Project Details

Currently the Cedar Valley aquafer is being depleted forcing the Utah Division of Rights to start cutting water rights.  Watershed health is commonly overlooked in aquafer depletion situations.   As the southwest experiences record growth amidst record drought, the demand for water could be considered one of the greatest issues effecting Iron County right now.  The watershed the feeds the Cedar Valley has reach ecological climates and is primed for large scale wildfire that would have devastating effects of the community and current water systems.

Wildlife habitat is the primary use of the private land with the management.  With the improvements to property, including the fire rehab from the Shurtz Canyon Fire in 2016, and the planned treatments that the BLM is planning in adjacent areas on the landscape wildlife will be able to use this habitat longer and reduce the amount of time that wildlife, primarily deer are in residential and agricultural areas. 
Big Game use this area as critical migration and stopover habitat as documented by collar data by the UDWR (see map in photo section).  Collared mule deer pass through this area in the early fall and spring as mule deer and elk transition from winter to summer range.  Often mule deer will give birth in this area increasing the need for nutritious forage for lactating females and their offspring. Improving range conditions will improve body condition for big game.  Improved body condition will improve survival and condition of the animal once it reaches its winter range which is a critical element for big game winter survival. The area has one of the larger deer herds in the state with approximately 15,000 animals.  This unit is one of the premier general season deer hunting units in Utah and provides ample hunting opportunity to the public.  The Zion unit is also home to a population of elk that provide one of the few over-the-counter any-bull general season hunting opportunities for elk in the state.  Improving and maintaining habitat condition in the Zion unit is important to sustaining wildlife viewing and hunting opportunities that benefit the public.  By doing so, we are also maintaining and enhancing economic stability in surrounding rural communities.  Many of these rural incomes rely on wildlife and wildlife habitat as a source of income.   Cougar hunting is popular in this area because its access and the harvest objective status.  Currently a mountain lion from the Manti Unit has be using this area for the past 2 months.  
This project area is identified as "priority for restoration of crucial mule deer habitat" under the Utah Statewide Mule Deer Management Plan (Utah Statewide Mule Deer Management Plan, 2019-2024).  "Crucial" is defined as "habitat necessary to sustain the areas mule deer herd".  Allowing the area to remain in phase 2 and 3 pinyon and juniper encroachment means less quality habitat to meet mule deer objectives.  This project will specifically meet the objective of "working with local, state and federal land management agencies via land management plans and with private landowners to identify and properly manage crucial mule deer habitats, especially fawning, wintering and migration areas".  The Zion Unit Mule Deer Management Plan specifically states to "reduce expansion of Pinyon-Juniper woodlands into sagebrush habitats and improve habitats dominated by Pinyon-Juniper woodlands by completing habitat restoration projects like lop & scatter, bullhog, and chaining" (Zion Mule Deer Management Plan, 2020).   
It is important to note that, up till 1/5/2022 this project would have been in combination with the BLM proposal number 5629.  Due to internal concerns at the BLM, the decision was made to wait a year before that proposal was submitted.  This project will likely be funded through the NRCS, but partnering funds will be needed to complete the project.
Recent data shows a decrease in Pinyon Jay populations.  It is important to note that pinyon jays need health pinyon-juniper forest. As per the sage steppe guidelines PJ density is designated phase of succession (Phases I-III) Phase one being the most sparse, young trees, and Phase three being the most dense, old trees lacking understory. Research has shown large landscapes of Phase II and Phase III trees are vulnerable to parasites, disease and large-scale die offs from drought (see Greenwood et al.). Pinyon Jays rely on pinyon and juniper forest for food, cover, and nesting. Large scale die offs of Pinyon would and do have negative effects on pinyon jay populations. Creating healthy mosaics increase the diversity across the landscape. Of the site proposed for treatment. According the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources pinyon jays "nests are located in trees, usually conifers, five to thirty feet off the ground".  The islands of trees will be left as we continue the planning process and obtain the areas that need to avoided for cultural resources and wildlife.  By removing trees in these areas, we are improving the ecological value of the landscape.

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.

