Project Details

The aim of this ongoing project is to provide technical and field support for the implementation of conservation agreements for Utah's rare plant species. To date, we have provided eleven years of support to the Penstemon Conservation Agreement (PCT 2014), eight years of support to the Goose Creek Milkvetch Conservation Agreement (GCMCT 2015), and three years of support for the 2022 Milkvetch Conservation Agreement (MCT 2022). All three of these conservation agreements require significant monitoring design and implementation, data analyses and interpretation, and other technical support activities, but there are limited resources with which to complete these tasks. This project fills significant gaps in coordination, field assistance, and population viability analysis expertise needs that are essential for fulfilling conservation actions required for the six species covered under these Agreements. The needs that will be addressed in FY2026 for each of the conservation agreements are detailed below. 
Penstemon Conservation Agreement. This agreement has been successfully implemented for over ten years (July 2014-present). Graham's beardtongue (Penstemon grahamii) and White River beardtongue (Penstemon albifluvis) are oil shale endemics that are restricted to the Mahogany Ledge member of the Green River Formation in the Uinta Basin of Utah and the Piceance Basin of Colorado (USFWS 2013a, 2013b). The 2014 conservation agreement (PCT2014) was developed to preclude listing due to threats from energy development across the species' oil shale barren habitats. A multi-agency Penstemon Conservation Team is charged with implementing conservation measures required by the July 2014 Penstemon Conservation Agreement. Ecological and demographic monitoring was reimplemented in 2020 and will continue for the life of the agreement (2034). Proposed activities for FY2026 comprise: 1) Technical support for ongoing implementation of the Agreement; 2) Preparation of the 11th Penstemon Conservation Agreement Annual Report; 3) The tenth year of post-transplant monitoring at the Graham's beardtongue experimental site; and 4) the sixth year of the revised range wide population monitoring program. The 2026 monitoring effort will comprise revisiting eighteen established macroplots (8 Grahams and 10 White River) and associated data analyses and reporting.
Goose Creek Milkvetch Conservation Agreement. Goose Creek Milkvetch (Astragalus anserinus) is endemic to tuffaceous soils in the Goose Creek drainage in Cassia County, Idaho, Elko County, Nevada, and Box Elder County, Utah (Goose Creek Milkvetch Conservation Team [GCMCT] 2015 and references therein). A multi-agency conservation agreement and strategy was implemented in 2015 between BLM and USFWS field offices in Utah, Idaho, and Nevada (GCMCT 2015). A five-year range wide monitoring project to assess the species' life history, ecology, and population trends was conducted from 2017-2021 with in-depth data analyses and interpretation of those results completed as part of this project in FY2022 (Wheeler and Hornbeck 2022) and is being compiled into a manuscript for publication in early 2025. Monitoring will need to be continued, all or in part, for the life of the agreement (2015-2045), including technical support for analysis and projections of population trend using the 2017-2025 monitoring data. The 2017-2021 results provided important insights into the life history and population behavior of this species and is likely to inform the demography of other Astragalus species in Utah -- particularly the three Southeastern Utah endemic Astragali (MCT 2022). Proposed activities for FY2026 comprise continued technical support and preparation of monitoring and annual reports.
Southeastern Utah Milkvetch Conservation Agreement. Isely's milkvetch (Astragalus iselyi), Cisco milkvetch (Astragalus sabulosus var. sabulosus), and Stage Station milkvetch (Astragalus sabulosus var. vehiculus) are closely related, locally endemic species that are each restricted to unique soils of the Mancos, Morrison, and/or Paradox formations in southeastern Utah (Welsh 1998; Goodrich et al. 1999). Proposed activities for FY2026 include implementation of range wide species-specific monitoring programs for these species, and analysis and interpretation of monitoring data to inform current conservation status and management needs. Currently estimated range-wide population sizes are 3,192 Isley's milkvetch individuals, 4,692 Cisco milkvetch individuals, and 1,831 Stage Station milkvetch individuals (Reisor in Jones et al. 2021). Monitoring plots for Cisco and Stage milkvetch were established in 1998 (Franklin 1999) but weren't formally revisited until 2021 (Wellard and Wheeler 2021) as part of monitoring implementation under the 2022 Agreement and Strategy (Milkvetch Conservation Team [MCT] 2022). Monitoring methods that quantify the density and reproductive status of populations of these species is required under the 2022 Agreement and Strategy, with density and demographic plots established for two of the three species from 2022 to 2024. 
Isely's milkvetch (Welsh 1974), Cisco milkvetch (Welsh 1979), and Stage Station milkvetch (Welsh 1998) are all short-lived perennials with aboveground life spans estimated at 3-5 years (Wellard and Wheeler 2021). This shared life history characteristic suggests that a long-lived seed bank is present and is vital to long-term population viability. Like other locally-endemic Utah Astragalus species -- Goose Creek milkvetch and Holmgren's milkvetch -- it is likely that a significant proportion of the population is in the soil seed bank at any given time. Understanding inputs to, and the longevity of, the soil seed banks for all three species will be essential to our understanding of their life histories and long-term conservation. Like Goose Creek milkvetch, the three milkvetch monitoring program seeks to address: 1) interannual changes in aboveground plant density; 2) population structure and interannual fluctuations in survival, growth, and fecundity, particularly in response to precipitation amounts and timing; 3) the relationship between reproductive outputs (flowers, fruits, and seeds) and plant size; and 4) seed viability, longevity, germination rates and timing and any seed predation. While we do not expect to be able to obtain all four types of data for all three species, we plan to obtain all four types of data for at least one species and integrate those results to inform the management and conservation of all three. To date we have: 1) established three density plots for A. iselyi and one for A. vehiculus; 2) established five demographic monitoring transects for A. iselyi and one demographic transect for A. vehiculus; 3) assessed reproductive outputs relative to plant size for A. iselyi in May 2023 (seed collections were completed at the site in June 2023); and 4) installed three seed bank study plots for A. iselyi in fall 2023. FY2026 activities will include revisiting the density macroplots and demographic transects for A. iselyi and A. vehiculus, quantifying reproductive outputs at one or more sites, collection of 180 A. iselyi seeds (60 per site) for viability testing, seed collections, and statistical analyses to assess sample size adequacy, plant density, and population structure for inclusion in the MCT's annual reports. In addition, activities within the current project year (FY2025) will include compilation and maintenance of species-specific climate databases (PRISM 2025).
Proposed activities for FY2026 are to: 1) provide technical and field support for continued density, demographic, reproductive output, and seed bank monitoring for A. iselyi and A. vehiculus; 3) continue to evaluate and implement alternative monitoring approaches for A. sabulosus (drone monitoring and/or periodic site censuses); and 4) perform data management and analyses, develop preliminary population models, and summarize the results of the above into annual monitoring and status reports for the MCT.

