Project Details

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.

Several agency and private conservation groups have overlapping goals set for Condor recovery efforts in Utah. Some of the key management actions that are shared between these programs are as follows: Reduction of lead contamination for Condors and other wildlife, preserving critical habitats, engaging and educating the public about the threats to California Condors, and the value of open space for wildlife and livestock.

A few specific management plans to which the Deep Creek Condor Easement project aligns with are as follows:

1. Utah Wildlife Action Plan.
This project will benefit several species listed in Utah's Wildlife Action Plan (WAP) as "species of greatest conservation need" and "high interest game" species. For a list of benefitting species see the "Species" section of this proposal. 
The focal species of the proposed conservation easement is the California Condor. The WAP plan lists lead poisoning as the biggest threat to Condors in Utah. The Deep Creek property is an essential forage area and capture/release area for Condors; Acting as the main hub of the Peregrine Fund's effort to monitor Condor movements and combat lead poisoning. The WAP also lists the following life history information for the Condor:

-The largest North American land bird is a member of the vulture family and subsists entirely on carrion; reproduces very slowly, highly susceptible to lead poisoning which impedes population increase and subsequent recovery.
- Inquisitive birds, not especially afraid of people. Recovery team partners have developed
programs to train condors, to the degree possible, to avoid humans.
- Low reproductive potential and small population size are being addressed through continued,bi-annual releases of captive-reared birds.
- One of the most endangered birds in the world, with fewer than 500 individuals in existence.
ESA-listed as Endangered, with 10j Status in the southwestern Utah, and is a Utah State
Sensitive Species.

2. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Condor Recovery Program.  
Several status reviews of reintroduction programs in the Southwest for 10(j) populations have indicated that the Cedar Mountain/Kolob Terrace area remains a vital part of the reintroduction program or experimental 10(j) population recovery program. Current monitoring of Condors in the Southwest place nearly 70-80 percent of them in this area of Utah. A limiting factor for Condors was the lack of clean lead free carrion. The Deep Creek Easement will be an area closed to hunting and will provide clean Condor food in the form of livestock or native wildlife.

3. The Peregrine Fund Condor Recovery Program.
The Peregrine Fund is the primary organization over the Condor recovery program in Utah and Arizona. Through the Peregrine Fund's GPS monitoring we have learned of the great importance of the Deep Creek area for condor foraging habitat (See Peregrine Fund support letter). In fact, the parents of the Condor chick that hatched in Zion NP in 2019 were confirmed to be using the Deep Creek area extensively as forage habitat. The Peregrine Fund operates a capture and release facility upon the Deep Creek Easement property that is vital to their efforts in capturing and tagging Condors and in fighting lead poisoning.

4. Utah Division of Wildlife Non-Lead Ammo Program.
The Deep Creek Condor project is a potential educational opportunity to help the UDWR's non-lead ammo program. The UDWR has an incentive program in place to encourage hunters to use non-lead ammo during big game hunting seasons. The program has strategic stations at the access points to the Zion Wildlife Management Unit which is the unit in which the Deep Creek property lies. The importance of the Deep Creek area and it's close proximity to areas that are hunted actively could be used as motivation for hunters to make the voluntary switch to non-lead ammo.

5. UDWR Strategic Plan.
The UDWR strategic plan has a specific resource goal which is to "conserve, enhance, and actively manage Utah's protected wildlife populations". In the strategic plan under this resource goal the Deep Creek Condor project aligns closely with "Objective R2" which is to: "Maintain existing wildlife habitat and increase the quality of critical habitats and watersheds throughout the state". The Deep Creek Condor project also aligns with UDWR's constituency goal which is to "strengthen support for wildlife management by demonstrating the value and importance of wildlife to all Utahns". Specifically the Deep Creek Condor project is a showcase of private and public partnerships and highlights the effectiveness of having multiple stakeholders invested in a project. This helps achieve UDWR's "Objective C8" under the constituency goal which is to: "maintain and/or increase public understanding and political support for our agency and Utah's wildlife."

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.