Sevy Bench is nesting/brood rearing greater sage grouse habitat, summer habitat for the prized Paunsaugunt mule deer management unit, and is a working cattle ranch. Pinyon and juniper have began to encroach this mountain shrub habitat. While the understory is intact and still relatively healthy, a threshold is nearing that may result in the loss of browse species and result in watershed impacts to the Upper Sevier River. Wildlife in this area has a very high value to the state of Utah and local economies. The Paunsaugunt mule deer management unit has long been a "household" name when it comes to trophy quality and hunter satisfaction. Enhancing mule deer range is crucial for the future of this unit. Other highly prized game species includes elk, cougar, and a developing pronghorn herd. Elk depend on this area as transition range and for some early winter range. Increasing the available forage will increase body condition and survival for elk. Increased forage and plant diversity will also benefit other wildlife that use the area. Species of concern include the greater sage grouse and Utah prairie dog. Two greater sage grouse leks are located within 2 miles of the treatment area. The harrow treatment is designed to increase brood rearing and nesting habitat for these grouse. The removal of pinyon and juniper trees will reduce the perches for sage grouse predators and it will also increase sagebrush, forbs, and grass which will promote sage grouse use. Removal of woodland species and the creation of sage grouse brood rearing habitat may also create more suitable habitat for Utah prairie dog. As mentioned above this is a working cattle ranch. Cattle use this area for summer grazing, and the need for a highly productive range is important for the producer's ability to stay in business. Preserving open landscapes and large tracts of sagebrush habitat is important to ranching success and to many sagebrush obligate wildlife species. At the higher elevation of the proposed treatment area aspen stands are present. Within these stands pinyon juniper have been encroaching. Removal of the pinyon and juniper from the aspen stands will promote the resilience and recruitment of the aspen in this area. Loss of aspen is a concern for land managers and removal of pinyon juniper may help abate that threat. Because fire has been remove from most systems, including those listed on this project, fuel loads have increased and could threaten the long term health of the watershed and species in the area. Mountain meadows are found near the aspen, are limited, and are starting to transition to sagebrush. Using the chain harrow, we hope to remove the brush and return the meadows to being productive and more abundant in the area.

1. Increase grass and forbs by 20% in treated areas. 2. Reduce pinyon and juniper by 90% across the treated areas. 3. Diversify the age and cover density of brush to serve wildlife and domestic livestock.

The majority of the work to be done is phase 1-2 pinyon and juniper with still intact understory vegetation. As noted in both UDWR range trend sites within the treatment area, "pinyon and juniper encroachment is continuing". Working in these light to medium densities means the vegetative community hasn't crossed an ecological threshold where high amounts of restoration inputs are necessary. Not doing work in these areas of low densities means the threat of higher costs, inputs, and risk in the future. This also means the site hasn't crossed that financial threshold where cost becomes a prohibitive factor. If we leave it be the entire area may become phase 3 at some point in the future. At the higher elevation of the treatment area aspen stands are present. Within these stands pinyon juniper have been encroaching. Removal of the pinyon and juniper from the aspen stands will abate the threat of losing important aspen communities. Because fire has been remove from most systems, including those listed on this project, fuel loads have increased and could threaten the long term health of the watershed and species in the area. Mountain meadows are found near the aspen, are limited, and are being encroached by sagebrush. To address the threat of losing important wet meadow areas we will revert the adjacent areas to a more early successional stage to impede encroachment and its subsequent reduction or degradation of wet meadow habitat. Although it was determined by the USFWS that listing under the ESA was not warranted for greater sage grouse there is an impending review to see if further action or protection is needed and to see where we collectively are at mitigating threats. Continuing to do work as identified in the Statewide Sage Grouse Management Plan to conserve sage grouse will support a continued and desired "not warranted" status. As previously mentioned the area has been identified as priority for restoration of crucial summer mule deer habitat under the Statewide Mule Deer Management Plan. "Crucial" means the areas habitat is necessary to sustain the areas mule deer herd. Allowing the area to move into phase 3 pinyon and juniper encroachment will mean less quality habitat and will threaten our ability to meet mule deer objectives for the management unit. There is also a social threshold to consider with private land as part of this project. Right now a large cattle ranch is willing to work with agencies to do the project. This has required meetings, presentations, and a lot of signatures and paperwork to get to this point. Not taking actions to restore habitat when there is local private support for it may account for a lost opportunity in the future. As described above the area is within a Bird Habitat Conservation Area (BHCA) with priority species being sagebrush obligate birds like sage grouse, sage thrasher, and Brewer's sparrow. Not doing the project will lead to an increased density of pinyon and juniper that will decrease the amount of available habitat for these sage dependent bird species in an area designated as important for birds.

