This project will work to improve the overall health of the entire watershed in Parley's Canyon. To accomplish this there has been lots of coordination and planning between many landowners and interest groups to accomplish a landscape scale restoration project. Since the pioneers came through these Wasatch Front canyons in the mid 1800's to settle in the Salt Lake valley there have been many changes to the forest and ecosystem in Parley's Canyon. Fire has been suppressed and resulted in hundreds of years of dead fuels on the ground and unnatural old growth forests of thick conifer. This has essentially resulted in a tinder box of fuels ready to explode if conditions are just right. This is extremely concerning for people who live in communities in Lambs Canyon, Summit Park, Jeremy Ranch, Park City, and Mount Aire. Billions of dollars worth of property damage can occur and lives will be threatened if a catastrophic fire occurs in this area without efforts to reduce fuel loads, build fire breaks, and create defensible space. There is a great need to build defensible space around homes, cabins, infrastructure, and roads. This will not only keep residents safe but also help keep firefighters safe who will be asked to risk their lives in defense of this property. This project will work to address and minimize these threats. This project will also work to improve the health of the forest by thinning conifers stands that are encroaching on struggling aspen stands. The aspen in this watershed are beginning to die off from disease and insect infestations. This is probably a result of competition with conifer and older trees that are more susceptible to disease.This project will help to reduce the competition of conifers and allow more water for struggling aspen. By increasing the aspen stands we will also create more diversity of habitat and provide more food for wildlife. From historic overgrazing and removal of beavers the streams and riparian systems have been damaged and critical pond habitats have been lost. This project will use beaver dam analogs (BDAs) to repair some of this damaged down-cut and incised stream channels, restore pond habitat, and increase riparian vegetation. This will benefit many wildlife and fish species. It will also increase water quantity and quality. The healthier and larger riparian areas will also act as a fire break to prevent the spread of catastrophic wildfire. The BDAs will also help catch sediment and slow water flows post fires to reduce downstream damage and flooding. From historic livestock grazing and nearby human developments there have been many introductions of noxious weeds into this watershed. This project will work to combat these weeds before they spread and take over the biotic community and reduce the health of the watershed. One such weed is garlic mustard. Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is classified as a 1b Early Detection rapid response species on the Utah Noxious weed list because of it's threat to our forest ecosystems and limited distribution in the state. It is able to form monospecific stands that dominate the understory of even relatively undisturbed forests and actively displace native understory plant species. We have identified locations of this weed and we need to act now to stop its spread. Another weed of concern is myrtle spurge. Myrtle spurge is a Utah state noxious weed not only because of it's caustic sap which is considered a public health threat, but also because it displaces native vegetation. It's rapid expansion throughout the wildland urban interface along the Wasatch front in the last decade, has alarmed residents and local land managers alike, and continues to draw quite a bit of public and media attention every spring. Myrtle spurge infestations have further exasperated threats to our watershed and public lands, by increasing the potential for erosion and sedimentation in our creeks and streams from run off. This project will work to remove these weeds from the watershed. Lastly, this is an important area for recreation from skiing, hiking, fishing, camping, and hunting since it is so close to SLC. A large part of Utah's economy is driven by this recreation and protecting this watershed will help preserve those uses and sustain our economy.

This project has multiple objectives designed to address all of the priorities of WRI and the Shared Stewardship program and to treat all aspects of watershed health in Parley's Canyon. 1. Protect the lives of residents and firefighters from catastrophic wildfire 2. Reduce fire risk to communities and infrastructure and reduce costs of post fire rehabilitation 3. Improve forest health 3. Remove noxious weeds from the watershed 4. Improve fish and wildlife habitat, especially for boreal toad and Bonneville cutthroat trout. 5. Improve water quality and increase water quantity 6. Conduct monitoring to measure success of project and to help gather data to address threats to WAP species. 7. Conduct a project that addresses objectives multiple management plans. 8. Increase forage for livestock where grazing is possible. 9. Increase and protect recreational opportunities such as skiing, hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreation.

