active vegetation management and burning will be used to maintain habitat in areas emphasizing terrestrial wildlife habitat."  "Riparian vegetation composition and structure (especially in aspen and willow) will be improved providing habitat for beaver and moose."

Forest-wide goal 3, Biodiversity & Viability: Provide for sustained diversity of species at the genetic, population, community and ecosystem levels. Maintain communities within their historic range of variation that sustains habitats for viable populations of species. Restore or maintain hydrologic functions. Reduce potential for uncharacteristic high-intensity wildfires, and insect epidemics. To achieve sustainable ecosystems, meet properly functioning condition (PFC) criteria for all vegetation types that occur in the Wasatch-Cache National Forest. Focus on approximating natural disturbances and processes by restoring composition, age class diversity, patch sizes, and patterns for all vegetation types.

2a. Identify areas not in properly functioning condition. Improve plant species composition, ground cover and age class diversity in these areas.

2j. Maintain and/or restore habitat to sustain populations of well distributed native and desired non-native plant, vertebrate, and invertebrate populations that contribute to viability of riparian dependent communities.
 
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. See Forestwide Guideline (G for desired landscape structure and patterns.

Subgoal 3o: Provide adequate habitat components for sustainable big game
populations coordinated with State wildlife management agencies,
private lands and other resource needs and priorities.

3s. Greatly reduce known infestations of noxious weeds and rigorously prevent their introduction and/or spread.

Subgoal 4d. Reduce hazardous fuels (prescribed fire, silvicultural and
mechanical treatments) with emphasis on interface communities
(wildland/urban) and increase proactive participation of communities at risk.
https://fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5347083.pdf

Standards and Guidelines: (G25) Integrated weed management should be used to maintain or restore habitats for threatened, endangered, proposed and sensitive plants and other native species of concern where they are threatened by noxious weeds or nonnative plants. When treating noxious weeds comply with policy in Intermountain Region's Forest Service Manual 2080, Supplement #R4 2000-2001-1 (Appendix III).

North Slope Deer Herd Management Plan Unit #8 (2012)
Unit Management Goal -Conserve and improve mule deer habitat throughout the unit with emphasis on crucial ranges.  Work with private and federal agencies to maintain and protect critical and existing summer and winter range from future [wildfire] losses. https://wildlife.utah.gov/hunting/plans/deer_08.pdf

The Utah Smoke Management Plan (1999, 2006 revision)
 Goal #2, To use prescribed fires and wildland fire use to accomplish the land management objectives of wildland fuel hazard reduction, vegetative management, natural ecological practices, and wildlife habitat improvement (p3). https://smokemgt.utah.gov/static/pdf/SMP011606_Final.pdf

The Fire Management Plan for the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest (FMP 2014)
Goals for the Uinta Fire Management Unit: 5.1 Emphasis on maintaining or restoring forested ecosystem integrity while meeting multiple resource objectives.
(G5.1-1) Timber harvest, vegetation/fuel treatment, prescribed fire and wildland fire use are allowed to maintain or restore proper functioning conditions, for hazardous fuel reduction, to protect property in the wildland urban interface, and to provide for commodity and noncommodity outputs and services.

Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003
The purposes of this Act are-- (1) to reduce wildfire risk to communities, municipal water supplies, and other at-risk Federal land through a collaborative process of planning, prioritizing, and implementing hazardous fuel reduction projects; (3) to enhance efforts to protect watersheds and address threats to forest and rangeland health, including catastrophic wildfire, across the landscape. https://www.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/house-bill/1904/text

State of Utah Hazard Mitigation Plan (March 2014) 
Section 3: Mitigation Strategies
#1 Priority Goal: To eliminate dangerous fuel loading in wildlands.
Objective C: To reduce fuels on public lands.
https://site.utah.gov/publicsafety/emergencymanagement/UtahHazardMitigationPlan.html

A Collaborative Approach for Reducing Wildland Fire Risks to Communities and the Environment 10-Year Comprehensive Strategy Implementation Plan (U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service 2001)
Goal 2: Reduce hazardous fuels; Goal 3: Maintain and restore fire adapted ecosystems. 
https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/migrated/pmb/owf/upload/10-year-strategy-final.pdf

National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy
Page 30: Prescribed fire is one of the more effective and cost-efficient means of managing vegetation for multiple purposes, including hazard reduction, ecosystem restoration or maintenance, silviculture, and others. In general, prescribed fire is an effective tool in areas with fire-adapted or fire-dependent vegetation that has evolved with fire.
http://www.forestsandrangelands.gov/strategy/documents/strategy/CSPhaseIIINationalStrategyApr2014.pdf

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.