Following the Paunsuagunt Mule Deer Management: - "Coordinate with federal and state partners in designing projects that will improve fire resiliency and protect areas of crucial habitat." - "Cooperate with federal land management agencies and private landowners in carrying out habitat improvement projects. Protect deer winter ranges from wildfire by reseeding burned areas, creating fuel breaks and reseed areas dominated by cheat grass with desirable perennial vegetation." - "Reduce expansion of Pinion-Juniper woodlands into sagebrush habitats and improve habitats dominated by Pinion-Juniper woodlands by completing habitat restoration projects." Regarding UDWR Elk Management Plan for Paunsuagunt Unit #27: - "Continue to be committed to the statewide goal of supporting habitat projects that increase forage for both big game and livestock." - "Work with private, state and federal agencies to maintain and protect critical and existing range from future losses. Continue projects with USFS, BLM, state and private entities to enhance wildlife habitat." - "Discourage the encroachment of Pinyon and Juniper (PJ) trees into sagebrush and other habitats. Seek opportunities to improve habitat through grazing practices, prescribed burning, and mechanical treatments to improve habitat where PJ encroachment is occurring." Great Sage Grouse Conservation Plan - "5.4.1 Aggressively remove encroaching conifers and other plant species to expand greater sage grouse habitat where possible." Those involved in this project and other Upper Kanab Creek Projects continue to work with the local sage grouse working group (Color Country Adaptive Resource Management Local Working Group) to help fulfill those items identified in the Local Conservation Plan. This plan also ranks a variety of threats to sage grouse populations in the Upper Kanab Creek Area. Fire, vegetation management and invasive species are three aspects ranked as important considerations in this plan. The limiting factors for mule deer on the Paunsagunt is winter range and Highway mortality. This project will likely not help with either of those issues, as it is transition or summer range for mule deer. However, it is a popular area for public hunting, wildlife viewing and supports the overall "Habitat Management Objectives" for this unit by, "maintaining mule deer habitat throughout the unit," and "enhancing existing crucial habitats due to natural and human impacts." Additionally, the Management Plan #27 calls for the continued work to reduce pinyon-juniper encroachment in the Kanab Creek portion of the unit. Mule Deer are seen and harvested frequently throughout this area. Frey, S. N., S. G. Lupis, K. Heaton, T. A. Black, T. A. Messmer, and D. Mitchell. 2006. Color Country Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) Local Conservation Plan. Utah's Community Based Conservation Program. Unpublished Report. Logan, Utah. http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/prog/planning/SG_RMP_rev/ARMPA.html This project falls under the Paunsagunt Elk Management Plan (Unit 27). Habitat management objectives for elk in this area include supporting those projects that improve habitat through treatment of p/j and increased forage for both wildlife and livestock. Utah Catastrophic Wildfire Reduction Strategy * "Reduce fire risk by managing and removing invasive species." Intermountain West Joint Venture Habitat Conservation Strategy * "Support existing public-private partnerships to implement sagebrush habitat conservation, at regional, state, and local scales." "Remove encroaching conifers to functionally restore sagebrush habitat." Utah Wildlife Action Plan * "Lowland sagebrush is a key habitat identified in the WAP." * "WAP identifies inappropriate fire frequency as a threat to lowland sagebrush habitat. This project will reduce future fire risk and act as a fire buffer to adjacent higher risk areas." State of Utah Resource Management Plan "Actively remove pinyon-juniper encroachment other ecological sites due to its substantial consumption of water its detrimental effects on sagebrush, other vegetation, and wildlife." "Conserve, improve, and restore 500,000 acres of mule deer habitat throughout the state with emphasis on crucial ranges." "Work with landowners, federal government and private organizations to conserve valuable wildlife habitat and winter range along urban interface." "Develop mechanisms and policies to incentivize private landowners throughout Utah to conserve valuable wildlife habitat throughout Utah." Kane County Resource Management Plan "However, Kane County encourages vegetative treatments for maximum yield of forage and rangeland health." "Goals include making sure there is quality forage, water, cover, space and security sufficient to support productive populations. This includes conserving habitat for migratory birds, maintaining vegetation treatments that benefit wildlife, prioritizing treatments to improve habitats and coordinating predator control." Upper Sevier River Watershed Management "Treat 2000 acres of sagebrush grasslands on BLM lands over the next 5 years to improve historic and active sage grouse habitats." " Treat pinyon/juniper and reseed and plant deer browse shrubs on 3,000 acres of BLM/Forest Service land"

