Project Details

The Glendale Bench Project is part of the ongoing Upper Kanab Creek Project. In 2017 the area had the Phase II and Phase III pinyon juniper mulched and the area was seeded an part of WRI Project #3953.  Due to the extreme drought in 2018 the seeding has come in at a lower rate than desired resulting for more cheatgrass to get established.   Cheatgrass has been linked to declines in watershed health, wildlife habitat and rangeland health. Desired vegetation such as forbs, perennial grasses, and brows species typically can not get established once cheatgrass becomes dominate.  The proposed treatment site is opportunity greater sage grouse habitat and connects to other treatments completed in UKC. The Glendale Bench is also used by mule deer, which is part of the renowned Paunsagunt mule deer management unit. The Paunsagunt is known for its trophy quality bucks and for providing a world class hunting experience. Elk also use the Glendale bench as winter and transitional habitat. This treatment can benefit game and non-game wildlife species that use this unique habitat, by increasing diversity within the plant community and potentially increasing the amount of forage available.

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.

In the original proposal it mentions that there is always the risk of weed invasion following treatment and of seeding failure, given yearly moisture regimes. These risks are inherent to any vegetation management project.  It also states "Should the seeding fail, efforts would be made to secure additional funds to provide the species needed to make the project successful."  The seeding is not a total failure however the density is less than desired and is allowing cheatgrass to get a strong hold.  By treating the cheatgrass now it will allow additional time for the desired species to increase.  There is a very short window of opportunity to do such a treatment.

The following risk/threats will be address within the project: Inappropriate Fire Frequency and Intensity- because of the amount of fine fuels that are found in cheatgrass areas, fire frequency is a threat that without the treatment possible threats of creating a fire regime (cheatgrass) that is not consistent in sagebrush ecosystem. Problematic Plant Species- cheatgrass deters the species that use these area. Encroachment also reduces the establishment of desirable species (especially forbs), making the area less productive, resulting in less use and over use of other areas by wildlife and livestock. This area contains the southernmost population of sage grouse in the western United States. Interestingly, as we have completed projects within the Upper Kanab Creek area, birds have continued to "follow" the treatments and move further south. Recently, a gps collared grouse moved through this area and off the white cliffs to areas along John R. Flat (Rhett Boswell). In one of the projects that is being done near here (Upper Sink Valley), grouse have been observed "grubbing" in the immediate treatment area (Brushwacker). This has also been observed in the Buckskin area, following a harrow treatment. It is important to continue the momentum and work that has been done for sage grouse in this area, especially as numbers are increasing. While providing new areas and connectivity it is important that we do not allow undesired species to move into these areas that have had large woody species removed so that we may achieve increased resistance and resilience for this landscape species. Completing this project also has risks.

Threats and risks in this area, as addressed in the wildlife action plan include threats from fire and threats from invasive species, especially following fire. Creating a mosaic of burned and unburned areas, at this level will help to slow the spread of fire should one occur. Additionally, cheatgrass following fire is a huge issue in this area (i.e. Broad Hollow). Proactive treatments are much more successful than risking a large scale fire and potential rehab success.

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.

Following the Paunsuagunt Mule Deer Management: - "Coordinate with federal and state partners in designing projects that will improve fire resiliency and protect areas of crucial habitat." - "Cooperate with federal land management agencies and private landowners in carrying out habitat improvement projects. Protect deer winter ranges from wildfire by reseeding burned areas, creating fuel breaks and reseed areas dominated by cheat grass with desirable perennial vegetation." - "Reduce expansion of Pinion-Juniper woodlands into sagebrush habitats and improve habitats dominated by Pinion-Juniper woodlands by completing habitat restoration projects." Regarding UDWR Elk Management Plan for Paunsuagunt Unit #27: - "Continue to be committed to the statewide goal of supporting habitat projects that increase forage for both big game and livestock." - "Work with private, state and federal agencies to maintain and protect critical and existing range from future losses. Continue projects with USFS, BLM, state and private entities to enhance wildlife habitat." - "Discourage the encroachment of Pinyon and Juniper (PJ) trees into sagebrush and other habitats. Seek opportunities to improve habitat through grazing practices, prescribed burning, and mechanical treatments to improve habitat where PJ encroachment is occurring." Great Sage Grouse Conservation Plan - "5.4.1 Aggressively remove encroaching conifers and other plant species to expand greater sage grouse habitat where possible." Those involved in this project and other Upper Kanab Creek Projects continue to work with the local sage grouse working group (Color Country Adaptive Resource Management Local Working Group) to help fulfill those items identified in the Local Conservation Plan. This plan also ranks a variety of threats to sage grouse populations in the Upper Kanab Creek Area. Fire, vegetation management and invasive species are three aspects ranked as important considerations in this plan. The limiting factors for mule deer on the Paunsagunt is winter range and Highway mortality. This project will likely not help with either of those issues, as it is transition or summer range for mule deer. However, it is a popular area for public hunting, wildlife viewing and supports the overall "Habitat Management Objectives" for this unit by, "maintaining mule deer habitat throughout the unit," and "enhancing existing crucial habitats due to natural and human impacts." Additionally, the Management Plan #27 calls for the continued work to reduce pinyon-juniper encroachment in the Kanab Creek portion of the unit. Mule Deer are seen and harvested frequently throughout this area. Frey, S. N., S. G. Lupis, K. Heaton, T. A. Black, T. A. Messmer, and D. Mitchell. 2006. Color Country Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) Local Conservation Plan. Utah's Community Based Conservation Program. Unpublished Report. Logan, Utah. http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/prog/planning/SG_RMP_rev/ARMPA.html This project falls under the Paunsagunt Elk Management Plan (Unit 27). Habitat management objectives for elk in this area include supporting those projects that improve habitat through treatment of p/j and increased forage for both wildlife and livestock.

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.