1.  Currently the landowners/livestock producers are tolerant of wildlife use of their property.  Wildlife, primarily mule deer and elk use these properties in migration as transitional habitat.  Increasing forage, and land productiveness, will help offset conflicts with private landowners/livestock producers, while increasing the forage for wildlife and contributing to a diverse plant community.
2.  Fire is a threat if left untreated due the dense stand of pinyon and juniper, that could threaten older age class ponderosa pine forest and private structures in the area.  With the current fuel loads and the hundreds of acres of continuous fuel loading in the Shurtz Canyon drainage and neighboring drainages, a fire would quickly become catastrophic and threat hundreds of thousands of dollars in private structures, including homes, threaten the livestock industry of Southwest Utah, devastate multiple watersheds, and have lasting negative effects on wildlife and fish that depend on clean water and healthy enact riparian areas.
3.  Sheet and Rill erosion contributes to the amount of sediment from the late phase II pinyon juniper sites that lack under story.  With the mastication, mulch will cover the bare soil while seeds are established.  Decreasing soil erosion and moisture lost, while increasing soil moisture holding availability and cover of the soil.  In areas in or near the treatment sites that have been cleared and seed have proved to be very successful (see pictures for details).
4.  This project will increase and maintain the availability of a diverse suite of vegetational communities.  A healthy landscape has a diversity of vegetational states within an ecological site.  A diverse landscape benefits a larger community of wildlife species and people.  A diverse landscape is also more resistance and resilient to disturbance.  By allowing this landscape to continue to move further into a dominant PJ woodland it increases the risk of its resistance to disturbance and its resilience to bounce back and heal after a disturbance. 
5.  This project will directly and indirectly affect positively high interest game.  Mule deer and elk are found in the project area.  Mule deer could use this area for a staging area in their migration, as has been seen on other projects on the neighboring Parowan Front; allowing deer to be in better condition as they enter the winter range and allows the deer to spend less time on sensitive winter ranges.  Elk will use this area from the fall to spring, if weather does not force them to lower elevations.   In consultation with the wildlife biologist over this unit, he would prefer that the elk and mule deer remain in these areas longer, because it would give managers a chance to manage them, rather when they enter Zion National Park and management is not an option.  See in the "Need for Project" section the critical importance of this area to big game.  This area is necessary for sustainable big game populations.
6.   A species of greatest resource concern that has been documented in the area is the California Condor.  Condors summer near Kolob Reservoir (6 miles south) and the release site is approximately 2 miles to the east, the open areas will increase the visibility of condors as they search for carrion.  The anticipated increase in herbivore use would theatrically increase the number of carcasses available to the condors also.  Working with Hawk Watch that monitor condors on the Zion we were told "that any improvements for ungulates will benefit condors and their populations". With this treatment condor habitat will be improved.  The Utah Division of wildlife has worked worked with partners for years to provide lead free ammo to those that have deer or elk tag for these units.  This program is successful in getting lead free ammo in the hands of sportsmen, which may correlate with fewer condors being lost from ingesting lead from carcasses.
7.  As previously stated, because this area has been identified as a critical migration corridor for mule deer habitat, we feel that the need for project and importance should be elevated because of the overall impact of the habitat to these species of wildlife.  Another ecological qualifier for elevating this project is that the project falls within an identified Bird Habitat Conservation Area (BHCA) as previously discussed.  The project will also address multiple conservation needs for several bird species not reflected in the species section of this proposal.

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.