This project will decrease the risk of high severity wildfire by reducing fuel loading and promoting the growth of understory vegetation, which are critical to maintaining ecosystem resilience. As demonstrated by the nearby Brianhead fire during the summer of 2017, treatments like these can break up the continuity of fuels and act as fuel breaks. This project will do the same if a fire is ignited nearby where fuel loading is heavy such as in phase 3 pinyon and juniper invaded sites. The current fire regime condition class is moderate (2), and would be reduced to low (1) immediately after treatment. Much of the project ares is a lowland sagebrush habitat type which has been identified in the 2015-2025 Utah Wildlife Action Plan as a key habitat. The threats associated with this key habitat are inappropriate fire frequency and intensity. This project will help to reduce fire frequency and intensity by diversifying the understory and removing the large fuels. Reducing the threat of wildfire is also important because of the critical nature of this habitat to mule deer and elk. Completing this project and reducing the risk of fire will help to protect important sagebrush steppe and mountain brush habitat that is critical for priority species including, but not limited to, mule deer and elk. This project will also help to protect the springs and wetlands. If a high severity fire were to move through the area water soil infiltration would decrease, erosion will increase, and the potential for water to get into the aquifer will decrease and spring flows may decrease. The values at risk or VAR are first life and property. This is a signification risk because of the cabin community just to the north of this project. A fire could easily burn to the north and without a reduction of fuels could run on the private and destroy homes, cabins and at the very worse take life. If a fire was to burn in this area thousands of acres of high quality wildlife forage and habitat would be lost and the Upper Sevier Watershed could become severely impaired.

Reducing the amount of pinyon/juniper will increase and prolong stream flows, while reducing erosion caused by bare soil. The species planted will help stabilize the soil and reduce erosion. Kormas et al. found that drainage's dominated with juniper experience "snow water equivalent peaks higher, snow melts out earlier, and more water is lost to evapotranspiration in catchments when compared to sagebrush steppe vegetation". In a study from 2008, Deboodt, et. al (2008) mentions that juniper trees can use up to 30 gallons of water a day, when adequate moisture is present. It also state that Vegetative modeling has shown that 9 to 35 trees per acre are enough to utilize all the precipitation delivered to as site in a 13-in annual precipitation zone. In their study researchers monitored two watersheds 12 years prior to treatment (cutting). After the treatment analysis indicated that juniper reduction significantly increased late season spring flow by 225%, increased days of recorded groundwater by an average of 41 days , and increased the relative availability of late season soil moisture to soil depths of .76 meters. It was also noted that managing vegetation for water yield may be obtainable at a much lower precipitation threshold than what was previously understood. Baker, et. al (1984) found a 157% increase in stream flows over a 147 ha pinyon and juniper treatment. Recent research Roundy, et. al. (2014) has shown that mechanical treatments to remove pinyon and juniper increase time that soil water is available. Even four years after treatment, treated areas showed from 8.6 days to-18 days additional water availability at high elevation sites. Roth, et. All (2017) stated snow pack is deeper and last longer in the open site at the low and mid sites (4-26 and 11-33 days, respectively). Additional research by Young, et. al. (2013) also showed a relationship between tree removal and soil climates and wet days on these sites, which while providing more available moisture for desired vegetation could also provide moisture for weeds. Numerous studies have shown that increased infiltration rates and less overland flow improve both water quality and quantity. As mention the reduction of pinyon and juniper increase water quantity and quality. These benefits maybe determined over time by preventing the loss of plant life across the range.

All practices will be installed according the state and federal requires. Cultural clearances will be done to satisfy appropriate agencies. Treatment will be implemented between August 15 to April 15 to ensure that nesting and brood rearing of sage grouse and other birds are not disturbed.

