This Fire Rehab Project will consist of restoration work to help restore the Willow Patch Wildfire. Objectives are to restore a stable community of grasses, forbs and shrub components. This fire rehab project will help restore and maintain a stable rangeland community that was destroyed by a recent wildlife in late June of 2018. This area is critical for Mule Deer, Elk and Greater Sage Grouse along with Livestock grazing that occurs on SITLA, BLM and Private Properties that where destroyed within this fire. This project area is north of the Parker Mtn - Emery PARM SGMA. We have a active lek that was not burned to the north, but within this fire we have several thousand acres that support early and late broodrearing habitats for the grouse. Project will help to reduce the invasion of noxious weed species as we seen on the Sandledges Fire in 2016, through the planting of perennial grasses, forbs that can become established and out compete the annual weed species.

Objectives of this project is to reseed the burned areas to allow for a diversity of grasses, forbs and shrubs to be planted. Through the implementation efforts we are hopeful to achieve this goal and help reduce the invasion of noxious weed species such as cheatgrass, and thistle that may occur. We are partnering together to allow for the best science and information to restore this critical sagebrush community back to a productive rangeland community.

Risk of not doing any restoration work will allow for invasion of noxious weed species, little to no grasses, forbs and shrub recruitment due to the fire within the pinyon-juniper, sagebrush and mountain shrub communities. Cheat grass will be a concern reseeding with good native and introduce species will help control the invasion. Erosion of soil will be present due to rain and snow precipitation allowing for flooding of lower elevation properties. Rangeland plant health will be compromised due to lack reseeding efforts and covering the seed through proper implementation efforts. Perennial grass and forb species that will become established in the future will benefit livestock and wildlife within the areas of the Monroe Mountain Unit and the Fishlake Plateau Unit.

The pinyon-juniper and big sagebrush areas lie within the sagebrush steppe type which is one of the key habitats identified in the WAP. The proposed projects will address some of the habitat management strategies outlined in the deer and elk management plans for Herd Unit #23 (Monroe Unit) and Unit #25 (Fishlake Plateau) including: Continue to improve and restore sagebrush steppe habitats critical to deer according to UDWRs Habitat Initiative. Maintain habitat quantity and quality at a level adequate to support the stated population objectives while at the same time not resulting in an overall downward trend in range condition and watershed quality. Work cooperatively with land management agencies and private landowners to plan and implement improvement projects for the purpose of enhancing wildlife habitat and range resources in general. *The project also helps fulfill the state mule deer management plan section IV Habitat Goal: Conserve and improve mule deer habitat throughout the state with emphasis on crucial ranges. *The proposed projects will address the following goals and objectives of the Division of Wildlife Resources most recent strategic management plan: Resource Goal: expand wildlife populations and conserve sensitive species by protecting and improving wildlife habitat. Objective 1: protect existing wildlife habitat and improve 500,000 acres of critical habitats and watersheds throughout the state. Objective 3: conserve sensitive species to prevent them from becoming listed as threatened or endangered. Constituency Goal: Achieve broad-based support for Division programs and budgets by demonstrating the value of wildlife to all citizens of Utah. Objective 2: improve communication with wildlife organizations, public officials, private landowners, and government agencies to obtain support for Division programs. *UDWR SR critical big game winter range are important browse communities that need to be enhanced and improved. The Division will employ a variety of methods to achieve this including prescribed grazing, prescribed burning, reseeding and seedling transplants, also mechanical treatments. Priority areas will include sagebrush-steppe and mountain browse communities. Falls within the rangeland focus area for WRI wildlife species for mule deer and elk. *NRCS has also identified that the sagebrush steppe is critical as it pertains to Greater Sage Grouse and the SGI Initiative working on Private, State and Federal Lands. *Richfield Field Office RMP - Manage for a mix of vegetative types, structural stages, and provide for native plant, fish, and wildlife (including SSS) habitats. - Sustain or reestablish the integrity of the sagebrush continuity, and quality of habitat that is necessary to maintain sustainable populations of the Greater sage-grouse and other sagebrush-dependent wildlife species. *Utah has finalized it's Sage Grouse Management plan and enclosed are related goals and objectives from that plan that are associated with SGMA's (Parker Mountain-Emery): #1) Protection of habitat that provides year round use. #2) Ensure recruitment of a continuing population. #3) Enhance or Improve sage grouse habitat #4) Protect 10,000 acres on SITLA through habitat restoration practices. #5) Enhance 25,000 acres annually with a SGMA. #6) Increase 50,000 acres annually through management actions (prescribed grazing, invasive weed control)