1.  Utah Mule Deer Statewide Plan (12/5/2019-12/5/2024)
"Work with local, state and federal land management agencies via land management plans and with private landowners to identify and properly manage crucial mule deer habitats, especially fawning, wintering, and migration areas"
"Work with local, state and federal land management agencies and ranchers to properly manage livestock to enhance crucial mule deer ranges."
"Minimize impacts and recommend mitigation for losses of crucial habitat due to human impacts."
"Continue to support and provide leadership for the Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative, which emphasizes improving sagebrush-steppe, aspen, and riparian habitats throughout Utah."
"Support existing and explore additional incentive programs for landowners that will increase tolerance, enhance habitat, and promote deer populations on private lands such as the CWMU, landowner permit, Walk-In Access programs, etc."
 This project falls in the Crucial Mule Deer Habitat Priorities.
2.  Deer Herd Unit Management Plan, Deer Herd # 29, Zion
"A major proportion of both summer and winter habitat for deer on this unit is on private land. Therefore, it is paramount to work with private landowners to maintain both summer and winter habitat."
"Reduce expansion of Pinion-Juniper woodlands into sagebrush habitats and improve habitats dominated by Pinion-Juniper woodlands by completing habitat restoration projects like lop & scatter, bullhog, and chaining."
 "Work toward long-term habitat protection and preservation through agreements with land management agencies and local governments, the use of conservation easements, etc. on private lands and working toward blocking up UDWR properties through land exchanges with willing partners."
3.  Utah Statewide Elk Management Plan
*"Continue to provide incentive programs for landowners that will encourage elk populations on private land such as the CWMU, Landowner Association, and WalkIn Access programs."
* "Increase forage production by annually treating a minimum of 40,000 acres of elk habitat.'
* "Coordinate with land management agencies, conservation organizations, private landowners, and local leaders through the regional Watershed Restoration Initiative working groups to identify and prioritize elk habitats that are in need of enhancement or restoration.
i) Identify habitat projects on summer ranges (aspen communities) to improve calving habitat.
ii) Encourage land managers to manage portions of forests in early succession stages through the use controlled burning and logging. Controlled burning should only be used in areas with minimal invasive weed and/or safety concerns."
4.  USFWS Partners for Fish and Wildlife Strategic Plan
"Project addresses habitat threats for a priority species within a PFW priority area (Plateau Focus Area) for restoration work."
5. Utah Catastrophic Wildfire Reduction Strategy
"Reduce fire risk by managing and removing invasive species."
6.  Intermountain West Joint Venture Habitat Conservation Strategy
"Support existing public-private partnerships to implement sagebrush habitat conservation, at regional, state, and local scales."
"Remove encroaching conifers to functionally restore sagebrush habitat."
7.  Utah Wildlife Action Plan
"Gamble Oak and Mountain Shrub is a key habitat identified in the WAP."
"WAP identifies inappropriate fire frequency as a threat to Gamble Oak and Mountain Shrub habitat.  This project will reduce future fire risk and act as a fire buffer to adjacent higher risk areas."
8. State of Utah Resource Management Plan
"Actively remove pinyon-juniper encroachment other ecological sites due to its substantial consumption of water its detrimental effects on sagebrush, other vegetation, and wildlife."
"Conserve, improve, and restore 500,000 acres of mule deer habitat throughout the state with emphasis on crucial ranges."
"Work with landowners, federal government and private organizations to conserve valuable wildlife habitat and winter range along urban interface."
"Develop mechanisms and policies to incentivize private landowners throughout Utah to conserve valuable wildlife habitat throughout Utah."
9. Iron County Resource Management Plan
"Iron County encourages vegetative treatments for maximum yield of forage and rangeland health."
 "Goals include making sure there is quality forage, water, cover, space and security sufficient to support productive populations. This includes conserving habitat for migratory birds, maintaining vegetation treatments that benefit wildlife, prioritizing treatments to improve habitats and coordinating predator control."
10. Southwest Working Third 5-year Review-2012 for California Condor
"The recovery strategy for the California condor is to focus on:  maintaining habitat for condor recovery and to provide foraging habitat"
11.  SECRETARIAL ORDER NO. 3362: DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Subject: Improving Habitat Quality in Western Big-Game Winter Range and Migration
Corridors
Sec. 1 Purpose. This Order directs appropriate bureaus within the Department of the Interior
(Department) to work in close partnership with the states of Arizona, California, Colorado,
Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming to enhance
and improve the quality of big-game winter range and migration corridor habitat on Federal
lands under the management jurisdiction of this Department in a way that recognizes state
authority to conserve and manage big-game species and respects private property rights.
Through scientific endeavors and land management actions, wildlife such as Rocky Mountain
Elk (elk), Mule Deer (deer), Pronghorn Antelope (pronghorn), and a host of other species will
benefit. Additionally, this Order seeks to expand opportunities for big-game hunting by
improving priority habitats to assist states in their efforts to increase and maintain sustainable big game populations across western states.
12.  UTAH ACTION PLAN For Implementation of Department of the Interior Secretarial Order #3362 as being important big game migration and stopover habitat.  This project will help meet the objective of "targeted habitat treatment projects in deer winter ranges and stopover areas that could be used to bolster deer populations" (UTAH ACTION PLAN For Implementation of Department of the Interior Secretarial Order #3362, 2020).

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.

This project will decrease the risk of high severity wildfire by reducing fuel loading and promoting the growth of understory vegetation, which are critical to maintaining ecosystem resilience.   As demonstrated by the nearby Brianhead fire during the summer of 2017, treatments like these can break up the continuity of fuels and act as fuel breaks.  This project will do the same if a fire ignited nearby where fuel loading is heavy in phase 3 pinyon and juniper invaded sites.    
The current fire regime condition class is moderate (2) and would be reduced to low (1) immediately after treatment. The habitat type has been identified in the 2015-2025 Utah Wildlife Action Plan that lowland sagebrush is a key habitat and the threats associated with this key habitat are inappropriate fire frequency and intensity. This project will help to achieve this goal.  Reducing the threat of wildfire is important because of the critical nature of this habitat to mule deer and elk.  
Completing this project and reducing the risk of fire will help to protect important sagebrush steppe and mountain brush habitat that is critical for priority species including, but not limited to, mule deer and elk.  
Other fire risk include come homes at the mouth of Shurtz Canyon, the BLM's planned campground and new trail head and numerous cabins on Cedar Mountain and the Kolob Reservoir Watershed.
This project will also help to protect the springs and wetlands.  If a high severity fire were to move through the area water soil infiltration would decrease, erosion will increase, and the potential for water to get into the aquifer will decrease and spring flows may decrease.

