Project Details

Assisting with the implementation of the amended Habitat Conservation Plan, will allow us to minimize and mitigate the threats facing tortoises within the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve. Threats include habitat degradation, predation, disease and human related mortality. These threats to tortoise populations are imminent and urgent with tortoise populations declining roughly 50% since long-term monitoring began in 1998. In 2003, tortoise populations declined due to a combination of drought and disease. Catastrophic fires (e.g., 2005, 2020), which burned approximately 25% of tortoise habitat within the Reserve, have degraded habitat. Active management between the cooperative partners of the Reserve (i.e., local city governments, Washington County, Utah Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, etc.) is critical to minimize and mitigate threats to tortoises. Due to the number of potential threats within the Reserve and its proximity to rapidly growing communities, long-term monitoring and active management is critical to determine current management effectiveness, identify future concerns and threats, and ensure the continued existence of tortoises within the Reserve. Washington County has completed the renewal process and it is anticipated that UDNR will increase funding to meet long term commitments for tortoise recovery, with the ultimate goal of UDNR taking over funding and management responsibility for the desert tortoise.

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.

The overall goal of this project is to coordinate desert tortoise recovery activities within southwestern Utah. The objectives of this project include: 1) Perform administrative duties associated with implementation of the amended Washington County Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP); 2) Coordinate desert tortoise recovery activities for the Upper Virgin River Recovery Unit and the Northeastern Mojave Recovery Unit (Beaver Dam Slope Desert Wildlife Management Area); 3) Assist Washington County with regulatory activities (e.g., clearances, presence and absence surveys), monitor incidental take activities associated with the amended HCP, and assist Washington County in surveys on non-federal lands; 4) Implement desert tortoise regional density and population demographic monitoring in accordance with Recovery Plan objectives for the Upper Virgin River Recovery Unit, extending monitoring to the new Management Zone 6; 5) Implement, monitor, and evaluate the translocation of tortoises removed from designated HCP take areas and complete a Translocation Plan; 6) Monitor radio telemetered tortoises to quantify above ground activity patterns, long-term impacts of fire, and long term survival of radioed tortoises within the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve and 7) Develop a long-term management strategy for upland desert tortoise Mojave Desert restoration post burn and assist agency partners in habitat restoration projects on desert tortoise critical habitat within the Red Cliffs and Beaver Dam Wash NCA. Tasks for each objective are described in the Methods section below.

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.