Due the the Willow Patch Wild Fire in June of 2018, the need to reseed and establish a improved community of grasses, forbs, shrubs and browse species is critical to support wildlife and livestock in the future. Through restoration efforts from the BLM, SITLA, FFSL, USFWS, UDWR and Private Landowners this will be a partnership that can obtain the goals and objectives through working together to restore and maintain the area effected by the burn. We need to make sure the reseeding efforts are a success to allow for reduction in wildfire behavior due to the resilient seed species being planted that can help suppress fire activity in the future.

Water Quality and Quantity should greatly increase, after seeding efforts and restoration occurs we are more likely to see the improvement of local springs, increase grass, forb, and shrub establishment due to loss of competition from some of the the pinyon-juniper trees that were on site. Water should be better utilized by the perennial grasses, forbs and shrubs that will be seeded increasing the quantity of water on the landscape.

A complete pedestrian survey for culture resources will be conducted on BLM, SITLA and private properties before any implementation will occur. Project manager is working with UDWR Archaeologist and coordinating with the BLM Archaeologist on this effort. This effort will be contracted out through State of Utah Contracts and in concurrence with SHPO.

This project will consist of working withseveral different partnerships to complete the restoration treatments of the Willow Patch Fire of 2018. Within the methods discussed we will be working together to aerially seed this fire scar, then cover the seed with a single pass "ely" chain pulled with two D-8 tracked cats. In addition the cats will be equipped with a dribbler to allow for the seeding of browse species while back chaining. We are looking to have two set of dozers going at one time, the BLM will do all the restoration work in house.This will include the work on SITLA, BLM and Private. SITLA would like to apply a Plateau Herbicide to the rehab efforts in hopes of reducing cheatgrass invasion within the fire scar. These methods will be run through state contracting to incorporate the much needed contractors and vendors.

Through WRI we would like to request a range trend study be place to monitor post treatment rehab work. We will be looking at photo points within the treatment site, along with wildlife monitoring that will include spring and fall classifications of deer and elk as conducted by the area wildlife biologist from the BLM and UDWR, with a possible increased study looking at Greater Sage Grouse in the burned area, and if they respond to the treatments, this maybe a study put together by USU Extension and the local PARM Working group. Also UDWR Habitat Restoration Biologist would work with the BLM and SITLA to conduct and collect rangeland data as grass, forbs and shrubs respond to the treatments within the Willow Patch Fire Restoration efforts.

Partnership for this Willow Patch Fire include but are not limited to the BLM, SITLA, USFWS Partners Program, UDWR, Private Landownership, Grazing Associations, Sevier County Commissioners, and local sportsman groups.

Future management of the project will depend on the different agencies goals and objectives, looking at the sustainability of the plant community will allow for future grazing on the BLM and SITLA allotment for livestock. Private Landowners will also look for grazing to occur as the reseed plants become established. From a wildlife perspective UDWR would like to see the seeded plant species sustain mule deer, elk and Greater Sage Grouse populations during critical time's of year allowing for a sustainable food source to raise young, allow cover and grow wildlife populations on the Monroe Unit and Fishlake Units. Continued management practices will be to conduct photo points, pellet transects and possible reseeding by hand bitterbrush and other browse species within the fire scar.

No direct livestock benefit as of right now due to the Willow Patch Fire, but looking into the future and doing the habitat restoration work will prepare us for the future benefits in the years to come. Through the restoration efforts will will be able to reseed the Willow Patch Fire with perennial grasses forbs, shrubs and browse that will contribute to improved rangeland health, increase water production for grasses species. Overall permittees and Private Landowners should have more production and better weight gain, and livestock production in the future due to the restoration efforts that are to take place through this fire rehab effort. One need that will need to be addressed is the use of water stock ponds or potential new ponds that will allow for water to be stored.