Four different treatment practices will be completed on this project. A). First will be a lop and scatter and will follow these specifications: This is a "lop and scatter" contract. All trees within the project boundaries shall be completely severed from the stump(s). No live limbs shall be left on the stump of cut trees. All main branches or stems shall be cut from the trunk of the tree to meet scattering requirements Additional treatment specifications (applies to all cutting units): 1. Cut material will be lopped and scattered so that slash height does not exceed 24" above the ground. 2. Cut material left on site shall not exceed 48" in length. 3. Cut material will be spread in ephemeral washes and draws where possible to help reduce erosion. 4. Live browse species, shall not be cut or damaged. 5. Only established roads shall be used. No overland travel by vehicle will be allowed. 6. Any trees identified as bearing trees, or any tree blazed or tagged to mark the line of any Government survey, shall not be cut or destroyed under penalty of the law. Trees with reference tags will be left uncut. B). Seeding will take place in areas that are to be harrowed and implemented according to the following specifications: Seeding contractor is required to furnish all labor, equipment, supplies, and materials needed to aerial seed. Contractor will need to provide enough labor and equipment to complete the work in the specified performance window. It is the contractor's responsibility to ensure that the proper seed mix and application rate is following as described in this contract. All seed will be bagged in 40-60 lb sacks. Seed will be delivered by UDWR to predetermined location. Contractor will be solely responsible for loading all seed into broadcaster. The aircraft must be equipped with a global positioning system that is used to establish flight lines for 100% coverage. DWR will provide to the Contractor an electronic file containing coordinate positions of treatment areas in an ARC/INFO GIS format. Contractor shall provide a Trimble, ARC/INFO or ARCVIEW electronic file in UTM projection North America Datum 1983 of treatment coverage upon completion of each treated area or as required by the Contracting Officer. A government representative shall monitor the Contractors GPS to assure Contractors compliance with contract specifications. C). Harrowing will be done either by contractor or by landowner. The UDWR 24' chain harrow will be used after the seed has been applied aerial. Harrow will be pulled two ways to create the need disturbance to the soil and remove brush in areas. between polygons harrow can be pulled, but own to create minimal disturbance in areas not seeded. D). Rabbit Brush Mowing: Provide at least one wet mower (Diamond WetBlade system or equivalent) capable of mowing rabbit brush up to 6 feet in height and applying herbicide to the cut base of the rabbit brush in the same application (not a separate machine applying herbicide following a mower), on a fully-operational basis, with a competent, fully-qualified operator or a mower brush drum that cut or grind rabbit brush then sprayed with the approved spray within 10 minutes of cutting. The contractor must be licensed by the State of Utah and possess a current Commercial Pesticide Applicator license. Provide enough equipment to complete the work in the specified performance window. Equipment shall be washed with a high-pressure system before entering and exiting the project work area. All soil and plant parts shall be removed to prevent the spread of noxious weeds in and out of the project area. Contractor will provide the herbicide Tordon 22K or equivalent and other necessary adjuvants to be applied at a rate of 2 quarts per acre treated or as otherwise specified by project manager. Contractor will be expected to provide water and herbicide mixing equipment necessary for use in their application system.

UDWR/NRCS: Pre and post photopoint monitoring in treatment areas. Sage grouse Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Guide to be done pre-treatment to assess habitat conditions. UT-2 Range assessment done pre-treatment and post treatment. NRCS Pinyon and juniper woodland survey Sage grouse monitoring via satellite trackers is going on in the Panguitch SGMA as well as adjacent SGMA's. These are showing connectivity between populations and will show if grouse are using newly treated areas. This could be put together in a map form and uploaded as part of the completion report. The UDWR through the migration initiative will provide data show mule deer use with the collared deer in the area. Since May, 2018, 38 collared mule stayed on the property, and then had migrated by October 25, 2018. This illustrates the use that this property receives and how important it is to wildlife. Continual use of this resource help us understand mule deer and other wildlife movements and use of this property.

Private landowners are willing to do these improvements to their private ground to improve habitat, and livestock production. They have applied for NRCS assistance through the EQIP program and SGI. Unfortunately they were not funded this year. NRCS encourages work in this area to support birds and their habitat. Also increasing production of viable livestock production is an important issue for the NRCS in supporting conservation on the ground. UDWR is supportive of improving greater sage grouse habitat and providing improved mule deer habitat on Alton CWMU. The CCARM sage grouse local working group has ranked this project as a priority and has provided its support for the project. USFWS will be providing funding/planning/implementation support and as the project falls within their programs focus habitat and species.

