Project Need
Need For Project:
This project is directly adjacent to the South Alton, completed in 2012 (Project ID 1738), and the Alton/Skutumpah Project completed in 2009. These project areas are mapped as brood rearing habitat, and since tree removal, have been successful in recruiting grouse into the treatment areas. This years' project will expand those brood rearing areas into opportunity areas by removing Stage II and Stage III p/j, and re-establishing understory grasses and forbs. Two BLM livestock permittes are involved in implementing the project, on private and BLM lands.
The need to rehabilitate vegetation communities within the Upper Kanab Creek Watershed Vegetation Management Area has been recognized for many years. Numerous management plans, including the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Statewide Management Plan for Mule deer (2008), the Paunsagunt Mule Deer Management Plan (2000), Color Country Adaptive Resource Management Plan (CCARM) (2008) for sage grouse and the southwest Utah support Area Fire Management Plan have all addressed resource and vegetation management needs within this area.
Of particular concern within this watershed is the infilling of pinyon/juniper into areas once dominated by shrubs and other herbaceous vegetation and the subsequent impact on greater sage grouse. An increase in pinyon/juniper is also affecting soil resources, water and nutrient cycles, fire regimes, plant community structure and composition, forage production and wildlife habitat.
Numerous partner project have been completed on private lands in the vicinity in an effort to benefit sage grouse, as well as by the BLM in areas adjacent to this. Approximately 2300acres of mechanical thinning, 1000 acres chaining, and 4000 acres hand thinning have been completed over the past three years, providing connectivity to sage grouse migration corridors and restoring large sagebrush flats. This project will help open up travel corridors near two historic sage grouse leks near Ford Pasture and Skutumpah Ranch areas.
Overall, the project will provide benefits to the southernmost population of sage grouse in the western United States, as well as provide habitat for mule deer. sagebrush steppe obligates and will improve overall rangeland health.
These objectives would be in compliance with objectives currently recommended through the BLM interim protective measures identified for sage grouse (2011), to emphasize management and protection that incorporates preliminary priority habitat (PPH) for: 1) protection
of unfragmented habitat; 2) minimize habitat loss and fragmentation; and 3) manage habitats to maintain; and enhance or restore conditions that meet greater sage-grouse life history needs. Additionally, it provides off-site mitigation for areas near the Alton Coal Mine, just north of the project area.
Objectives:
Create connectivity in available sage grouse brood rearing habitat
Provide mitigation for the loss of habitat associated with the Alton Coal Mine
Reduce fuels that may contribute to a catastrophic wildfire.
Improve watershed health on Upper Kanab Creek
Project Location/Timing Justification (Why Here? Why Now?):
Historically sage grouse within this areal likely had a greater distribution than they currently do. Although difficult to understand all of the reasons for their decline, Mordo et. al. (2013), as well as others have documented that sage grouse stop using an area with as little as 4% tree canopy cover. Lack of natural disturbances such as wildfire and grazing practices that favor shrub growth have favored pinyon juniper expansion and a subsequent decline in sage grouse/sage grouse habitat.
By not doing this project, these processes will continue, putting greater sage grouse at increased risk, and/or moving them further toward an endangered species listing. This action would have dire consequences to public and private land uses in the area.
Completing the project also has risks. There is always the risk of disturbance to desired wildlife species; however, mitigation measures in
place should reduce or eliminate this risk. There is also a risk of weed invasion following treatment and of seeding failure, given yearly moisture regimes. These risks are inherent to any vegetation project. BLM has an aggressive noxious weed early/detection rapid response program that should help mitigate the risk of noxious weeds. Should the seeding fail, efforts would be made to secure additional funds to provide the inputs needed to make the project successful.
Private landowners in this area have been pro-active in treating private lands, to provide additional connectivity, and to help ensure that sage grouse are not listed.
Relation To Management Plan:
The project meets objectives covered under UDWR Strategic Management Plan for Sage Grouse and the Color Country Sage Grouse Local Conservation Plan. Other plans supportive of this project include the Upper Kanab Creek Watershed Management Plan, UDWR deer and elk Management Plans, NRCS Strategic Plan, Utah Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy, and BLM Resource Management Plans.
Fire / Fuels:
Water Quality/Quantity:
Compliance:
2 PMArchaeology, Class III surveys were completed for the entire project area during Summer 2014. BLM contracted and funded the arch contract, Sep 25 2014 / 6 NEPA, NEPA is completed for the BLM portion of this project, Sep 29 2014
Methods:
A portion of this project area will be sheered (trees removed with a cutter), The bullhog treatment (1,000 acres) will be completed by contract. BLM will provide project oversight and flag treatment areas prior to contract submission.
Seeding - All mechanically treated and chained areas will be aerially seeded with species appropriate to the ecological site. Seed will be requested through GBRC.
Arch Clearance - Arch Clearance will be completed by BLM contract with project over site provide by the BLM Fuels Archaeologist. nd a portion of the project area will be chained.
Monitoring:
NRCS contract with two landowners. NRCS will monitor the project for compliance with said contract. BLM will also have photo monitoring.
Partners:
Future Management:
Livestock grazing will be deferred for two complete growing seasons. A drift fence is also proposed. It is likely that the chained area will need to be followed up with a hand-thinning in about 2-4 years. This practice is part of the NRCS plan with the private landowner.
Sustainable Uses of Natural Resources: