Project Details

Monitoring is a key component of a species conservation program. Well-designed monitoring provides information on species, status, trend, and response to threats and management actions. The BLM has been coordinating and partnering with UDWR in our monitoring efforts for non-game mammals. Through this monitoring program we have had great success defending against Endangered Species Act petitions with systematic inventory and monitoring approaches. American pika, white-tailed prairie dog, Gunnison's prairie dog, wolverine, and pygmy rabbit have all been found to be not-warranted based on monitoring data. Although these species have received not warranted findings in the past, it is essential to conduct periodic monitoring to keep a pulse on populations, demonstrate active management, and be alert to emerging threats. Additionally, we know from many past examples that through litigation, listing findings are often remanded and species are repeatedly petitioned. Much like a routine visit to the doctor- monitoring is needed to diagnose and treat issues before they become unmanageable.

We propose to study pygmy rabbits for FY19/20 in partnership with UDWR. This species has not been monitored in northern Utah in over five years. A recent site visit to all known existing and historic locations in the Ibapah area showed no current occupancy. Pygmy rabbits are habitat specialists living only in areas of tall, dense sagebrush with loose soils appropriate for digging burrows (Green and Flinders 1980) and are threatened by the loss and/or deterioration of sagebrush habitats. The rabbits face the same threats faced by the more high-profile greater sage grouse, but with more specialized habitat requirements within a smaller range. The pygmy rabbit was petitioned for Federal ESA listing in 2003 and was found not-warranted in 2010. The petition cited overgrazing, fire, vegetation manipulation, energy development, OHV use, and agricultural and urban development as threats facing the species (Fite et al. 2003). Climate change has been identified as a long-term stressor (Larrucea and Brussard 2008). Recent research from Wyoming found pygmy rabbits may experience declines at even lower levels of landscape disturbance than sage grouse (Germaine et al. 2017). Given continued and emerging threats, an assessment of pygmy rabbit populations within the Salt Lake Field Office is well past due.

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.

This project will provide pygmy rabbit occupancy data of populations supporting the need for data in upcoming grazing permit renewals. Additionally, BLM Manual 4680 directs the BLM to "determine, to the extent practicable, the distribution, abundance, population condition, current threats, and habitat needs" for sensitive species. The status of pygmy rabbit populations are currently unknown in the SLFO, additionally historic sites appear to be unoccupied. Data collected in this survey effort will provide data to inform analyses, planning, and implementation in project areas where pygmy rabbits exist. Furthermore, areas may be identified in this effort that would benefit from restoration work such as juniper removal. These data are needed in order to process permit renewals, and land and realty actions quickly. Locations of pygmy rabbit populations and burrows allows biologist to microsite projects and adjust prior to NEPA initiation, thereby reducing paperwork and time required to process requests.

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.