Treatment will be improve sagebrush habitat for sage-grouse, improve vegetative resilency to drought, and lower fire intensity in the event of wildfire. PJ outcompetes sagebrush, grass & forbs which equates to direct habitat loss, especially for sage-grouse. There is evidence of avoidance, or reduced use of areas where PJ cover reaches 4% cover or higher (Freese 2009; Doherty et al. 2008, 2010) and with the removal of PJ in the those areas, sage-grouse male numbers on leks have increased after PJ removal (Commons et al. 1999).

Remove PJ from 859 acres where it has encroached into the sagebrush community to improve wildlife habitat and reduce fire intensity in the event of wildfire. 803 acres has been completed during the first phase of implementation on the BLM section of the project.

Threats/Risks include loss of sagebrush habitat by encroachment, drought, and wildfire. Along with the habitat implications that PJ encroachment can cause, we are also trying to eliminate the need for the greater sage-grouse to be listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2015/2016 by improving habitat for sage-grouse. There are several sage grouse leks within close proximity to the treatment areas. If conifer encroachment continues these leks may see a reduction in use by sage-grouse and ultimately abandonment if PJ encroachment reaches Phase III.

Area is identified in Vernal District BLM Fire Management Plan (FMP) and Range Management Plan (RMP). Vernal BLM Fire Management Plan *Achieve the desired mix of seral stages for the Pinyon-Juniper and mountain big sage vegetative types. *Create fuel breaks within the Wyoming sagebrush type to prevent unplanned fires from removing large amounts of sagebrush. Reduce fuel loads. Vernal RMP ROD Vegetation Management Decisions; *VEG-4; Manage the vegetation to attain the ecological stage that will benefit wildlife in crucial habitat and livestock grazing. Manage vegetation in remaining areas that results in high vegetation species diversity. *VEG-5; Allow mechanical, fire, biological, cultural or chemical methods for vegetation manipulation, using the type of manipulation appropriate t and consistent with other land use objectives, and incorporating standard operation procedures and BMP's, as applicable, to protect other resources. *VEG-9; Manage the vegetation to attain the ecological stage that will: ensure sustainability, meet authorized use allocations (wildlife,livestock),ensure species diversity. *VEG-13; Restore or rehabilitate up to 200,000 acres of sagebrush-steppe habitat over the life of the plan. Strategic Management Plan for Sage-Grouse *Objective B-1; Protect and maintain currently occupied sage grouse habitat and the ecosystems that sustain them, *B-1.3,A,#2;Manage to maintain/create large, un-fragmented blocks of sagebrush habitat with a variety of seral stages which will meet the seasonal needs of sage-grouse, *B-1.3,E; Reduce conifers that are encroaching on sagebrush habitats using appropriate methods, which may include: masticators, chains, chain saws, prescribed fire, etc., *Objective B-2.1,A;Increase the continuity of habitats by designing habitat projects on a landscape scale and working with multiple land management agencies, WRI, and private landowners, *B-2.3,A,#9;Restore habitats lost to :type conversion, conifer encroachment, invasive species expansion, wildlife, and development, *B-3.2,A;Coordinate with and utilize the WRI evaluation crew to monitor and evaluate vegetative and sage-grouse response to habitat improvement projects Conservation Plan for Greater Sage-grouse in Utah (2013) *Protection of habitat which provides for the year-round life-cycle needs of the species. The project will accomplish strategies in the Uintah Basin Sage Grouse Local *Working Group Sage Grouse Conservation Plan specifically Strategies improve brood rearing habitat through removing conifer encroachment,prevent P/J reestablishment. Elk Statewide Management Plan *Population Objective 1, Strategy C; Support objectives and strategies in this plan to protect elk habitat and mitigate losses, *Strategy D; Support habitat improvement projects that increase forage for both big game and livestock. *Habitat Objective 1, Maintain elk habitat throughout the state by identifying and protecting existing crucial elk habitat and mitigating for losses due to human impacts, *Habitat Objective 2, *Strategy A; Continue to support the interagency big game range trend study of crucial ranges throughout the state, *Strategy J; Support land management agencies in the proper management of crucial elk habitats. Deer Statewide Management Plan *Population Objective, Strategy B; Support all habitat objectives and strategies in this plan to protect and improve mule deer habitat.

Pinyon-Juniper trees have been steadily encroaching over the last decade into Wyoming sagebrush habitat. As these trees increase in size and numbers, habitat values for wildlife and grazing are lost as available forage declines. In addition the increase in trees has also increased the hazardous fuel loading and the risk of an unplanned fire event has also been increased. As sagebrush ecosystems shift to mid-tree-dominance by PJ, fuel loads double. As they shift to full-tree-dominance, fuel loads double again. An unplanned fire event would result in the long term loss of Wyoming sagebrush, and the habitat values associated with this type. In PJ woodlands, the ability of understory plants to recover after disturbance rapidly declines after pre-fire tree cover reaches about 40 to 50 % (Fire Science Brief, Fire Science Program). 859 acres of Priortiy sage-grouse habitat could be lost.

Studies have shown that the removal of PJ can improve watershed condition; enhanced water yield, enhanced groundwater recharge, reduction of trees reduces catastrophic wildlife, improved spring snow-melt flow. PJ can have a major impact on hydrology. The distribution and quantity of water that reaches the soil and other vegetation can be altered by the presence of PJ through many different avenues such as PJ canopy interception of precipitation, evapotranspiration, transpiration, and competition with understory vegetation for nutrients and water (Thurow and Hester 2015). This competition with understory vegetation can increase the amount of bare soil, which can lead to an increase in runoff, soil loss and erosion (Thurow and Hester 2015). Erosion can lead to a reduction in soil productivity and can also increase non-point source water pollution, thus having the potential to affect water quality within a watershed over time (Thurow and Hester 2015).

BLM has completed the NEPA and cultural resource (SHPO) requirements.

The treatment will utilize a horizontal drum shredder (bullhog) to masticate 859 acres within the designated treatment area.

line intercept transects stems per acre plots photo plots The tribal lands in this project will be required to monitor regrowth or missed pinion-juniper trees within the lop and scattered polygon on their property. All regrowth must be retreated by the tribe within 18 to 36 months after the initial lop and scatter and bullhog treatments. The tribe is also trying to start up their lek counts again, so they will hopefully be monitoring the leks on the tribal lands.

The project is supported by multiple partners.

Dependent of funding, Cottonwood Springs is a focus area for future years of PJ removal treatments for the BLM. The tribal lands in this project will be required to monitor regrowth or missed pinion-juniper trees within the lop and scattered polygon on their property. All regrowth must be retreated by the tribe within 18 to 36 months after the initial lop and scatter and bullhog treatments.

There will be no changes to the current livestock grazing management. Existing management of the project area is determined to be adequate to ensure the success of the project. The proposed project is expected to ensure the continued availability for forage in the future for livestock which will result in the continued viability of the ongoing deferred rest grazing system. Currently, BLM, DNR, and the grazing permittee monitor cattle use in the area jointly and will continue to do so in the future.

10/25/2016

01/28/2017

2017

Deer Valley Sand & Gravel completed 859 acres of mastication during the second phase of the treatment.

Second phase of multi year treatments completed on 859 acres. Project is designed to improve habitat for sagebrush obligate species and create a hazardous fuels fire break for south of Little Mountain. The UDWR initiated the contract and bid was $307/acre. To date, 1662 acres of bullhog have been completed within the area.

Area continues to be a focus area for treatments due to PHMA habitat for the Greater Sage Grouse and the high wildfire risks to adjacent communities as experienced during the Maeser highway fire that occurred in summer of 2017.