The goals and objectives of this project are consistent with 29 goals and objectives from over 11 management plans. This project closely follows those recommendations listed in the Revised Recovery Plan for the Mojave Population of the Desert Tortoise (USFWS 2014) and the Recovery Plan for the Desert Tortoise (Mojave Population; USFWS 1994). Additionally, the Red Cliff's NCA RMP and the St. George Field Office RMP call for pro-active vegetation management efforts to protect a variety of resources, including wildlife, recreation, and cultural.
Revised Recovery Plan for the Mojave Population of the Desert Tortoise (USFWS 2011) and the Recovery Plan for the Desert Tortoise (Mojave Population; USFWS 1994)
*	Develop, support, and build partnerships to facilitate recovery (1)
*	Protect existing populations and habitat (2); Conserve intact desert tortoise habitat (2.1); Restore desert tortoise habitat (2.6 )
*	Augment depleted populations through a strategic program (3); Implement translocations in target areas to augment populations (3.4)
*	Monitor progress towards recovery (4); Monitor desert tortoise population growth (4.1); Monitor the extend of tortoise distribution in each recovery unit (4.2); Quantify the presence and intensity of threats to the desert tortoise across the landscape (4.4)
*	Conduct research on the restoration of desert tortoise habitat (5.2)
*	Implement an adaptive management program (6)
Recovery Action Plan for the Mojave Desert Tortoise in the Upper Virgin River (USFWS 2014)
*	Restore habitat in burned or otherwise disturbed areas; identify polygons of high potential or importance and create islands of seeded or planted habitat to enhance recovery (Priority 1, 4.02).
*	 Conduct habitat restoration by controlling cheat grass and other non-native and invasive plant species (Priority 1, 4.05).
*	Restore habitat with large-scale seeding or plantings within the Reserve (Priority 2, 4.03).
Recovery Action Plan for the Mojave Desert Tortoise in the Northeast Mojave (USFWS 2014)
*	Reduce coverage of exotic annual grasses and thus fire risk, and increase the coverage of native species and plant diversity (Priority 1, 1.02).
*	In recently-burned habitat on the Beaver Dam Slope, re-seed multiple polygons, no smaller than 40 acres each (Priority 3, 1.12).
Washington County Habitat Conservation Plan (WC 1995) 
*	Preserve and enhance desert tortoise populations and their habitat within the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve (1.5)
*	Provide protection for other listed and candidate species and their habitats (1.5)
*	Fund surveys and other actions to help gather information and identify and implement actions to help other listed and candidate species
Gila Monster Conservation Strategy (UDWR 2007)
*	Identify, maintain, protect, and enhance important habitat to protect and conserve Gila monsters in southwestern Utah (Goal 2)
*	Identify and implement management actions that would protect and enhance Gila monster habitat (2.2).
*	Maintain biological integrity of protected habitat areas (i.e., Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, 3.1.1)
Utah Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (UDWR 2005)
*	General Conservation Action to control and monitor invasive species with specific conservation action to protect and maintain habitat (6-2, 6-7).
*	Restore degraded habitat by managing previously or potentially suitable habitat to achieve or approach properly functioning condition with specific conservation action to maintain habitat integrity (6-2, 6-7).
*	 General Conservation Action to control and monitor invasive species with specific conservation action to protect and maintain habitat (6-2, 6-7).
Dixie Resource Area Resource Management Plan (BLM 1998) and Resource Management Plan for the Red Cliffs and Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Areas (BLM draft 2014)
*	Maintain wildlife habitats in properly functioning conditions to support natural wildlife diversity, reproductive capability, and appropriate human use and enjoyment (2.24)
*	Manage suitable public land habitats for the recovery or reestablishment of native populations through collaborative planning with local, state, and federal agencies, user groups, and interested organizations (2.24). 
*	Work with state, local, and other federal partners to minimize or eliminate the need for additional listing of species under the Endangered Species Act in Washington County (2.24)
Utah Mule Deer Statewide Management Plan (UDWR 2014)
*	Expand and improve mule deer populations throughout the state within the carrying capacity of available habitats and in consideration of other land uses (VI, pg 17).
*	Conserve, improve, and restore mule deer habitat throughout the state with emphasis on crucial ranges (VI, pg. 18).
Landscape Conservation Forecasting for Washington County's National Conservation Areas (TNC 2011)
*	Improve or maintain condition of all ecological systems; improve the condition of ecological systems that are currently in an undesirable (highly departed) condition (Pg. 4-5). 
*	For the six ecological systems that are vital tortoise habitat, reduce departure from desired future condition (tortoise habitat departure) from high to low (Pg 4). 
*	Protect reference vegetation classes, unburned and only once-burned shrubland classes (Pg. 4).
*	Decrease fuel loading and continuity to help reduce risk of loss from wildlife to natural and cultural resources in the NCA's (Pg. 4). 
Southwest Utah Support Area Fire Management Plan, Cedar City Office (BLM 2004)
*	Prevent invasive species and restore watershed function and biological communities through short-term stabilization and long term rehabilitation (II,A., pg. 11).
*	Restore healthy, diverse, and resilient ecological systems to minimize uncharacteristically severe fires on a priority watershed basis through long-term restoration (II,A., pg. 11). 
Virgin River (Watershed) Management Plan (WCWCD, 2006)
*	To maintain and enhance water quality and associated natural resources of the Virgin River Watershed by reducing soil erosion, wildfires and flooding (Chapter 1, III-14).

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.

Objective 1: Perform administrative duties associated with implementation of the amended Washington County Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP).
1.	Participate on the Washington County Habitat Conservation Plan Technical Committee (TC), completing tasks as assigned by the Habitat Conservation Advisory Committee (HCAC).
2.	Coordinate activities with the HCAC, Washington County, BLM, USFWS, and Snow Canyon State Park.
3.	Assist with the implementation of the HCP Public Use Plan and Human Impact Monitoring. 
4.	Assist with monitoring utility development protocol compliance for projects within incidental take and HCP reserve areas.
5.	Coordinate law enforcement activities with UDWR conservation officers, Washington County, and BLM.
6.	Assist with acquisition of non-federal Reserve lands through ESA Section 6 grant proposals.

Objective 2: Coordinate desert tortoise recovery activities for the Upper Virgin River Recovery Unit and the Northeastern Mojave Recovery Unit (Beaver Dam Slope Desert Wildlife Management Area, BDS DWMA).
1.	Participate on the desert tortoise Management Oversight Group providing biannual updates on UDNR/UDWR recovery activities and participate in range wide recovery activities. 
2.	Participate on the Recovery Implementation Teams for the Upper Virgin River Recovery Unit and the Northeastern Mojave Recovery Unit (BDS DWMA). 
3.	Identify restoration and management actions to achieve desert tortoise recovery and coordinate and identify viable funding sources to implement recovery.
4.	Coordinate implementation of recovery plan objectives within Beaver Dam Slope Critical Habitat Unit with BLM, Arizona, and Nevada. 
5.	Manage regional program activities to assist in the recovery of the desert tortoise.
6.	Participate in interstate tortoise passage and culvert working group. 
7.	Participate in interagency working group to identify Potential Regional Augmentation Sites in the Northeast Mojave Recovery Unit.
8.	Obtain appropriate training and remain current on conservation biology techniques. 
9.	Provide the Salt Lake Office the required information for the federal shell collection and handling permit.
10.	Provide the Salt Lake Office the required information to compile Section 6 funding requests. 
11.	Integrate current disease research into tortoise disease management protocols for the Recovery Units.