Forests generally have very low erosion rates unless they are disturbed in a manner that exposes bare soil to the erosive energy of water and wind. Evidence of soil erosion due to management activities is minimal in the project area. Soil erosion rates would remain unchanged from existing conditions in the short term
Use Best Management Practices and Soil and Water Conservation Practices during project level assessment and implementation to ensure maintenance of soil productivity, minimization of sediment discharge into streams, lakes and wetlands.
Water quantity may increase with a reduction of trees competing for available ground water and reduced ground fuels. 
Water quality and quantity will be improved in this area by ensuring these stands burn and regenerate under a controlled environment. These stands of trees are susceptible to very high intensity crown fire which may result in high levels of soil erosion, habitat loss and flooding. 
Noxious and invasive weeds can damage watersheds and increase soil erosion, reducing water quality.

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.

Qualified crews from the Forest Service and cooperating partners will implement the RX burn.  Units ranging in soze from 500-2000 acres at a time may be burned in the spring or fall with late summer being the ideal time frame.  The prescribed fires may be ignited by any means necessary (Hand or Air methods).  Most of the units will take advantage of roads, trails, fuel transitions, or other natural fuel breaks on the landscape for fire control lines. However, some of the burn units, primarily along the Eastern border, may require hand or mechanical fireline to limit spread onto the private lands. Utah's Smoke Management plan will be followed in all planning and implementation.  Firelines will be rehabilitated post-burn to mitigate erosion and use as trails.
Noxious Weed Control: Previously mapped noxious weed populations will be verified, and new populations will be recorded as treatment occurs. Accurate identification, mapping, and data entry is essential in ensuring previously known infestations are treated annually, and in determining efficacy of treatments. Chemical control will be the primary treatment method, but manual control may be utilized as appropriate. Herbicides will be applied by qualified applicators. Treatment will begin summer of 2020, with a follow up application planned for the following summer. A contractor will be used to survey and treat noxious weeds within the project area. The contractor will use their own equipment, personal protection equipment, and herbicide to treat weeds. The FS will perform quality control to ensure the objectives are met.

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.

Prior to implementation the Forest Service will establish a number of pre burn plots within the burn unit boundaries.  Following prescribed fire treatments, the plots are revisited at 1, 3, & 5 years post fire treatment to determine the effectiveness of the prescribed fire in relation to objectives. An onsite Fire Effects Monitor will help to determine effectiveness of the burn on the day of  the prescribed fire in addition to compiling a post fire report to document and assess whether different actions may be needed to additional burning. 
Noxious Weed Control: Locations of new infestations and periodic re-measurements of existing infestations will be recorded in FS NRIS (Natural Resource Information System). NRIS includes a Geographic Information System (GIS) that shows infestation locations, acres infested, and the type of weed infestation. This information will be made available upon request at the end of each calendar year. Actions taken to control noxious weeds and the efficacy of treatments are reported in FACTS (FS Activity Tracking System). Reports generated by FACTS including acres accomplished will be made available upon request at the end of each calendar year. At least 60% of the total acres treated will be reviewed to determine the efficacy of the treatment that occurred by the FS.

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.

Three allotments are within the project area. The North Rich Allotment (a cattle allotment) is in the northern portion of the project area. The Bug Lake Allotment and the North Randolph Allotment (sheep and cattle allotment, respectively) are within the southern portion of the project area.
Prescribed fie will create openings in the canopy to increase forage for livestock grazing.  When the canopy opens, previously unavailable areas to forage will be increased due to the increase of light and nutrients to the forest floor. Fire will help to recycle nutrients back in to the soil for the existing forbs and grasses to use. 
This project will improve grazing in the area by removing the subalpine fir and creating openings. Increased light and moisture availability will improve grazing for livestock with increased forage.  
Controlling noxious and invasive weeds leads to a more resilient landscape, which benefits multiple natural resource components to include: grazing, wildlife and pollinator habitat, and recreation.

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.