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 purpose of the Utah Rare Plant Conservation Agreement Support project is to provide technical and monitoring support to the Penstemon Conservation Team for ongoing implementation of the 2014 Penstemon Conservation Agreement (PCT 2014), technical support to the 2015 Goose Creek Milkvetch Conservation Agreement (GCMCT 2015); and technical and monitoring support to the 2022 Conservation Agreement and Strategy for Cisco milkvetch, Stage Station milkvetch, and Isely's milkvetch (MCT 2022). The outcomes and/or products of the FY2026 tasks will comprise: 1) Penstemon Conservation Team meeting coordination and logistics, and preparation and finalization of annual meeting minutes; 2) compilation, editing, and finalization of the 2025 PCT Annual Report; 3) approximately 80 hours of range-wide Penstemon population monitoring assistance, management and analysis of the 2025 monitoring data, and preparation of the 2025 monitoring report; 4) approximately 12 hours of Penstemon restoration site monitoring, data management and analysis of 2025 data, and preparation of a summary report; 5) technical assistance on the analysis of Goose Creek milkvetch monitoring data (seed bank and demographic monitoring) and preparation of annual reports; and 6) approximately 100 hours of technical support and field monitoring for Isely's, Cisco, and Stage Station milkvetch, including data analyses and reporting. All tasks will be completed no later than June 30, 2026, with project activities and monitoring results summarized for the respective conservation teams, ESMF, and agency and landowner stakeholders as needed.

