Removal of natural fire from National Forest lands has led to an increase in hazardous fuel loading, and unhealthy declining forests. This lack of fire has led to widespread decline in the aspen community type. Loss of aspen has impacts on wildlife habitat quality, forest and watershed health, and the potential for landscape-scale catastrophic wildfire. The lack of natural fire in the ponderosa pine has led to many stands that are overly dense with heavy loading of ground fuels and encroachment of pinyon/juniper. Prescribed fire is a tool used successfully by the Manti-La Sal National Forest in both forest types to regenerate aspen, improve the structure and diversity of the forest on a landscape scale and move towards a historic disturbance/fire regime. This proposal combines 4 prescribed fire projects on the North Zone of the Manti-La Sal National forest, to increase likelihood of implementation.

The main objective of this project will be to treat at least 2000 acres on the North Zone of the Manti-La Sal National Forest utilizing prescribed fire. Four prescribed fire projects have been combined into this project to increase the chances of being able to find an appropriate burn window to meet the 2000 acre objective. These 4 projects vary in fuel types, elevations, and aspects which should increase chances of obtaining required fuel and weather parameters. Objectives of the Trail Mountain RX are to enhance wildlife habitat, improve watershed health, and stimulate aspen regeneration. Fire will be introduced into late seral conifer stands over approximately 3,550 acres. Burning will be conducted at moderate to high intensties within these stands to stimulate aspen response and create mosaic of aspen age classes. Objectives of the Pines RX is to maintain healthy ponderosa stands within the 6,000 acre project area. Most of the area has previously undergone some ponderosa under-story burning and is coming up on return interval of 5-10 years to return area to desired FRCC and maintain overall stand health. Objective of the Swasey RX is to return areas with ponderosa pine to return fire interval of approximately 15 years. Most of the area has undergone some mastication to reduce juniper encroachment. Post MX light prescribed burning will be conducted on approximately 40% of the project area at 3-5 year intervals to reduce hazardous fuel loading and bring area back to desired FRCC. Objective of the Middle Mountain RX is to return areas with ponderosa pine to return fire interval of approximately 15 years. Most of the area has undergone some hand treatment and initial light under-story burning. Additional light under-story burning at 7-15 year interval will be conducted to return area to desire FRCC.

Stands historically dominated by aspen are declining and are being dominated by late seral conifer trees (Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, and Douglas-fir). Aspen stands provide valuable biodiversity, wildlife habitat and forage, and resistance and resiliency to severe wildland fire. Unless the succession is set back to early seral (young) aspen stands and conifer tree competition is removed, some areas of aspen may be lost for wildlife & watershed benefit. Dense conifer stands are susceptible to severe stand-replacing fire, particularly in conjunction with climate change (drought and increasing temperatures). This can impact watershed values, vegetative conditions, wildlife habitat, and other resource values if large stand replacing fire events occur. Loss of aspen and increase in conifers in this landscape could result in loss of valuable nesting and forage habitat for northern goshawk, as well as habitat for elk, mule deer, and other species. Native ponderosa pine stands in the Joe's Valley Reservoir area have several basal fire scars. These scars are common on thick-barked stems in old growth ponderosa pine forests. Uncontrolled fire was common before European colonization. These surface fires consumed branches, fallen trees, under-story vegetation, and some living trees. These fires burned mostly at a 5-20 year return intervals. Low-intensity fire kept many pine forests open and park like. Removal of fire from these ecosystems has lead to an increased build up of hazardous fuels which may lead to catastrophic fires and damage to overall watershed health. Through prescribed burning, a mosaic of burn conditions will allow for greater biodiversity thus allowing for multiple species benefit. In 2016 the Southeast Catastrophic fire committee has classified the Joes Valley/Cottonwood Canyon as one of the top priority areas to focus efforts in addressing high fire risk and intensity. Joes Valley/Cottonwood Canyon ranked high due to the potential impact to wildlife, municipal watershed, and homes in the area.

MANTI-LA SAL NATIONAL FOREST LAND AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN (1986) Provide an optimum cover:forage ratio for deer and elk habitat (III-19). Maintain/improve habitat and habitat diversity for populations of existing wildlife species (III-22). Maintain/improve habitat capability through direct treatment of vegetation (III-23). Under a proactive approach, manage for diverse forest cover types with strong representation of early seral tree species DEER HERD UNIT MANAGEMENT PLAN Deer Herd Unit # 16 Central Mountains Cooperate with land management agencies in carrying out habitat improvements such as controlled burns. Management efforts should focus on improving deer habitat and carrying capacity. Enhance forage production through direct range improvements throughout the unit on winter range to achieve population management objectives. Provide improved habitat security and escapement opportunities for deer. Provide a long-term continuing base of habitat quantity and quality sufficient to support the stated population objectives. STATEWIDE MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR MULE DEER (2008) Initiate broad scale vegetative treatment projects to improve mule deer habitat with emphasis on drought or fire damaged sagebrush winter ranges, ranges that are being taken over by invasive annual grass species, and ranges being diminished by encroachment of conifers into sagebrush or aspen habitats. Continue to support and provide leadership for the Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative, which emphasizes improving sagebrush-steppe, aspen, and riparian habitats across all landownerships. Encourage land managers to manage portions of pinyon-juniper woodlands and aspen/conifer forests in early successional stages. UTAH DIVISION OF WILDLIFE RESOURCES STATEWIDE MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR MULE DEER Maintain mule deer habitat throughout the state by protecting and enhancing existing crucial habitats and mitigating for losses due to natural and human impacts. Work with land management agencies and private landowners to identify and properly manage crucial mule deer habitats, especially fawning and wintering areas. Improve the quality and quantity of vegetation for mule deer on a minimum of 500,000 acres of crucial range by 2013. UTAH ELK STATEWIDE MANAGEMENT PLAN (2010) Initiate broad scale vegetative treatment projects to improve elk habitat with emphasis on calving habitat and winter ranges. Encourage land managers to manage portions of forests in early succession stages through the use of controlled burning 2015 Utah Wildlife Action Plan (pages 26-28): - Condition - While the Aspen-Conifer physical (abiotic) habitat remains largely intact in Utah, coverage of aspen itself within that setting has declined greatly for two main reasons: (1) departure from natural fire regime (reduction in disturbance), resulting in widespread forest succession to conifer dominance; and (2) heavy ungulate browsing on young aspen stems, following disturbance. - Improving Condition - A good strategy for management may include the following elements: * Increasing disturbance from either prescribed or natural fire. Recent studies have shown that larger scale burns (e.g., 5,000 acres) that burn more intensely have been the most successful in terms of aspen regeneration. Higher-intensity burns stimulate higher numbers of young aspen per unit area, than lower-intensity burns. A larger treatment area distributes ungulate browse pressure, allowing most young aspen stems to reach a safe height. * Applying mechanical disturbance agents such as timber harvest. This can also be used to stimulate aspen regeneration and avoid or reduce resource losses to conifer beetles. As with fire, larger mechanical treatment areas serve to distribute browsing pressure and reduce damage to individual stems, increasing regeneration success. * Monitoring smaller, naturally-occurring or human-created disturbances for ungulate damage, and taking follow-up actions such as fencing, hazing, hunting, and/or domestic grazing management, may be required to prevent or reduce damage caused by domestic, wild, or feral ungulates. * Promoting policies that reduce improper browsing and grazing by domestic livestock and wildlife.