By not doing this project now we risk crossing ecological thresholds that will take millions of more dollars and hundreds of years to recover from. This is also probably one of the most at risk areas in our state for a catastrophic fire. Putting this project off for later down the road could prove tragic. 1. By not doing this project there is greater risk for a catastrophic fire that will cross ecological thresholds and destroy communities, life, and infrastructure. Every year that we do not treat this area the threat of this increases and we are just rolling the dice until a catastrophe occurs. 2. The damage to crucial Bonneville cutthroat populations from a fire and subsequent sediment deposition in Lambs Creek and surrounding streams would be extremely damaging to the UDWR and sportsman's efforts to restore cutthroat. 3. The loss of potential benefit to wildlife and aquatic species by not restoring aspen/forest health and stream health may lead to a decrease in populations. Recovering these species after they are lost will be extremely difficult. 4. To recover this ecosystem after allowing noxious weeds like garlic mustard and myrtle spurge to spread unchecked may be impossible. We have to act now to do all we can to prevent these non native plants from spreading and out-competing the native vegetation. 5. The cost of large debree flows that would likely result after a fire and damage a major highway in Parley's Canyon could result in billions of dollars worth of damage to repair. It would change the ecosystem for a long time. The cost of doing this project is nothing compared to the billions of dollars in costs that could come from not doing this project.