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 six species addressed by this ongoing project are all narrow endemics with limited distribution and abundance. The existing and proposed monitoring locations were selected based on recent and historic location information, current population densities, and land ownership. All monitoring sites for these species are located in occupied habitats on federally-managed (BLM, USFS) or state-managed (SITLA) lands. These land management entities are signatories to the respective conservation agreement and strategy for these species. Further, all six species have been precluded from listing under the Endangered Species Act through the development and implementation of multi-agency conservation agreements with defined objectives and implementation timelines. All of the activities proposed here are required by, or directly inform the objectives of, these conservation agreements, and must be completed within limited time frames. Failure to implement these conservation agreements within the prescribed timelines could result in these species being reconsidered for listing.

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 2014 Agreement requires that the Penstemon Conservation Team oversees the implementation of the conservation actions listed in the document, meets at least annually to review conservation actions, and produces an annual report (PCT 2014 Section 6.1). The activities proposed here would support these requirements by providing technical assistance, compilation of the 2025 annual report, range-wide monitoring of Penstemon populations, and monitoring of Penstemon transplants to support development of restoration methods and future restoration initiatives. 
The 2015 Goose Creek Milkvetch Conservation Agreement (GCMCT 2015) requires annual monitoring of populations and threats. The monitoring data analyses proposed here will support objective 5 of the Agreement and ongoing adaptive management. 
The 2022 Cisco, Stage Station, and Isely's milkvetch Conservation Agreement and Strategy requires four levels of monitoring, including population and habitat monitoring (section 7 level 1) and monitoring to assess current conditions. The planning and monitoring implementation activities proposed here address this requirement. Implementation of conservation actions includes $5,000-$7,000 in annual funding from DWR through 2026 (Section 8, Table 3).

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.

