Project Details

The Parowan Front area serves as an important winter range for mule deer on the Panguitch Lake WMU which has endured over-utilization of preferred browse species by high concentrations of mule deer due to the I-15 corridor limiting natural westward migratory movements.  In addition, trees have encroached into areas of remaining sagebrush, bitterbrush, cliffrose and other deciduous shrubs causing a downward trend in herbaceous cover.  Many areas of the remaining low elevation sagebrush ecosystems along the I-15 corridor have converted into an annual grass dominated system, which have been in competition with the desired but limited forbs and native perennial grasses. In the pinyon and juniper systems, densities have increased and competition between trees is strong. Tree stand densification has reduced available browse and forage, reducing carrying capacity. There is a need to reduce stand densities to improve stand health and improve age class diversity. There is a need to improve forage conditions for big game within pinyon and juniper  areas.

In a collaborative effort, UDWR and BLM have deployed radio collars on mule deer to provide insight on mule deer movement for identification of important habitats within limited winter and transitional range.  This project will also assist in the evaluation of the immediate impacts to wintering mule deer in relation to habitat restoration efforts.  The implementation of this project will provide a unique opportunity to acquire movement data associated with treatments prior to, during, and after implementation.

In the first year of monitoring, collared mule deer utilized and highlighted the value of the low elevation grass-dominated areas which appear to be substantially higher in value in early spring when deer move from the hills down to the lower portions of the valley (see attached map).  During this time, deer are transitioning from their winter diet of browse species and are in search of newly emerging vegetation.  High numbers of mule deer are well documented closer to I-15 along the Parowan Front from March to May.  Continued loss of these habitat types may contribute to deer migrating to summer range in poorer condition and experiencing lower fawning rates.  Furthermore, the pinyon and juniper tree dominated areas along Cottonwood Creek do not provide much stop-over habitat value during migratory movements.  This project aims to provide deer higher quality habitat on a limited winter and transitional ranges based on empirical data.  This project will also improve elk habitat and promote expansion of sage grouse habitat in the Buckskin Valley area.

This project will also consist of thinning to promote pinyon and juniper stand health in an effort to increase healthy pinyon jay habitat.  Pinyon jays are commonly found on BLM lands surrounding Cottonwood Creek.  Thinning will occur within approximately 300 acres of pinyon and juniper near an aspen stand on the west side of Buckskin Valley.

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.

The invasion of pinyon and juniper trees into areas once dominated by grasses, forbs, and shrubs has lowered the carrying capacity for wintering mule deer. Not completing this project we risk mule deer herds being forced to compete for browse and forage on an already crowded winter range, thus decreasing the carrying capacity of the winter and transition range even further.

The increase of pinyon and juniper also increases the risk for catastrophic wildfires in these habitats, resulting in the complete or partial loss of current winter range and likely conversion to non-native (ie cheatgrass) systems detrimental to wildlife species (eg. threat to FEHA from non-native plant establishment). With increased tree densities pinyon and juniper habitat areas would burn as stand replacing events rather than low severity, low tree mortality events. Increased stand densities could also lead to reduced forest health as the risk of insect and disease increase.

Pinyon and Juniper expansion has also resulted in loss of foraging areas for raptors such as Ferruginous hawk due to the continuous canopy.  Opening up foraging spaces in this canopy while retaining clumps of trees with large flat-topped juniper for raptor perches and nesting is synchronous with the design feature of retaining patches of thermal and hiding cover for wintering big game.

BLM/DWR will aggressively treat any noxious weeds within the treatment area.

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 Mule Deer Statewide Management plan (2019)
Habitat Goal: Conserve, improve, and restore mule deer habitat throughout the state with emphasis on crucial ranges.

Panguitch lake Deer Herd Unit Mangement Plan (#28) 2015
The mid elevation upland site supports a pinyon-Utah juniper community and is generally considered to be in very poor condition for deer winter range. This community is prone to infilling from pinyon-juniper trees which can reduce understory shrub and herbaceous cover if not addressed. It is recommended that work to reduce the pinyon-juniper cover (e.g. bullhog, chaining, lop and scatter, etc.) should continue in this plant community.

Parowan Front Wildfire management plan
All of the units on the Parowan Front WMA have pinyon-juniper forests that are encroaching on the sagebrush sights and out competing many of the browse species important to wintering deer. Several thinning (lop and scatter) bullhog and chaining projects have been done in the past to remedy this problem. However, due to the extent of the encroachment an aggressive thinning policy needs to be carried out on the Parowan Front WMA to improve habitat for wintering deer.
Southern Utah Support Area Fire Mangement Plan 2004 which states: Mechanicallly treat to convert pinyon and juniper invasion (condition class 3) into sagebrush/perennial grass (condition class 1 or 2) vegetation types. .
Utah's Standards and Guidelines for Rangeland Health which address watersheds, ecological condition, water quality and habitat for special status species
National Fire Plan (2000)
Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003 which state protecting forests, woodlands, shrub lands, and grasslands from unnaturally intensive and destructives fires 
Utah Wildlife conservation Strategy (2005)

Iron County Deer Winter Range Resource Plan (2011)
Protect and expand deer winter range and associated wildlife habitats.

