Project Details

WNS is considered one of the worst wildlife diseases of modern times and threatens to decimate populations of many hibernating bat species. WNS has caused an overall estimated 90% decline in hibernating bat populations within the affected area and threatens regional or range-wide extinction in multiple species. Currently, 13 bat species, including two endangered species and one threatened species, have been confirmed with white-nose syndrome in North
America. Due to the effects of WNS, the northern long-eared bat is listed as threatened and is being reconsidered for endangered status. WNS's effects reversed hard-fought gains in the recovery of the endangered Indiana bat. The tricolored bat is on the USFWS listing workplan for FY21. Little brown bats, which are found in Utah, have been listed as endangered by the IUCN and Canada and is on the USFWS workplan for FY23.

Not all bat species are affected by WNS syndrome to the same degree. Some bat species show some resistance to WNS and some individuals of highly susceptible species (e.g., little brown bats, Myotis lucifugus) are persisting (Cheng et al. 2019, Dobony and Johnson 2018). There is no effective method available to treat bats in the wild or to fully control the spread and persistence of the pathogen in the environment, but many efforts to develop treatments and controls are being researched. Past management actions for reducing impacts of WNS on bat populations have primarily focused on reducing disturbance of bats through protection of hibernacula, and minimizing risks of human-assisted spread. Current WNS treatment/control efforts are focused on integrated approaches that combat the causative fungus directly or reduce infection and mortality in bats, as well as promoting overall health of bat populations to support resistance to and recovery from WNS.

UDWR has a WNS response protocol which outlines goals, objectives, and strategies first designed to prevent the disease from establishing in Utah and secondly to provide management and surveillance strategies should WNS be detected in the state (Roug et al. 2017). To date, WNS has not been documented in Utah, but given past rates of spread, is expected to be confirmed in the coming years. WNS was confirmed in Wyoming in 2018 and the causative fungus was potentially detected within Grand Canyon National Park in 2019. WNS has now been confirmed in six of eighteen species known from Utah, four of which
are only found in the western US. However, it is unknown how WNS will manifest in these newly impacted species and western populations of little brown bats.

Utah bat species identified with diagnostic symptoms of white-nose syndrome:
* Big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus)
* Fringed bat (Myotis thysanodes)
* Little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus)
* Long-legged bat (Myotis volans)
* Western long-eared bat (Myotis evotis)
* Yuma bat (Myotis yumanensis)

In addition to WNS, wind power is considered a growing threat to bat population, particularly migratory tree-roosting species. A widely publicized 2019 study reported that hoary bats populations in the Pacific Northwest are declining 2% a year (Rodhouse et al. 2019) which is consistent with a previous study that estimated the species could decline 90% in North America in the next 50 years (Frick et al. 2017). These two relatively novel threats are added to a background of roost disturbance and destruction, habitat alteration, among many other threats. Because of that, conservation of bat populations will require a holistic approach.
To address the multiple threats to bats we developed a conservation plan and WNS protocol. Both plans call for monitoring that guides conservation actions. Since 2009, Utah has been conducting routine monitoring of bat populations that has informed a wide variety of conservation actions. We now have among the most robust pre-WNS pictures of bat populations and are uniquely poised to determine the impacts of WNS on bat occupancy and distribution as it affects western species. Over the years, we have been able to generate basic occupancy estimates, trend analyses, and presence data. Now, with 5 sampling occasions, we would like to complete more thorough analyses looking at trends in light of habitat associations, drought, and threats. We would also compare outputs from Utah sampling to more recent regional sampling efforts.

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.

Utah Bat Conservation Plan -identifies population monitoring as the most important tool for guiding, evaluating, and adapting bat management Utah white-nose syndrome protocol - Prior to the detection of WNS in Utah- conduct activities to prevent or delay WNS spread and prepare Utah for the arrival of WNS through communication, bat population monitoring, disease surveillance, disease prevention, and public education. Obtain and compile baseline information on bat species distribution, relative abundance, and hibernacula counts. Identify and protect sites used by bats for hibernation or maternity colonies. Collect and curate existing data to help guide WNS management.

White-nose syndrome national plan- this project's objectives support the Communication and Outreach (Actions A.2.1.4, A.2.3.1 and 2), Disease Surveillance (Actions F.2.1.b and c) and Conservation and Recovery (Actions G.2.1.1, 2 and 3, G.3.3.1, 4, and 7) goals outlined in the National Response Plan.

North American B
at Conservation Partnership Strategic Plan - supports priority research actions.
Wildlife Action Plan- directly addresses threats to the Allen's big-eared bat, big free-tailed bat, fringed myotis, Townsend's big-eared bat, western red bat, and Yuma myotis identified in the Wildlife Action Plan and executes conservation actions for those species including: population research and monitoring; habitat research and monitoring; evaluating population response to change; and protecting significant areas.

Species Conservation Assessment and Conservation Strategy for the Townsend's Big-eared Bat - WAFWA MOU "to identify, protect, and restore important habitats and viable Corynorhinus townsendii populations throughout the species' range in the western United States"

Also supports actions identified in DoD INRMPs, BLM RMPs, and USFS plan.

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.