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.

Reducing the amount of pinyon/juniper will increase and prolong stream flows, while reducing erosion caused by bare soil. The species planted will help stabilize the soil and reduce erosion. Kormas et al. found that drainage's dominated with juniper experience "snow water equivalent peaks higher, snow melts out earlier, and more water is lost to evapotranspiration in catchments when compared to sagebrush steppe vegetation".
In a study from 2008, Deboodt, et. al (2008) mentions that juniper trees can use up to 30 gallons of water a day, when adequate moisture is present.  It also states that Vegetative modeling has shown that 9 to 35 trees per acre can utilize all the precipitation delivered to a site in a 13-in annual precipitation zone. In their study researchers monitored two watersheds 12 years prior to treatment (cutting).  After the treatment analysis indicated that juniper reduction significantly increased late season spring flow by 225%, increased days of recorded groundwater by an average of 41 days , and increased the relative availability of late season soil moisture to soil depths of .76 meters.  It was also noted that managing vegetation for water yield may be obtainable at a much lower precipitation threshold than what was previously understood.
Baker, et. al (1984) found a 157% increase in stream flows over a 147 ha pinyon and juniper treatment. 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. 
It is important to note that the Shurtz Creek drainage is flows to the Cedar Valley, and the Cedar Valley aquifer.  As noted in the need for the project the Cedar Valley aquifer is declining and efforts from multiple stakeholders are in effect to recharge and conserve the aquifer.  Improving watershed health is will help hold water longer (snow pack) and allow for infiltration into the soil and potentially to the ground water. 
Roth, et. All (2017) stated snow pack is deeper and last longer in the open site at the low and mid sites (4-26 and 11-33 days, respectively).  
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.
Reducing pinyon and juniper trees, according the available research should increase snow pack, and time that snow pack is on the ground, increase spring flows, and increase soil moisture.  It is expected that similar results will happen in this area after the treatment takes place.  
Several unnamed seeps have been improved by the previous landowners to hold water in ponds.  We will plan removing the trees near and around the seeps in an effort to increase water flows from the seeps, increasing the surface water.

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.

Private Landowners will contribute their assistance from the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) to the project.

Utah Division Wildlife Resources hold the data associated with the migration initiative and a will potentially set up a vegetation trend monitoring site on the project.

A Farm Bill Biologist will also contract and implement the project, as well as continue to plan it.

Natural Resource Conservation Service-is working with the landowners to plan and carry out the project.  Through Environmental Quality Incentive Program potential funding will be available.  
USFWS will be providing planning/implementation support and is one of the project managers working closely with Stan Gurley from NRCS/UDWR on work directly tied to private land.  U.S Fish and Wildlife Service is a supporter of the project and encourages it completion to for other non-game and sensitive species found in this unique habitat.
Bureau of Land Management Cedar City Field Office- Original proposal was to include approximately 1,500 acres of BLM ground, but due to NEPA issues they did not feel able to submit their proposal this year.  This project will tie directly into their treatments.

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.

Wildlife is abundant in the area and of high interest to public and private stakeholders in the area.  Wildlife viewing and hunting takes place on the property.  The landowners will allow the public to hunt if they follow State law and obtain written permission before accessing the property.
The area has one of the larger deer herds in the state with approximately 15,000 animals.  This unit is one of the premier general season deer hunting units in Utah and provides ample hunting opportunity to the public.  The Zion unit is also home to a population of elk that provide one of the few over-the-counter any-bull general season hunting opportunities for elk in the state.  Improving and maintaining habitat condition in the Zion unit is important to sustaining wildlife viewing and hunting opportunities that benefit the public.  By doing so, we are also maintaining and enhancing economic stability in surrounding rural communities.  Many of these rural incomes rely on wildlife and wildlife habitat as a source of income.

Turkeys are found throughout Shurtz Creek and provide hunting and viewing opportunities for the public and private landowners.  Hunting takes place with general season and limited entry tags, providing opportunities for youth to have hunts with less pressure and greater success.  The property owner will provide access to hunters that approach them and are willing to allow the public to hunt as long as they follow current State of Utah Trespassing laws, which require written permission.

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.