This project complies with guidance and addresses objectives outlined in the following management plans: 1. The Boreal Toad (Bufo boreas boreas) Conservation Plan (Utah Division of Wildlife Resources 2005) 3.1 Fire Management. 3.1.1 Protect habitats in forest stands adjacent to and within 2.5 miles of breeding sites. 3.1.2 Restrict burns to late fall through early spring during which time boreal toads are inactive in known occupied areas. 3.1.3 Determine impacts of fire through monitoring of known breeding sites. 3.2 Habitat Fragmentation. 3.2.1 Prevent further habitat fragmentation of breeding populations. 3.2.1.a Identify and preserve dispersal corridors. 3.2.1.b Identify and preserve metapopulation structure. 3.2.2. Restore historic dispersal corridors where possible. 3.2.2.a Identify where migration and gene flow among occupied habitats should be facilitated. 32 3.2.2.b Improve habitat conditions in degraded dispersal corridors where appropriate 3.3.1.c Minimize depletion of boreal toad prey base. 3.3.1.d Minimize degradation of bank conditions. 3.3.1.e Minimize degradation of water quality. 3.3.1.f Minimize depletion of emergent and riparian vegetation. 3.9.2 Minimize habitat loss and degradation associated with water management. 3.9.2.a Minimize stream channelization. 3.9.3 Create, restore, and maintain new habitats through water management. 3.9.3.a Create shallow shoreline margins in new impoundments. 3.9.3.b Deepen impoundments to maintain sufficient water levels through metamorphosis. 3.9.3.c Create new wetlands according to boreal toad breeding habitat requirements. 2. Deer Herd Unit 17a Management Plan 1. Maintain mule deer habitat throughout the unit by protecting and enhancing existing crucial habitats and mitigating for losses due to natural and human impacts. 2. Seek cooperative projects to improve the quality and quantity of deer habitat. 3. Provide improved habitat security and escapement opportunities for deer Future habitat work should be concentrated on the following areas.: 4. Quaking aspen forests unit wide. We will be working in the quaking aspen stands to reduce conifer competition. 5. Anywhere along the front that would avert deer from entering cities. By improving the habitat condition up higher in the canyon we will hopefully keep deer from going down into the city. 3. Wildlife Action Plan 1. Under the threats, data gaps, and action section of the plan it identifies a list of Essential Conservation Actions. It states the need to restore and improve degraded wildlife habitats. species and others. 2. The habitat type that this project is located in as identified in the WAP is the aquatic scrub/shrub type, forested aquatics, and riverine. We will be improving the habitat in this key habitat and addressing the threats to this habitat type. 3. The plan identifies sediment transport imbalance as a medium threat to this habitat type and this project will help to reduce sediment transport by stabilizing the banks with vegetation and rocks. 4.It identifies channel down-cutting as a high threat and this project will help to remove the channels in the stream and make a more subtle gradient. This project will raise the water levels to restore the floodplain and reduce this channel down-cutting. 5. The plan mentions a management strategy that this project addresses to help improve this habitat type through 1.( restoring more natural water and sediment flow regimes) WAP Ch. 7-1; Mountain Riparian Habitat, criteria and score totals (ch. 7-8) 3rd highest priority statewide. Ch. 6-15; Western Toad; threat - 4. Statewide Moose Management Plan 1. Population Management Goal: Achieve optimum populations of moose in all suitable habitat within the state. 2. Habitat Management Goal: Assure sufficient habitat is available to sustain healthy and productive moose populations. 3. Recreation Goal: Provide high-quality opportunities for hunting and viewing of moose. 5. Statewide Mule Deer Management Plan Habitat Objective1: Maintain mule deer habitat throughout the state by protecting and enhancing existing crucial habitats and mitigating for losses due to natural and human impacts Habitat Objective 2: Improve the quality and quantity of vegetation for mule deer on a minimum of 500,000 acres of crucial range by 2019. 6. Statewide Elk Managment Plan 1. Increase forage production by annually treating a minimum of 40,000 acres of elk habitat. 2. Maintain sufficient habitat to support elk herds at population objectives and reduce competition for forage between elk and livestock. 7. Salt Lake County Integrated Watershed Management Plan 1. Identifies stream restoration as a priority implementation task Pg. 10 This project through the BDA work will help to achieve this task. 2. It identifies Parley's Creek as a priority watershed. 3. The plan identifies improving habitat as a priority. Pg 80 8. Parleys Creek Management Plan http://www.slcdocs.com/utilities/Stream%20Study%20website/Parleys/Final/7_Projects_Parleys.pdf 1. Pg.15 Goal: Improve Riparian Habitat through Control of Invasive Plant Species and Restoration of Native Plant Communities 2. Action: Initiate invasive plant removal/control efforts in city-owned riparian corridor areas, beginning upstream and working downstream, utilizing an integrated weed control strategy. 9. Snyderville Basin Special Recreation Open Space Management Guidelines 2019 10. Summit Park Forest Stewardship Plan 2018: Manage forest resources in the best interest of forest health, which should minimize losses associated with injurious insects and diseases. Detection and monitoring will be key components in minimizing forest pest impacts. Maintain or enhance wildlife use and habitat. Maintain favorable aesthetics by means of preventing large scale tree mortality. Adhere to the Forest Legacy Deed of Conservation Easement parameters. Actively manage to reduce the control/spread of noxious weeds, found throughout the property. 11. Snyderville Basin Special Recreation Trails Master Plan 2019: (3) Provide and support a diversity of trail experiences: Objective 3C: Beyond the types of trail uses accommodated, consider a variety of user objectives in the planning, design, and construction of new trails. Objectives could include: Nature-viewing, Escape, Solitude, Challenge, Risk, Fun, Play, Exercise, Connectivity, Socializing. (4) Develop a sustainable trail system in an environmentally responsible way: Objective 4A: Secure and budget sufficient, dependable annual maintenance funding for the community-wide trail system. Seek out partnerships with other organizations to share and leverage trail maintenance resources. 12. Summit County Code: 10-4-3: Critical Lands, 10-4-7 (A): Fire Protection Fuel Breaks/Vegetation Manipulation: Hazardous fuels in the form of native vegetation will be cleared around structures and around the perimeter of the development to assist in wildfire prevention measures. This fuel break is not intended as a complete vegetation clearing firebreak. 13. Summit County Snyderville Basin General Plan: Goals: (1) Preservation of open space, view corridors and scenic mountainsides, (2) preservation of Critical Lands (as defined in Section 10-4-3 of the Code) natural resources and the environment, including clean air and water. Community Vision: (1) Open Space, (2) Recreation, (4) Wildlife, (6) Critical Land Protection, (7) Water Conservation and (11) Natural Resource Preservation. Policy 5.22: Wildfire Management. Policy 5.23: Wildlife 14. Utah Administrative Code R68-9 (Utah's Noxious Weed Act): Utah Noxious Weed Act and the Summit County Code, Title 4, Chapter 4. The Act states that local governments are directed to take the necessary steps to manage the noxious weeds within their jurisdiction and provides specific authorization for local enforcement. 15. Utah Forest Action Plan 2016: Distribute materials to community members, individual landowners, public officials, interagency partners and media for further dissemination and outreach. Increase participation in state and national programs including Utah Living with Fire, Ready, Set, Go!, Firewise USA and Fire-Adaptive Communities. Use all available management tools, including forest industry, to restore and maintain healthy ecosystems. 16. Treatments lie within Central Region UPCD/UWRI focus areas. 17. UDWR Strategic Management Plan Objective R2 Maintain existing wildlife habitat and increase the quality of critical habitats and watersheds throughout the state. Objective R4 Decrease risks to species and their habitats through integrated implementation of the WAP, Objective C6 Increase hunting and fishing opportunities 18. Utah Shared Stewardship Agreement (May 2019) - Project is within Shared Stewardship priority areas. We have applied for Shared Stewardship as well and working with USFS and FFSL to do this. Meets objectives to reduce hazardous fuels.