The FY2026 Utah Rare Plant Conservation Agreement Support project tasks comprise: 1) Penstemon Conservation Team support; 2) Preparation of a 2025 PCT Annual Report; 3) Range-wide Penstemon population monitoring; 4) Penstemon transplant monitoring; 5) Goose Creek milkvetch monitoring technical support; and 7) Isely, Cisco, and Stage milkvetch monitoring technical support. Task 1: Penstemon Conservation Team Support. Attend approximately 2-4 conference calls during the project year. The purpose of Manzanita Botanical's participation in Penstemon Conservation Team meetings is to provide technical expertise regarding the development and implementation of the conservation agreement to date, and on Penstemon locations, threats, monitoring, and restoration planning. The proposed budget for this task comprises 20 hours for attending meetings, compiling agendas and meeting minutes, and other technical support (20 x $75.00 = $1,500.00) and 4 hours of in-kind labor contributed by Manzanita Botanical ($300.00), total $1,800.00.  
Task 2: Penstemon Conservation Team 2023 Annual Report. J. Hope Hornbeck (Manzanita Botanical) has assisted the Penstemon Conservation Team with compilation, formatting, and finalization of the Team's annual reports from 2015 to present. These reports are published on the State Institutional Trust Lands Administration's website at: https://trustlands.utah.gov/stewardship-project/penstemon-conservation-agreement. Manzanita Botanical will assist the Penstemon Conservation Team with the preparation of a 2025 Annual Report to be finalized approximately March 31, 2026. The proposed budget for this task comprises 32 hours for compiling, formatting, and finalizing the annual report (32 x $75.00 = $2,400.00), and 4 hours of in-kind labor contributed by Manzanita Botanical ($300.00), total $2,700.00.
Task 3: Range Wide Penstemon Population Monitoring. Range-wide population monitoring that quantifies population structure and trend as well as interactions with current or potential future threats from invasive weeds, herbivory, livestock grazing, and development is required under the 2014 Penstemon Conservation Agreement. Monitoring coordination and assistance are essential to ongoing monitoring and reporting to the PCT and will help to ensure that monitoring activities address the objectives stated in the Agreement and associated Management and Monitoring Plans and revisions (https://trustlands.utah.gov/in-your-community/conservation/penstemon-conservation-project). The range-wide population monitoring program was reimplemented in 2020, with 15 macroplots established in May and June 2020 and 1 additional macroplot established in May 2021. One White River beardtongue plot was established in conservation unit 2 in 2022. One more White River beardtongue plot was established in conservation unit 6 in 2023. We do not expect to identify additional suitable monitoring populations for Graham's beardtongue in conservation units 1 or 5. Manzanita Botanical will coordinate with Utah DNR and the BLM Colorado Threatened and Endangered Species Program on the timing and logistics of monitoring for each Penstemon species. Monitoring activities will take place during flowering in mid- to late May 2026 at most sites and early June 2026 at the White River beardtongue sites in conservation unit 6. Manzanita Botanical will provide updated plot-specific monitoring datasheets, guidance on any changes to sample sizes or methodology, and field assistance for approximately three days per species. We assume in-kind monitoring assistance from Utah DNR, BLM Vernal Field Office (VFO), Colorado BLM, and Colorado and Utah USFWS. Data sheets will be housed with BLM Colorado and Manzanita Botanical Consulting. Manzanita Botanical will compile monitoring data into an Excel database for analysis. Data will be summarized to assess population structure and frequency of associated plant species, invasive weeds, and disturbance by livestock, native ungulates, or human activities. Statistical analyses will comprise data summaries and sample size analyses to ensure that the sample is of sufficient size to meet the detectable change objectives stated in the Management Plans. The 2020-2026 monitoring methods and results will be compiled into a summary report for inclusion in the Penstemon Conservation Team 2026 Annual Report. The proposed budget for this task comprises 68 hours for monitoring and 20 hours for data analyses and reporting (88 hours x $75.00/hour = $6,600.00), reimbursement for vehicle mileage (1,500 miles at $0.670/mile = $1,005.00), lodging (4 nights x $250.00 per night = $1,000.00), expense reimbursement (5 days x $50.00 per day = $250.00), and 10 hours of in-kind labor contributed by Manzanita Botanical ($750.00), total $9,605.00.
