Utah Lake Wetland Preserve Willow Planting
Project ID: 4117
Status: Completed
Fiscal Year: 2018
Submitted By: N/A
Project Manager: David Lee
PM Agency: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
PM Office: Central Region
Lead: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
WRI Region: Central
Description:
Plant willows around a flowing spring to improve quail and pheasant habitat.
Location:
Utah Lake Wetland Preserve
Project Need
Need For Project:
Upland game hunting areas that are easily accessible and close to population centers are limited. To recruit, retain and reactivate hunters within Utah areas need to be available within a reasonable distance to population centers to provide accessible hunting opportunities. In many areas division properties are available, but may not have the needed habitat components to support populations of pheasant and quail or hold released pheasants for hunts. Adding woody cover to increase habitat complexity, provide hiding cover, and provide forage will potentially allow quail populations to persist and provide huntable hiding cover for pheasants. Improved woody cover will improve hunt quality and retain released pheasants on the property so that higher proportions can be harvested. Addition of diversity in the form of woody cover (willow) will provide a variety of food types for a variety of species using the WMA.
Objectives:
The objective of this project is to improve the quality and quantity of upland game bird habitat for quail and pheasant with the ultimate goal of increasing public hunting opportunity in areas close to population centers. Specifically, to establish shrub plantings that would provide cover and forage for California Quail and pheasant. Shrub rows will also provide hiding cover for released pheasants to improve retention on public properties and increase harvest rates of pen-reared pheasants.
Project Location/Timing Justification (Why Here? Why Now?):
Lack of suitable vegetative structure limits use and value of the property.
Relation To Management Plan:
Western Quail Management Plan: - Increase plant diversity in early successional habitats. - Maintain or Increase availability of dense escape and roosting cover. - Manage stands of brush species for diversity of structure, seral stage and optimal edge effect National Wild Pheasant Conservation Plan: - Increase small grain acreage and other beneficial pheasant habitat. Helps meet goals of the Utah Lake Wetland Preserve including: - Provide opportunities for restoration of lost wetland values - Provide opportunities for restoration of lost wildlife habitats - Additional opportunities for public recreation
Fire / Fuels:
N/A
Water Quality/Quantity:
This project will redirect spring water that is currently impounded in a trough. The water will be directed radially from the spring to support up to 8 willow shrub rows.
Compliance:
In house cultural resources review and clearance.
Methods:
Heavy equipment will be used to dig ditches to redirect water flow from the spring to willow plantings. Willows will be planted in 8 rows radially from the spring, 3' apart, 50 per row (400 plants total). A post and rail fence will be placed around the perimeter to protect the plantings form cattle.
Monitoring:
Site will be monitored for water flow and shrub establishment.
Partners:
Utah Upland Game Slam
Future Management:
N/A
Sustainable Uses of Natural Resources:
N/A
Budget WRI/DWR Other Budget Total In-Kind Grand Total
$2,400.00 $0.00 $2,400.00 $2,700.00 $5,100.00
Item Description WRI Other In-Kind Year
Equipment Rental/Use Earth moving equipment for ditch construction and willow transplants $500.00 $0.00 $0.00 2018
Personal Services (permanent employee) $0.00 $0.00 $700.00 2018
Materials and Supplies Coyote Willow - 1 gallon pots (400 plants at $4.50 each) $1,900.00 $0.00 $0.00 2018
Equipment Purchase Fencing Supplies for cattle exclosure $0.00 $0.00 $2,000.00 2018
Funding WRI/DWR Other Funding Total In-Kind Grand Total
$2,400.00 $0.00 $2,400.00 $2,700.00 $5,100.00
Source Phase Description Amount Other In-Kind Year
Upland Game Slam Funds NC879 $500.00 $0.00 $0.00 2018
Federal Aid (PR) F1659 $1,800.00 $0.00 $0.00 2018
Habitat Council Account HCRF $100.00 $0.00 $0.00 2018
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) $0.00 $0.00 $2,700.00 2018
Species
Species "N" Rank HIG/F Rank
California Quail R3
Threat Impact
Feral Domesticated Animals Medium
California Quail R3
Threat Impact
Problematic Animal Species – Native Medium
California Quail R3
Threat Impact
Temperature Extremes High
Ring-necked Pheasant R3
Threat Impact
Feral Domesticated Animals Medium
Ring-necked Pheasant R3
Threat Impact
Problematic Animal Species – Native Low
Ring-necked Pheasant R3
Threat Impact
Temperature Extremes Medium
Habitats
Habitat
Not Listed
Threat Impact
No Threat NA
Project Comments
Comment 08/16/2018 Type: 2 Commenter: Alison Whittaker
This is just a reminder that completion reports are due August 31st. I have entered the expenses in the Through WRI/DWR column on the finance page. Please do not make any changes to numbers in the Through WRI/DWR column. Any "Through Other" or "In-kind" expenses will need to be entered by the PM or contributors. Be sure to click on the finalize button on the completion report when you have your completion report ready to be reviewed by WRI Admin. Don't forget to upload any pictures of the project you have of before, during and after completion. Thanks.
Comment 09/10/2018 Type: 2 Commenter: Alison Whittaker
If you have completed the completion form for this project please click on the "finalize" button at the bottom of the completion form. This lets me know that no more changes need to be made. Please verify your map features with your written description on the form. Your map shows a buck and pole fence and your report says barbed wire. Thanks!
Completion
Start Date:
08/01/2017
End Date:
08/01/2017
FY Implemented:
2018
Final Methods:
On Aug 1, 2017 200 willows were planted using a mini excavator with a stinger (sharp point used to punch holes in the wet soil to plant the contanerized willows. The area is irrigated via spill over from a spring and trough. A barb wire fence was constructed around the perimeter to protect the planting from livestock.
Project Narrative:
There is a need for additional pheasant cover on the Utah Lake Wetland Preserve, to add additional cover we planted 200 willows radiating from a water source that was available to water the willows as they establish and throughout their lives. Dave Lee developed a new method to efficiently plant the containerized willows using a mini excavator with a stinger (sharp point) to make holes in the wet ground.
Future Management:
The planting will be monitored and fence maintained.
Map Features
ID Feature Category Action Treatement/Type
494 Fence Construction Barbed wire
5810 Terrestrial Treatment Area Planting/Transplanting Container stock
Project Map
Project Map