If you look at the Shared Stewardship layer you will also see that this project is largely within the high priority area for Shared Stewardship. This is because fire has been suppressed and resulted in hundreds of years of dead fuels on the ground and old growth forests of thick conifer. This has essentially resulted in a tinder box of fuels ready to explode if conditions are just right. If you look at the map with the fire risk tool it shows most of the projects area is within extremely high risk areas. This is extremely concerning for people who live in communities in Lambs Canyon, Summit Park, Jeremy Ranch, Park City, and Mount Aire. Billions of dollars worth of property damage can occur and lives will be threatened. This project will begin the process of thinning this forest and reducing the fuel loads to reduce the fire danger and make it safer for communities and fire fighters. This project will also pave the way for future fire risk reduction efforts including possibly controlled burns through the USFS. The BDAs and stream restoration will also help increase riparian wet areas and green vegetation which will act as green strips or fire breaks to slow and stop catastrophic fire spread.

The project area is within the Salt Lake City watershed which provides water to millions of people it is one of the most valuable water sources in our State. This should be considered when evaluating the importance of protecting this watershed compared to other projects in remote areas that may not have such high populations downstream or as many users dependent on it. We need to do everything we can to protect the quality and quantity of this water. By thinning conifer stands we will be reducing the amount of water that these trees take from the system. This will add water to the watershed and provide healthier greener vegetation and more water for users down stream. By reducing fire risk we will reduce the potential for large debris flows and contamination of water sources post fire. This could be extremely detrimental to SLC water supply quality and quantity of drinking water as debris would fill pipes and cost millions of dollars in repairs and potentially cut off water supply to thousands of homes. By doing work to improve the health of the streams through BDAs we will be capturing sediments that would otherwise flow downstream and reduce water quality. Also, it has been shown that BDAs help store more water in the watershed longer and will increase the quantity of water throughout the year. Improvements due to forest thinning: Toll Canyon Creek and the greater Summit Park area all drain into the East Canyon Creek (Weber watershed). Reduction of conifers should increase available water within the stand and may increase ephemeral water flow. Improvements due to improved riparian corridors: The impacts of wildfire on riparian habitats is varied, but there is evidence that healthy riparian corridors can serve to halt the spread of wildfires. In-tact, healthy riparian corridors are more resilient to wildfires because riparian vegetation such as willows and cottonwoods thrive after disturbance. In-tact root systems in riparian corridors stabilize streambanks and are more resilient to flooding (i.e., down-cutting and incision), if and when post-fire rains erode into waterways. Conversely, degraded riparian corridors are not resilient to wildfire; they will require extensive efforts to restore vegetation and hydrologic function (i.e., deep incision and down-cutting). Riparian habitats can be resilient to wildfire and generally do not require extensive restoration (Halofsky and Hibbs 2009).