State of Utah Resource Management Plan (2018)
The state supports the efforts of the Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative and other rehabilitative efforts throughout the state
The state supports the Watershed Restoration Initiative to encourage reduced wildfire acreage, reduced soil loss from erosion, reduced sedimentation and storage loss in reservoirs, and improved water quality. 
The state plan supports active management to improve and enhance riparian resources to provide for appropriate physical, biological and chemical function.
engage with federal land management agencies to support active management of healthy riparian areas on federal land.
Seeding an optimal mix of native and desirable non-native species to support desired ecologic conditions and create a properly functioning ecosystem. 
Actively remove pinyon-juniper encroachment in ecological sites due to its substantial consumption of water and its detrimental effect on sagebrush, other vegetation and wildlife. 
Use of the good neighbor program to partner with Federal Agencies to better manage forage.

Iron County Resource Management Plan (2017)
This plan supports our project in the following ways;
Encouraging the BLM in managing rangelands "in a manner that will protect the quality of scientific, scenic, historical, ecological, environmental, air and atmospheric, water resource, and archeological values, while providing for outdoor recreation, food and habitat for fish, wildlife, and domestic animals.
By stating that it supports management of rangelands and forestlands to enhance desired plant communities that benefit watersheds, wildlife, water quality, recreation, and sustainable livestock grazing.
By encouraging multiple-use as custom and culture on current and future federal land projects. 
By encouraging protection of watershed from the threats of catastrophic wildfire through proper management of forests, and the reduction of fuel loads to prevent and minimize wildfires and their effects and whenever re-seeding needs to occure re-seeding with certified weed-free seed.
By stating that riparian areas should be managed to protect vegetation characteristics. Conservation efforts include preserving existing riparian areas as well as restoring damaged ones. Preservation should also include the dedication of sufficient water and groundwater to support vegetation.
By supporting range improvement projects in crucial deer winter ranges to sustain viable huntable populations, limiting off-road travel of vehicles in crucial deer winter ranges, and efforts to expand deer wintering ranges in the county.

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.

The majority of the area is at moderate to extreme on the fire risk index. There is a large fuel load build up along the Parowan Front and an alteration in fuel types. Pinyon and juniper trees have expanded and moved into areas once dominated by shrubs, forbs, and grasses. Tree densities have increased within pinyon and juniper habitat types. The potential for more extreme fires will intensify as densities of pinion and juniper increase. By reducing stand densities the possibility for future larger-scale stand replacing fire events will be decreased. An extreme fire event could lead to a loss of crucial habitat/understory vegetation and the potential for a noxious weed infestation. Without this project, fuel conditions are such that a wildfire may be difficult to contain, leading to an increased risk to firefighter and public safety, suppression effectiveness and natural resource degradation. Fire Regime Condition Class within the project areas is predominately FRCC 3 which is where fire regimes have been extensiviely altered and risk of losing key ecosystem components from fire is high. Treatments identified within this proposal, including seeding with more fire resistant vegetation, would help reduce hazardous fuel loads, create fuel breaks, and reduce the overall threat of a catastrophic wildfire which could impact the communities of Paragonah and outlying residential properties and infrastructure. Treatments in and around the sagebrush areas would break up continuous fuels and reduce the risk of wildfire entering these sensitive areas. Removing/thinning pinyon and juniper in a mosaic pattern would also break up continuous fuels and reduce the risk of a high intensity wildfire. Because there is a greater risk of conversion of shrublands to annual grasslands under a high intensity fire, managed, pro-active treatments proposed would reduce the likelihood of cheatgrass invasion and help perennial grasses, forbs, and shrubs persist long-term.

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.

In the lop and scatter process much of the bare soil will be covered by limbs and woody debris which will aid in the establishment of vegetative cover, which will reduce water runoff and decrease soil erosion into the Fremont Wash watershed. Implementation of this project will also greatly increase water infiltration into the soil, recharging groundwater systems in the area.
 Recent research Roundy, et. al.(2014) has shown that mechanical treatments to remove pinyon and juniper increase time that soil water is available. Even four years after treatment, treated areas showed from 8.6 days to 18 days additional water availability at high elevation sites. Additional research by Young, et. al. (2013) also showed a relationship between tree removal and soil climates and wet days on these sites, which while providing more available moisture for desired vegetation could also provide moisture for weeds. Numerous studies have shown that increased infiltration rates and less overland flow improve both water quality and quantity.

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.

Radio telemetry data from wintering mule deer will be used in the evaluation of this project.  The data will also be used to identify future treatments that may provide valuable stopover habitat during migratory movements.

PFC will also continue to be conducted on the perennial streams within and adjacent to the project area.   Monitoring for stands within the pinyon and juniper thin/lop and scatter polygon will include a walk-through as well as established plots on a five-by-five chain (330 ft.) grid during and following treatment to monitor compliance and to certify objectives for proper tree selection, spacing, stump, and slash heights. Percent quality will be recorded on inspection forms and can be loaded into the reporting section of the WRI data base upon completion. In addition, this site will be monitored on 5 - 10 year intervals using stand exams and walk thru exams to determine stand densities and stand structure. When a determination is made that the existing tree cover has exceeded desired densities (>25% SDI) a re-treatment will become necessary. At such a time both trees that have in-filled along with trees retained from the first thinning may be removed to reach desired densities.

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.