10/01/2018

06/30/2021

2021

The Willow Patch Fire rehab efforts started in the fall of 2018, this fire was caused due to a vehicle dragging trailer chains as it was traveling south bound on Hwy 24. The Willow Patch Fire burned over 4,500 acres along Hwy 24, and encompassed private, state, and BLM properties. UDWR partnered with the BLM, SITLA and the Private Landowner to complete the rehab efforts, with over 4,582 acres being seeded, 2,360 acres being single chained, and an additional 2,331 acres being sprayed for cheatgrass control with the use of a herbicide. In addition 6,719' of 4 strand barbwire fence was constructed to act as a drift fence between grazing allotments. Implementation of the project consisted of aerial seeding the primary seed mix in late October 2018. Once the seeding was completed, the BLM, with the use of four (4) D-8T tracked cats set out to chain approximately 2,360 acres of the burn scar. These chained acres consisted of BLM, SITLA and Private Properties.

In the fall of 2018, the Willow Patch Fire burned over 4,500 acres of critical big game habitat within the Monroe Mtn and Fishlake Mtn Ranges, along Hwy 24. This fire was intense, lots of work went into getting this fire under control, partnerships from BLM, SITLA, FFSL, USFS, and Private Landowners all played a major roll in suppressing this fire. Once the fire was out and access to the site was opened up we could see the devastation and the hard work ahead of us to get it rehabilitated. Funding for the rehab efforts was made possible through the WRI Partnership, along with BLM ESR funding and SITLA funding. A plan was implemented to get started reseeding, chaining portions that were feasible, aerial application of Plateau Herbicide, building drift fences and cleaning out existing ponds. UDWR was able to work with SITLA to identify areas where a Plateau treatment would be feasible. This contract covered 2,331 acres and was applied with a helicopter and completed by Mile High Aviation. This application was for 4oz of Plateau per acre, the goal was to apply the herbicide and hope for moisture to take the herbicide into the soil. The next process was to contract with a seeding company allowing them to reseed the 4,582 acres. This was contracted with ElAero Aviation, the seed was applied with a helicopter at 13.30/lbs per acre. Once the seeding had been completed, the opportunity to work with the Richfield BLM Office was critical in providing the man power to get the next step completed. UDWR rented four (4) D-8T tracked cats along with providing fuel for the chaining treatment. The BLM provided four operators to complete over 2,360 acres of single way chaining. UDWR is grateful for the partnerships we have with the Richfield BLM Field Office to help take control and provide the labor to complete the chaining portion for the project. Another aspect of this project was working with SITLA and grazing permittees, we contracted the construction of a drift fence. This fence was built by Toney White and was approximately 6,719' of four strand barbwire fence. This fence acts as a interior fence that allows the livestock grazer to continue to graze the allotment but reduces the impact on the burn and newly seeded areas. This fire rehab project looks amazing. With several growing seasons completed, the grasses, forbs and shrub components are present and really doing good. Through the cooperative efforts of the BLM Fuels, SITLA, and UDWR this was a great success. A special thanks to USFWS Partners Program for the coordination with Private landowners, and UDWR on this great project as well.

With the Willow Patch Fire Rehab efforts complete, the opportunity to to work with SITLA and the BLM on future management goals and objectives is critical due to the fact that we have a large fire burn scar that could pose problems in the future. With every burn scar we know we will have different problems or situations that may occur. Timing was critical to seed and chain this fire rehab project, it allowed for seeded species of grasses, forbs and shrubs to be flown on and then chained over. Within the first growing season everything looked good, we could tell where we were light with some seed but overall be had a great response. We did experience a few flooding events that occurred, due to the steep terrain and loss of vegetation within the fire scar. Both the SITLA and BLM will be deferring grazing for two growing seasons, allowing the seeded vegetation to become established. We entered into a cooperative with the private landowner to defer grazing as well, in addition the need to maintain and fix fences was a must. SITLA and the grazing permittee worked on maintaining new and existing fences to keep livestock from grazing on the treatment areas. SITLA will continue to monitor the herbicide spray areas of the project looking for the longevity of cheatgrass control. After several growing season the fire rehab looks phenomenal with the establishment for grasses, forbs and shrubs. This area is critical to mule deer, elk and turkeys with opportunities to provide water through a guzzler that area will be a wildlife mecca. With all the great partnerships from the BLM, SITLA, USFWS Partners Program and sportsman conservation groups this project was a great success.