This project will inclde funds to help the USFS to complete all necessary cultural and biological clearances for NEPA that will allow for this work to be done. All necessary stream alteration permitting has been done or will be done before BDAs will be constructed. All cultural resources necessary for work on private land will be done before work begins.

Forest Management We will use FFSL, UFA, and other crews alongside contractors to cut and chip trees and brush around homes and infrastructure. This will allow for more defensible space and protection of roads so firefighters can access safely areas. The project in the next phase after cultural clearances are done will also cut, pile, and burn dead or dying conifer throughout the forest that has been impacted by insect kill. In some of the very steep areas near Summit Park we will also include some logging with ground crews. Because of the steepness of the terrain we will utilize helicopters or safety cable attached machinery to remove logs to a loading site where they will be hauled away. Lastly, we will do cultural and botanical surveys that will allow for NEPA to be completed much quicker on USFS lands in the canyon. This will allow us to do many different treatments of forest thinning to reduce fuels with hand crews and possibly prescribed fire in the future. Weed Control Best management practices for garlic mustard include an integrated pest management strategy of both chemical and manual control, combined with active monitoring, and persistent surveillance. Plants are self pollinating and germinate throughout the growing season, therefore require constant monitoring and at least 2 chemical applications per season, with manual control of bolted flowering plants prior to seeding. Chemical applications to rosettes include a mix of metsulfuron and 2,4-D, and should be applied in both the spring and fall. Best management practices for myrtle spurge include both manual removal and chemical control in the early spring prior to seed dispersal. In areas where plants are growing on steep slopes and manual removal could increase erosion, chemical control is preferred using a mix of 2,4-D and dicamba with a surfactant. If the plants can be removed manually with limited disturbance to soils, best management practices include removing at least 4" of the root with care not to get the sap in the eyes or on skin. Manual removal can be a preferred form of management, given that myrtle spurge if often found growing under, around, and interspersed with scrub oak and other native plants. Seed Application Seed will be hand braodcasted with seeders in areas at the mouth of Parley's Canyon where we are trying to control myrtle spurge. Seed will help fill the niche that myrtle spurge is filling and hopefully help in control of myrtle spurge. Beaver Dam Analog Construction We will construct the BDAs with sharpened lodgepole fence posts, approximately 3-4" diameter. They will be driven into the stream bed with a gas post pounder or hydraulic post pounder. The posts will extend about 1 m above the channel bed. The posts will be spaced approximately 0.5 - 0.8 m apart, and driven to a depth of approximately 1 m into the streambed. We will then weave willow branches or other tree branches that are available onsite between the posts to create a structure that will look like a beaver dam. The willows will help to slow the water but will also allow fish to pass through. We will then reinforce the posts with stream bed material at the base of the posts. The idea is that the dams will last until sediment is piled up at the dam and vegetation begins to grow and the stream channel rises and floods. We will place dams about 30 m apart, depending on where they need to go. After a year we will assess the health of the stream again and determine what progress has been made and where future BDAs need to be placed. Once sediment has built up behind the dam we will plant vegetation as needed to speed up recovery and have the roots hold that built up sediment in place.

Forest Health Monitoring will consist of repeat photography at designated points and vegetation plots to determine trees per acre and species composition. Each vegetation plot will estimate both over-story and under-story vegetation change for percent cover, tree density and species richness. Monitoring will occur before treatment, one year after treatment and five years after treatment. Stream Restoration: Effectiveness of stream restoration (e.g., BDAs) will be monitored with the Rapid Stream-Riparian Assessment (RSRA) survey (see attached). The RSRA generates a score for water quality, hydrogeomorphology, fish and aquatic habitat, riparian vegetation, and terrestrial wildlife habitat. This method was selected because it is a time and cost efficient means to monitor restoration projects. Wild Utah Project biologists and their volunteers will conduct the RSRA surveys before and after restoration. In addition to this data Salt Lake County has been collecting water quality data in Lambs Canyon for many years. So we will already have many years of pre treatment data to compare to post treatment. Salt Lake COunty will continue this monitoring that is a significant in kind contribution. Boreal Toad: To assess conditions for boreal toads, we will do pre- and post-project aquatic habitat surveys based on Utah's standardized field protocol (attached). The data will be included in the long-term dataset managed by Wild Utah Project, Hogle Zoo, and Utah Geologic Survey. Based on results, boreal toad re-introduction sites will be selected and prioritized. Monitoring for garlic mustard include an integrated pest management strategy of both chemical and manual control, combined with active monitoring, and persistent surveillance. Plants are self pollinating and germinate throughout the growing season, therefore require constant monitoring and at least 2 chemical applications per season,