Objective 3. Assist Washington County with regulatory activities (e.g., clearances, presence and absence surveys), monitor incidental take activities associated with the amended HCP, and assist Washington County in surveys on non-federal lands.
1.	Cooperate with Washington County in conducting presence/absence and tortoise removal surveys within designated HCP incidental take areas.
2.	Assist with and monitor Washington County's facilities for holding displaced desert tortoises removed from designated take areas. 
3.	Coordinate and assist with the transfer, handling/holding, health, and disposition of displaced tortoises. 
4.	Review results of presence/absence and tortoise removal surveys and provide feedback to Washington County.
5.	Complete quarterly reports on monitoring of incidental take activities (October 2021, January 2022, April 2022, and July 2022). 
6.	Depending upon additional HCP funding, complete Systematic Clearances and annual Incidental Take Summary Reports which identify clearances requested, surveys conducted, uncoordinated take, as well as incidental take acreage.
7.	Work with Washington County to identify potential habitat on non-federal lands, prioritize areas for survey, and complete desert tortoise presence and absence surveys in these areas. 
8.	Identify relative occupancy and distribution in surveyed areas to determine current distribution of desert tortoises in Washington County. Update current distribution map of sign including deep winter burrows, shell remains, and live tortoises found. 
9.	Assist with the Shivwits Tribal land survey project in cooperation with the Shivwits Band, Washington County, Dixie State University, Southern Utah University, and Conserve Southwest Utah, providing technical assistance and oversight. Initiate intensive surveys to determine relative abundance and distribution of tortoises on Shivwits lands. 
10.	Using data obtained from presence and absence surveys, work with Washington County to prioritize areas on non-federal lands to complete tortoise clearance surveys. 
11.	Complete quarterly reports on survey activities to Washington County and HCAC (October 2021, January 2022, April 2022, and July 2022). 
12.	Complete final report on Desert Tortoise Surveys on nonfederal lands in Washington County (January 2022).

Objective 4. Implement desert tortoise regional density and population demographic monitoring in accordance with Recovery Plan objectives for the Upper Virgin River Recovery Unit, extending monitoring to the new Management Zone 6.
1.	Survey permanent long-term monitoring transects in burned habitat within the Cottonwood Trail Fire and Turkey Farm Road fire.  
2.	Maintain telemetered desert tortoises within Zone 3 of the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve. 
3.	Maintain a database on marked desert tortoises within Zones 2, 3 and 5 of the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve.  
4.	Analyze and complete a report on long term survival of desert tortoises within the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve using data collected from mark recapture plots (1983, 1988, 1994) and line distance sampling (1997 to 2019) to assess the effects of stochastic events (e.g., wildfire, disease), environmental variables (e.g., drought severity), spatial variables (e.g., management zone) and demographic covariates (e.g., age, sex, disease, condition). 
5.	Assess density of shell remains in burned areas and compare direct and latent impacts of the 2020 fires. 
6.	Assess density of live tortoises and compare with previous monitoring data (1998 to 2019). 
7.	Quantify impacts of direct and latent mortality on desert tortoises within burned areas, analyze data and prepare annual report for Washington County. 
8.	Complete quarterly reports on activities to Washington County and HCAC (October 2021, January 2022, April 2022, and July 2022).

Objective 5. Implement, monitor, and evaluate the translocation of tortoises removed from designated HCP take areas. Work with HCP agency partners to complete a desert tortoise Translocation Plan. 
1.	Process displaced animals prior to translocation (e.g. pit tag, ELISA test, etc.).  
2.	Coordinate translocation effort of displaced animals during the spring and fall. 
3.	Reevaluate the translocation technique at the end of the season and amend as appropriate. 
4.	Maintain a database on desert tortoises translocated into Zone 4 of the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve.  
5.	Analyze data to assess density, abundance, and survival of translocated tortoises as well as assess demographic data including age class distribution, sex ratio, and growth.
6.	Using data from presence and absence surveys and relative abundance surveys on non-federal lands within Washington County help identify and prioritize the need for establishing new potential translocation sites for displaced tortoises. UDWR will work with HCP partners to complete a Desert Tortoise Translocation Plan within two years of the signature of the renewed Washington county HCP (Jan 2023).

Objective 6. Monitor radio telemetered tortoises to quantify above ground activity patterns, long-term impacts of fire, and long term survival of radioed tortoises within the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve.
1.	Maintain radio telemetered desert tortoises within the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve.
2.	Assess above ground tortoise activity during monitoring season to estimate go for distance sampling.
3.	Assess long-term survival of radioed desert tortoises and compare pre and post burn survival estimates.
4.	Complete report on long term survival of desert tortoises, including those with transmitters, within the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve.

Objective 7. Develop a long-term management strateg

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.