The current condition of aspen/conifer stands within the project boundaries are conducive to intense stand replacing fires which presents a hazard to fire personnel, the private citizens, structures and infrastructure, as well as ecosystems and watersheds. The current Fire Regime Group (FRG) is 5 (200+ year frequency and high (stand replacement severity). The current Fire Regime Condition Class is 3 high due to Spruce/fir encroachment and bug kill. Following treatment the FRCC would be converted back to a mosaic of aspen with FRCC of 1-2. Ponderosa pine stands within the proposed areas are at FRCC of 2 with a build up of under-story fuels and encroachment of pinyon/juniper. Prescribed burning at desired return interval of 5-15 years will return these stands to FRCC of 1 with open under-stories.

Increase the resistance and resilience of watersheds and associated vegetation in the Trail Mountain landscape to climate-related stressors (drought, wildfire, insects, and disease). In 2016 the Southeast Catastrophic fire committee has classified the Joes Valley/Cottonwood Canyon as one of the top priority areas to focus efforts in addressing high fire risk and intensity. Joes Valley/Cottonwood Canyon ranked high due to the potential impact to wildlife, municipal watershed, and homes in the area.

All four projects comply with direction in the Manti-La Sal Forest Plan, and have been through the NEPA process. All project have had BA/BE reports, archaeological clearance and SHPO concurrence (see attached NEPA documents).

The proposed action would apply prescribed burning to both late seral aspen stands and ponderosa stands within the 4 project boundaries. Stands with a remnant component of aspen will be targeted for high severity burn to allow for greatest success of aspen regeneration. Vegetation further away from the aspen component will be targeted with a low to moderate burn to minimize the dead and down component and allow for group torching to create openings in the canopy. Ponderosa Pine stands will be targeted with low to moderate burning to initiate a first entry burn and clean up the dead and down component protecting the vegetation from uncharacteristic high intensity wildfires. Re-entry of prescribed fire within ponderosa stands will generally occur at 5-15 year intervals.

Pre-treatment vegetation surveys were completed. Post-treatment vegetation surveys will be conducted 1 and 5 years after treatment to identify results from the proposed action such as aspen recruitment, noxious weeds, and fence damage.

In 2016 the Southeast Catastrophic fire committee has classified the Joes Valley/Cottonwood Canyon as one of the top priority areas to focus efforts in addressing high fire risk and intensity. Partners on this committee included members of Federal and Utah State land agencies, Emergency Management coordinators for several counties, County Commissioners, and members of public. Nearby private landowners in the Sportsman's, Reeder and Swasey subdivisions in conjunction with UT Forestry, Fire, and State Lands are involved with the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) process. Coordinate with Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA) to include burning operations adjacent to USFS lands. In 2016 the project was presented to the SE UPCD committee in a field trip.

These project areas will be managed in the future to provide for overall forest health, wildlife benefit, and grazing. Future management of Ponderosa Pine stands will include future under-story burning at desired return fire intervals to maintain healthy stand structure. Future management of the aspen stands will include use of managed fire as appropriate to maintain aspen clone health.

Domestic livestock will benefit from increased recruitment of forage species as a result of decreased dense Spruce/fir stands. Better livestock distribution will also be encouraged due to more widespread grazing opportunity. Coordination with the Trail Mountain cattle permittees has occurred and mitigations were developed to minimize the impact of domestic ungulates on regenerating aspen. Cattle grazing occurs on approximately 50 percent of the project area due to the lack of surface water. No grazing occurs on the remaining 50 percent of the project area due to vegetation. Elk on the Manti are near objective. There are cow hunts annually to keep the elk population at objective. By creating more open forage areas, elk will be discouraged from congregating in and overusing the current limited areas. Deer are under objective and increasing forage and habitat quality/quantity will allow for managers to reach objective on the Manti. The area will continue to be managed under the Forest Plan for its wildlife, recreation, and watershed values, using adaptive management related to livestock and big game and hazardous fuels reduction. We have observed increased use by mule deer and elk in winter months within days and weeks of treatment through prescribed burning.