UDWR Habitat Restoration Biologist, Robby Edgel, has been coordinating efforts between multiple landowners and interest groups in Parley's Canyon to bring a landscape scale watershed restoration project. USFS, Bekee Hotze (Salt Lake District Ranger), Guy Wilson (USFS), Scott Frost (USFS), Justin Robinson (USFS), Karen Hartmen (USFS) and Brian Trick (Wasatch Front Area Manager) from FFSL, Dax Reid (FFSL), Robert Sanders (FFSL), Scott Zeidler (FFSL), and PJ Abraham(FFSL) have been involved in planning the Shared Stewardship/Forest Health aspects of the project on USFS lands in Parley's Canyon. They have been instrumental in educating the public and planning the work to be done in the canyon. They also have been heavily involved in collaboration on the project proposal to apply for funds through WRI and the Shared Stewardship program. Jessica Kirby (Open Space Management Supervisor)) from Snyderville Basin Special Recreation District has been the lead in planning all the work around Summit Park and gaining public support and funding from the County. Through her efforts Summit County has become a significant partner and has already contributed over $250,000 to this project. She has been working with PJ Abraham from FFSL to plan the fuel treatments around Summit Park. She also has been partnering with Trout Unlimited to plan BDA work in Toll Canyon and East Canyon. She has also gained funding through the NRCS to do work. Janice Gardner and Mary Pendergast from Wild Utah Project are partnering on this project to help with the monitoring of stream health and amphibian species. As well as helping to get volunteer labor to build BDAs and help manage contractors. They are extremely supportive of this work and are helpful in gaining public support. And they have helped us coordinate working Marshall Wolf, Edd Hammill, and Andrew Potter with USU and the Swaner preserve to do BDAs in East Canyon and Kimball Creek. Patrick Nelson from Salt Lake City Utilities/Wateshed Management has been a collaborator and as landowners in the canyon and owner of water rights SLC is also very supportive of our efforts to do work in the canyon. Bob Thompson, the Salt Lake County Watershed Manager has been contacted as well about this project and is very supportive of it and will continue to be a partner in helping to monitor water quality and in developing the project moving forward. Sage Fitch, the Salt Lake County Bee and Noxious Weeds Program Manager has been involved in planning the weed control aspects of the project for garlic mustard and myrtle spurge. UDOT, SLC open lands, and the BLM have also been contacted about doing weed control on their lands and they are supportive. The community of Forest Home owns about 640 acres in Lambs Canyon. They are extremely supportive of our efforts and have written Bill Stocksdale has written a letter of support that is attached. Letters of support have been attached * Utah Division of Wildlife Resources- Robert Edgel * Utah Forestry Fire and State Lands - PJ Abraham * Summit County - Tom Fisher, County Manager and Glenn Wright, County Council Member * Summit County Fire Warden -- Bryce Boyer * Andy Pappus -Weber River Watershed Committee and Utah Department Agriculture * Wild Utah Project - Janice Gardner * Trout Unlimited -- Paul Burnett * Summit Park Home Owners Association * Pinebrook Masters Association and Home Owners Association * Utah State University Extension -- Darren McAvoy and Dusty Morgan * US Forest Service - Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest

We will continue to monitor the success of this project to stop weed spread, insect infestations, and success of BDAs to reach objectives and will make any future repairs or adjustments as needed to ensure their success. The Forest Service will work with the UDWR to continue to build upon these improvements to benefit the habitat in this area. There may be further work to introduce boreal toads in future depending on results of surveys.