Task 4: Penstemon Transplant Monitoring. Three seedling transplant experiments were performed as part of the implementation of the Penstemon Conservation Agreement: 1) installation of 70 White River beardtongue seedlings in shale habitat on an Enefit private conservation area in October 2014; 2) installation of 140 White River beardtongue seedlings in shale habitat on two Enefit private conservation areas in October 2015; and 3) installation of 100 Graham's beardtongue seedlings in a prepared soils treatment experimental site at the Red Leaf Seep Ridge EPS location in October 2015. The White River beardtongue transplants have been monitored to record plant survival, growth, and reproductive status starting in June 2015, and in 2016, 2017, and 2019 to 2024. The Graham's beardtongue restoration experiment at the Red Leaf Seep Ridge EPS site has been monitored during flowering in 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, and 2024. We will monitor the Graham's beardtongue experimental site in late May 2026. We do not plan to revisit the White River beardtongue transplant site due to ongoing attrition and difficult access. The 2026 transplant monitoring data will be compiled into an Excel database and analyzed to quantify survivorship and trend. The results will be summarized for inclusion in the PCT 2026 Annual Report. The proposed budget for this task comprises 8 hours for monitoring (8 hours x $75.00/hour = $600.00), reimbursement for vehicle mileage (250 miles x $0.670/mile = $167.50), lodging (1 night x $250.00/night = $250.00), expense reimbursement (1 day x $50.00 per day = $50.00), and 4 hours of in-kind labor contributed by Manzanita Botanical ($300.00), total $1,367.50.
Task 5: Goose Creek Milkvetch Monitoring Technical Support. 
Manzanita Botanical will provide technical support to DNR for data management and analysis, updated reproductive output and seed viability models, updated population viability analyses, updated climate datasets and analyses, and preparation of monitoring report using the 2017-2025 monitoring data. The proposed budget for this task comprises 30 hours of data analysis and reporting support (30 hours x $75.00/hour = $2,250.00) and 20 hours of in-kind labor contributed by Manzanita Botanical ($1,500.00), total $3,750.00.
Task 6: Isely's, Cisco, and Stage Station Milkvetch Population Monitoring Implementation.
Manzanita Botanical will compile all available monitoring data into species-specific Excel databases. Data will be summarized to assess population structure, habitat composition, weed densities, and presence of any disturbance by livestock, native herbivores, or other threats. Statistical analyses will comprise data summaries and sample size analyses to ensure that the sample is of sufficient size to detect a 20% change in mean population size. The proposed budget for this task comprises 60 hours of field monitoring, including revisiting density, demographic, and seed bank plots (60 hours x $75.00/hour = $4,500.00), 40 hours for data management, analysis, and reporting ($3,000.00), reimbursement for vehicle mileage (600 miles x $0.670/mile = $402.00), six nights lodging (6 nights x $250.00/night = $1,500.00), expense reimbursement (5 days x $50.00 per day = $250.00), and 20 hours of in-kind labor contributed by Manzanita Botanical ($1,500.00), total $11,152.00.
Literature Cited
Franklin, M.A. 1999. Field survey and monitoring of Cisco milkvetch (Astragalus sabulosus Jones), in the Grand Resource Area, Grand County, Utah. Unpublished report of file at the Utah Natural Heritage Program, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Goose Creek Milkvetch Conservation Team (GCMCT). 2015. Conservation Agreement and Strategy for Goose Creek Milkvetch (Astragalus anserinus). Prepared for Bureau of Land Management: Twin Falls District Office, Idaho; Elko District Office, Nevada; West Desert District Office, Utah; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Idaho State Fish and Wildlife Service Office, Idaho; Nevada Fish and Wildlife Service Office, Nevada; and Utah Ecological Services Field Office, Utah (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service [USFWS] 2015). 65 pp.
Milkvetch Conservation Team (MCT). 2022. Conservation agreement and strategy for Cisco milkvetch (Astragalus sabulosus), Stage Station milkvetch (A. vehiculus), and Isely's milkvetch (A. iselyi). Prepared for the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management Moab Field Office, U.S. Forest Service Manti-La Sal National Forest, State of Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, State of Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration, State of Utah Department of Transportation, by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Utah Ecological Services Field Office, West Valley City, Utah. 92 pages.
Penstemon Conservation Team (PCT). 2014. Conservation Agreement and Strategy for Graham's Beardtongue (Penstemon grahamii) and White River Beardtongue (P. scariosus var. albifluvis). Prepared for the State of Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration; Uintah County, Utah; Utah Public Lands Coordination Office; Utah Division of Wildlife Resources; Rio Blanco County, Colorado; Bureau of Land Management; and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Prepared by SWCA Environmental Consultants, Salt Lake City, Utah. July 22, 2014.
Wellard, B., and M. Wheeler. 2021. Resurveying the 1998 Monitoring Plots for Astragalus sabulosus and vehiculus. Prepared for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, West Valley City, Utah by the Utah Natural Heritage Program, Salt Lake City, Utah. 14 pages.
Wheeler, M., and J.H. Hornbeck. 2022. Astragalus anserinus monitoring Goose Creek Drainage 2017-2021 Project Report. Prepared for Bureau of Land Management, Salt Lake City Field Office and Utah State Office by the Utah Natural Heritage Program and Manzanita Botanical Consulting, Salt Lake City, Utah. 43 pages + appendices.

