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.

The Mule Deer Foundation will help fill the land and wildlife management agency staffing void by hiring and supervising habitat development and stewardship project specialists. MDF is uniquely suited to pursue this type of work because of the distinctive organizational structure that promotes local chapter investment of funding and volunteer efforts, it's recognition as a key conservation partner by USFS and BLM, and its status as a non-governmental 501(c)(3) that offers flexibility in pursuing contracts and agreements with a broad array of conservation partners and contractors. The MDF habitat specialists will focus primarily on stewardship agreements and resultant projects in cooperation with the USFS & BLM using science-based prioritization and frequent DWR input. Summer range improvement to benefit mule deer and other wildlife species will be key, as will using available data to design projects in the right places and scales. The MDF habitat specialists will also help secure funding and implement habitat projects on other state, federal, tribal and private lands.

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.

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.

Duties to be performed by the MDF habitat specialists will include, but are not limited to: contact with landowners; coordination with federal, state and tribal agencies; participation in WRI regional project ranking processes; project implementation such as site preparation, seeding, herbicide spraying, mowing, conifer thinning/mulching, coppice cutting, burning, aspen restoration, riparian & wet meadow restoration, tree and shrub planting, etc. The MDF habitat specialists will annually complete 3 or more habitat and/or stewardship projects throughout Utah designed to benefit wildlife, with some flexibility based on the scale and scope of projects. Each of these projects shall be entered into Utah's Watershed Initiative project database (wri.utah.gov). Whenever possible, projects should be reviewed and approved prior to implementation by the appropriate WRI regional team and reported on after completion according to WRI rules. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in termination of this cooperative agreement as outlined in the existing agreement.

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.