This project will improve the forage availability by reducing the canopy cover and allowing more light to enter the forest floor also BDAs will increase forage and disperse water. This project will also prevent garlic mustard from spreading and reducing forage quality. This will largely be a grazing benefit for wildlife since most of the project is in a protected watershed where grazing is not allowed. But there are areas near Swaner where there is livestock and grazing and goats will be utilized to reduce fuels near Summit Park. This project will complete NEPA that will be helpful in allowing for timber harvest in the future or other biomass utilization for fire wood. Parley's canyon and the surrounding ski resorts are important area for recreation from skiing, hiking, fishing, camping, golfing, and hunting since it is so close to SLC. A large part of Utah's economy is driven by this recreation and protecting this watershed will help preserve those uses and sustain our economy. The extended archery hunt is extremely popular in this area and hundreds of hunters are able to have quality hunting experiences. Bonneville cutthroat are found in these waters and this project will help improve angler opportunity. Since the project is so close to SLC, HOgle Zoo has expressed interest in using this project to help educate the public and this will provide an increased opportunity for wildlife viewing.

07/15/2020

06/30/2021

2021

Forest Management We used FFSL, UFA, and other crews alongside contractors to cut and chip trees and brush around homes and infrastructure in Lamb Canyon and Mount Aire. This allowed for more defensible space and protection of roads so firefighters can safely access areas. We completed 7,000 acres of cultural clearances on USFS so the NEPA can be completed and allow us to cut pile and chip conifer throughout the forest beginning in phase 2. We completed the hand thinning of about 140 acres in Snyderville Basin Recreation lands above Summit Park. A national award was given to them for the work that was done. We will continue to do more work there in second phase. Weed Control In the spring of 2021 we hired a contractor to manually remove myrtle spurge at the mouth of Parley's Canyon on 50 acres of land. It was very effective and we will continue to monitor re-sprouts. We also hired a conservation crew to manually remove garlic mustard in Killyon Canyon on about 10 acres. Beaver Dam Analog Construction We constructed about 70 BDAs in Lambs Canyon, East Canyon Creek, and Toll Canyon Creek in the summer and fall of 2020.

This project will work to improve the overall health of the entire watershed in Parley's Canyon. To accomplish this there has been lots of coordination and planning between many landowners and interest groups to accomplish a landscape scale restoration project. There is a great need to build defensible space around homes, cabins, infrastructure, and roads. This will not only keep residents safe but also help keep firefighters safe who will be asked to risk their lives in defense of this property. This project will work to address and minimize these threats. This project also worked to improve the health of the forest by thinning conifers stands that are encroaching on struggling aspen stands. The aspen in this watershed are beginning to die off from disease and insect infestations. This is probably a result of competition with conifer and older trees that are more susceptible to disease.This project will help to reduce the competition of conifers and allow more water for struggling aspen. By increasing the aspen stands we will also create more diversity of habitat and provide more food for wildlife. From historic overgrazing and removal of beavers the streams and riparian systems have been damaged and critical pond habitats have been lost. This project will use beaver dam analogs (BDAs) to repair some of this damaged down-cut and incised stream channels, restore pond habitat, and increase riparian vegetation. This will benefit many wildlife and fish species. It will also increase water quantity and quality. The healthier and larger riparian areas will also act as a fire break to prevent the spread of catastrophic wildfire. The BDAs will also help catch sediment and slow water flows post fires to reduce downstream damage and flooding. The need to control and stop the spread of myrtle spurge and garlic mustard is important for the health of the ecosystem. We worked to identify priority areas and began removing these plants to reduce the risk of spread.

We will continue to monitor the success of this project to stop weed spread, insect infestations, and success of BDAs to reach objectives and will make any future repairs or adjustments as needed to ensure their success. The Forest Service will work with the UDWR to continue to build upon these improvements to benefit the habitat in this area. There may be further work to introduce boreal toads in future depending on results of surveys.