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.

Project partners for the Penstemon Conservation Agreement (Tasks 1-4) comprise the USU Rare Plant Team, SITLA, PLPCO, Uintah County, the BLM Vernal Field Office, BLM Colorado State Office, Utah USFWS, and Colorado USFWS. The BLM Colorado Threatened and Endangered Species Program has provided significant in-kind technical and field support for population monitoring from FY2020 through FY2025. Uintah County, PLPCO, and SITLA have provided staff and volunteers to support annual population monitoring from FY2020 through FY2024.
Project partners for the Goose Creek milkvetch Conservation Agreement (Task 5) are the USU Rare Plant Team and MCT. Dr. Susan Meyer (retired), Research Ecologist at the Rocky Mountain Research Station, Provo, Utah has provided invaluable insights into the life history of Utah's rare Astragalus species and methods for evaluating and modeling soil seed banks. Van Buren, Searle, and Meyer's published work in 2021 has been essential for developing life history models that capture the behavior of Goose Creek milkvetch and the three southeast Utah milkvetch species. The USU Quinney College of Natural Resources has provided significant support for this project since 2017.
Project partners for the 2022 Cisco, Stage Station, and Isely's milkvetch Conservation Agreement (Task 6) are the USU Rare Plant Team, Utah USFWS Ecological Services Field Office, US Forest Service, and BLM Moab Field Office. Manti LaSal National Forest provided significant resources for field monitoring and seed collections in FY2026. We will continue to coordinate with USFS and BLM MFO on siting and timing of monitoring, and with the USU Rare Plant Team and Utah FWS on the development of species-specific monitoring programs.

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.

The Penstemon Conservation Agreement has been successfully implemented with funding by inter-agency signatories and in-kind support since 2014. The Agreement is expected to continue, all or in part, through 2034. Ongoing monitoring will be achieved through a combination of in-kind support from conservation partners (DNR, BLM), approximately $5,000 in total annual support from other signatories to the agreement (SITLA, PLPCO, Uintah County), and ESMF funding. Five-year assessments of Agreement implementation success and information needs have been completed as part of annual reporting, with the first completed in 2019 and a second will be completed for 2024 (FY2025). Ongoing Penstemon Conservation Agreement support activities and monitoring through 2034 will be achieved through a combination of in-kind support from conservation partners (DNR, BLM), approximately $5,000 in total annual support from other signatories to the agreement (SITLA, PLPCO, Uintah County), and ESMF funding. The level of monetary support from the signatory agencies has not been determined for FY2025. The annual budget for technical support, monitoring, and reporting (including in-kind support) is approximately $15,000.
A five-year Goose Creek milkvetch population viability analysis and trend assessment was completed in FY2022 (Wheeler and Hornbeck 2022) with support from this project (FY2020-FY2022) and the USU Quinney College of Natural Resources. Ongoing monitoring has been limited but monitoring to support the 2015 Goose Creek Milkvetch Conservation Agreement is to be expected through 2045. A peer-reviewed publication of the 2017-2024 results is currently being prepared. Continuation of focused monitoring and/or research efforts to meet current information needs will help to ensure that the Agreement is being implemented in a timely and effective manner. Future tasks and costs to support the ongoing Goose Creek Milkvetch Conservation Agreement remain to be determined based on monitoring and other conservation needs identified by the GCMCT. Continued monitoring is to be expected, and a ten-year (2017-2026) population viability analysis and associated report to follow at similar cost as the 2017-2021 analyses, or approximately $15,000.
Population and habitat monitoring programs to support the 2022 Cisco, Stage Station, and Isely's milkvetch Conservation Agreement were developed in FY2024 to ensure sample size adequacy in existing sites and determine if additional plots are feasible or needed. Effective and useful population monitoring requires that the study period captures the range of environmental and demographic variability for each species, with a minimum of five years of data required for any assessment of short-term trend, and periods of ten years or longer usually required to evaluate long-term trends. Population monitoring to support the 2022 Cisco, Stage Station, and Isely's milkvetch Conservation Agreement should be expected to continue for at least ten years. The annual cost of monitoring and data analyses in future years may be higher than budgeted here due to increasing data management, analysis, and reporting needs. With the addition of more detailed monitoring and data-related tasks, the estimated annual cost for monitoring all three species is approximately $15,000.

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.