Invasive weeds are threatening the Intermountain West with negative impacts on wildlife habitat, native plant communities, soil and watershed resources, recreation, and aesthetic values. A shift from native vegetation to invasive weeds decrease wildlife forage, reduces species diversity, and increases soil erosion. The Forest Service would like to revitalize the wildlife habitat around Murray Trailhead, with an intent to plant shrubs and broadcast native forb and grass seed in the near future. The treatment of noxious and invasive weeds in the project area prior to these restoration efforts will help with the establishment these beneficial native plants in crucial mule deer winter range. This area is also utilized as a trailhead for access to the Wellsville Mountains Wilderness Area. Controlling noxious and invasive weeds at this access point will help prevent the spread of noxious and invasive weeds into a wilderness area.

Control the spread of noxious weed infestations over approximately 200 acres of project area. Previously mapped noxious weed populations will be verified, and new populations will be recorded as treatment occurs. Accurate identification, mapping, and data entry is essential in ensuring previously known infestations are treated annually, and in determining efficacy of treatments. Chemical control will be the primary treatment method, but manual control may be utilized as appropriate. Herbicides will be applied by qualified applicators.

Jointed goatgrass, burdock, field bindweed, poison hemlock, houndstongue, and dyer's woad have all been identified within the project area. Adverse impacts as a result of noxious weed invasion include a change in the composition of native plant communities, a decrease in biological diversity, undesired shifts in wildlife populations, increased soil disturbance and surface water runoff, decreased water quality, decreased recreational opportunities, and increased economic costs. Many wildlife species are linked to specific native plant communities that are degraded by invasive species. Loss of these communities can lead to higher mortality due to lack of cover and forage. Additionally, the conversion of native perennials to an annual plant monoculture creates a landscape unhospitable to many pollinator species. Reduction or loss of key pollinators can reduce wildlife forage, and indirectly lead to lower wildlife populations.

Wasatch-Cache Forest Plan Desired Condition: to improve or maintain stable watershed conditions by maintaining vegetation with healthy ground cover and plan communities dominated by desired perennial grasses, forbs, with a range of shrub cover. Associated herbaceous and woody vegetation provides for plant communities that are diverse in seral status and structure and provide food and habitat for game and nongame animals, songbirds, raptors, and reptiles, forage for livestock, and a variety of recreational opportunities and aesthetic values. Existing soil productivity and water quality shall be maintained or improved. Populations of non-native plant species are reduced or eradicated in rare plan actual or potential habitat. Established noxious weed infestations are not increasing or reduced to low densities. New invader species are not becoming established. New infestations of species are contained or reduced. New populations of existing noxious weeds are eradicated or reduced in highly susceptible, often disturbed, areas. Native plants dominate most landscapes that have been rehabilitated. Goals and Sub-goals: 2a. Identify areas not in properly functioning condition. Improve plant species composition, ground cover and age class diversity in these areas. 2j. Maintain and/or restore habitat to sustain populations of well distributed native and desired non-native plant, vertebrate, and invertebrate populations that contribute to viability of riparian dependent communities. 3o. Provide adequate habitat components for sustainable big game populations coordinated with State wildlife management agencies, private lands and other resource needs and priorities. 3s. Greatly reduce known infestations of noxious weeds and rigorously prevent their introduction and/or spread. 10c. Manage livestock grazing levels and operations on suitable lands for sustainable forage use within properly functioning conditions. Standards and Guidelines: (G25) Integrated weed management should be used to maintain or restore habitats for threatened, endangered, proposed and sensitive plants and other native species of concern where they are threatened by noxious weeds or nonnative plants. When treating noxious weeds comply with policy in Intermountain Region's Forest Service Manual 2080, Supplement #R4 2000-2001-1 (Appendix III). Utah Mule Deer Statewide Management Plan Habitat Objective 2 Strategies: d. Initiate broad scale vegetative treatment projects to improve mule deer habitat with emphasis on drought or fire damaged sagebrush winter ranges, ranges that have been taken over by invasive annual grass species, and ranges being diminished by encroachment of conifers into sagebrush or aspen habitats, ensuring that seed mixes contain sufficient forbs and browse species. l. Continue to support the conservation permit and habitat enhancement programs which provide critical funding for habitat improvement efforts.

Noxious weeds alter fire regimes, producing a landscape more vulnerable to wildfire. Control of noxious weeds will help decrease the threat of wildfire, and in turn protect the wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities in this area.

Noxious and invasive weeds can damage watersheds and increase soil erosion, reducing water quality.

Environmental Impact Statement for the Noxious Weed Treatment Program on the Wasatch-Cache National Forest.

A contractor will be used to survey and treat noxious weeds within the project area. The contractor will use their own equipment, personal protection equipment, and herbicide to treat weeds. The FS will perform quality control to ensure the objectives are met. We request funds be made available prior to the beginning of the State fiscal year to allow for treatment Spring 2020.

Locations of new infestations and periodic re-measurements of existing infestations will be recorded in FS NRIS (Natural Resource Information System). NRIS includes a Geographic Information System (GIS) that shows infestation locations, acres infested, and the type of weed infestation. This information will be made available upon request at the end of each calendar year. Actions taken to control noxious weeds and the efficacy of treatments are reported in FACTS (FS Activity Tracking System). Reports generated by FACTS including acres accomplished will be made available upon request at the end of each calendar year. At least 60% of the total acres treated will be reviewed to determine the efficacy of the treatment that occurred by the FS.

UDWR

In order to be effective, weed treatments may need to continue for several years. The FS is working with the cooperative weed management areas to create agreements to help tackle projects like Murray Trailhead. Additionally, volunteers with the Dedicated Hunter program could be used for manual treatments. Future WRI maintenance requests will also be considered to help control weed infestations in the project area.

Controlling noxious and invasive weeds creates a more resilient landscape, which benefits multiple natural resource components to include: grazing, wildlife and pollinator habitat, and recreation.