Any seeded areas will require a MINIMUM 2 year rest to establish seeded species. Landowner has committed to using electric fence to keep livestock seeding while they establish. This project will also help the landowner better distribute and graze not only his private property but also his adjacent public allotments. This means the potential for improved range management and range conditions moving forward. The private landowners will enter into a contract with NRCS and USFWS. As part of the landowner agreement with USFWS the landowner agrees to leave the habitat restored in place for a 10 year period and during that time will work with the USFWS biologist to monitor and access needs, success, and any needed adaptive management.

The private are all part of a grazing rotation. This project will have a big benefit to the grazing operation. The lop and scatter treatment may slightly increase available forage but more importantly prevent future loss of forage. The bullhog will provide a significant increase in available forage once seeding is established and help with cattle distribution in the future. The spike treatments will increase herbaceous vegetation and increase forage as well as help distribute livestock by strategically locating the treatment areas. This property is part of a the only premium mule deer CWMU in the state of Utah. It has gain name of producing trophy quality deer. As mention deer use this property throughout the summer and fall months. Enhancing the quality and quantity of forage will theoretically improve body condition when these deer leave for the toughest months of their live cycle, winter.

10/03/2019

12/23/2020

2021

Sevy Bench is nesting/brood rearing greater sage grouse habitat, summer habitat for the prized Paunsaugunt mule deer management unit, and is a working cattle ranch. Pinyon and juniper have begun to encroach this mountain shrub habitat. While the understory is intact and still relatively healthy, a threshold is nearing that may result in the loss of browse species and result in watershed impacts to the Upper Sevier River. Enhancing mule deer range is crucial for the future of this unit. Increased forage and plant diversity will also benefit all other wildlife that use the area. Species of concern include the greater sage grouse. Two greater sage grouse leks are located within 2 miles of the treatment area. The harrow treatment was designed to increase brood rearing and nesting habitat for these grouse. The removal of pinyon and juniper trees will reduce the perches for sage grouse predators and it will also increase sagebrush, forbs, and grass which will promote sage grouse use. As mentioned above this is a working cattle ranch. Cattle use this area for summer grazing, and the need for a highly productive range is important for the producer's ability to stay in business. Preserving open landscapes and large tracts of sagebrush habitat is important to ranching success and to many sagebrush obligate wildlife species. As planned once the cultural survey was completed, we started the contracting process. Lop and scatter was contracted in the fall of 2019 and completed in the early spring of 2020 along with some additional acres that the landowners decided to include because of how happy they were with the other treat areas. The rabbit brush mowing start in the November of 2019 and was completed in about a week by Bonneville Reclamation Services. Part of the mowing treatment is the application of herbicide to kill the rabbit brush. Tordon 22k was applied within 10 minutes of being mowed. This allows for the chemical to be transported to the root of the plant, and because the other plants are dormmate they are not affected. After some changes in the original harrow and seed polygons, in the fall of 2020 seed was applied and the landowner immediately started to harrow, finishing the harrowing process in November of 2020.

Once the cultural resources were complete in 2019. Contracts for the lop and scatter, rabbit brush mowing were sent out. The lop and scatter contract for 4,405.8 acres went out on 9/23/2019 and 3B's was the successful bidder. The contract for the 66.9 acres rabbit brush mowing and herbicide application was completed on 11/7/2019 and Bonneville Reclamation Services was the successful bidder. They started 11/12/2019 and were completed by 11/18/2019. The lop and scatter crews continued to work but got snowed out in December 2019. They completed 3,540 acres and they completed the rest of the acres and some additional acres that the landowner and the USFWS agreed to fund in the early spring of 2020. Some of those additional lop and scatter acres were in manzanita dominated veg types, not typical lop and scatter work. After numerous changes to the harrow polygons because of changes at the ranch, we were able to solidify the acres and contract the seed flight in October of 2020. Hammond Helicopter was the successful bidder and completed the 242.3 acres seeding on 10/31/2020. The 242.3 acres harrowing was done by the private landowner and was complete on 11/23/2020.

As stated in the future management section of the proposal, NRCS will monitor the project for the next two growing seasons to ensure that livestock have not grazed the harrow treatment. NRCS will also take stubble height measurement and see that 12" stubble is left. USFWS will also continue to monitor for 10 years. Farm Bill Biologist will continue working with landowners for future projects including riparian and wet meadow enhancements. UDWR Range Trend has two sites on the property and will monitor them on the 5-year rotation.