The need to protect resources and rehabilitate vegetation communities within the Horse Hollow Vegetation Enhancement Project Area has been recognized for many years. This area continues to be a high priority area for vegetation resource enhancement, resource protection and fuels reduction. The proposed project would expand Phase 1 & 2 of the Upper Horse Hollow projects completed in 2018 and 2019. The proposed project would mechanically treat and seed 1,300 acres of phase 2 and 3 pinyon and juniper encroachment that will tie into ongoing Color Country fuels work (approx. 670 acres completed) southeast of this proposed project in 2015, 2016 and 2017 primarily for community fire protection. These project areas will need funding to complete the cultural clearance work prior to implementation. The implementation of this phase of the project would continue to improve 1,300 acres of public lands that consists of substantial winter mule deer habitat and crucial year-long pronghorn range while providing habitat/connectivity. Proposed management prescription strategies for the sagebrush vegetation management area are based on departure from the ecological site, the potential for the community to respond to various treatment methods, as well as the desired future condition of the sagebrush/steppe vegetative community. The excessive juniper and pinyon pine encroachment into areas that were once dominated by perennial grasses, forbs and shrubs according to the Ecological Site Description is of primary concern within the project area. This project has also been identified based on the need for fuels treatments, the BLM has been prioritizing areas for fuels treatment based on fuel conditions, distance from Wildland/Urban Interface (WUI) areas and other human infrastructure, ecosystem health, and resource values that may be at risk. The general goals outlined in the National Fire Plan (NFP) include the implementation of fuels treatments that would: (1) reduce the risk of catastrophic fire; (2) protect communities; (3) reduce fuel hazards; (4) reduce wildfire acres and costs; and (5) restore fire-adapted ecosystems. The Cedar Beaver Garfield Antimony (RMP) incorporates the landscape level fire management goals and objectives for the Color Country Fire District first established in the Utah Land Use Plan (LUP) Amendment for Fire and Fuels Management (September, 2005) that were based on the general goals of the NFP.

The project is located in the Three Peaks (SRMA) Focus Area- Outside of Mountan Bike Trail Core Area as identified in the Horse Hollow Vegetation Enhancement Project EA and Decision (Refer to Attached Map - Horse Hollow - Focus Areas). Three Peaks (SRMA) Focus Area - Outside of Mountain Bike Trails Core Area Fuel Breaks and green strips including the existing seeding would be implemented using mechanical or manual treatment methods to reduce existing cover while providing a barrier to control the spread of a wildfire to property or resources. Drill seeding would be utilized where possible using a seed mix comprised of species based upon their attributes in retarding wildfire and ease of maintenance and longevity. Aerial or broadcast seeding methods would be used if drill seeding is not possible.

The Iron Springs Shooting Range/Three Peaks SRMA Project is focused on eliminating pinyon pine and juniper from a sagebrush ecological site; improving this community and removing ladder fuels to minimize the potential for a sagebrush stand replacing fire. Lack of natural disturbances such as wildfire have favored pinyon and juniper expansion and a subsequent decline in substantial winter mule deer and crucial year-long pronghorn habitat. And has created a risk of catastrophic fire that would threaten life and property of homes located on private parcels, a large power substation adjacent to the project area with several associated powerlines, potentially present cultural resources, and livestock resources including fences, sheds and corrals adjacent to the project area. The projects are located at elevations that range between 5,000 - 5,500 feet, which is expected to help counteract the impacts of drought. Typically, rangelands at this elevation receive adequate precipitation to promote vegetative growth and viability in the short-term and long-term. In addition, research Roundy, et. al. (2014) has shown that mechanical treatments to remove pinyon and juniper increase time that soil water is available. This research indicates that even four years after treatment, treated areas showed from 8.6 days to 18 days additional water availability at high elevation sites. 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. Implementation of the projects has risks/threats including annual precipitation fluctuations and invasive/noxious weed establishment; however, mitigation measures have been identified that will limit these threats/risks to the project area.

Horse Hollow Vegetation Enhancement Project EA/FONSI/DR - 2015 The EA/FONSI/DR recognized the importance of the Project Area with regard to improving the vegetation component within the Horse Hollow Area. A variety of treatments were authorized that would improve/maintain Rangeland Health in accordance with the Ecological Site Description. The focus for management within this area is to enhance wildlife habitat and provide fuel breaks around communities built in the wildland urban interface area. While maintaining the dominant aspect of the sagebrush community providing expansion of perennial grasses and forbs. The Proposed Action and alternatives identified below are in conformance with the Cedar Beaver Garfield Antimony Resource Management Plan (1986). Although the Proposed Action and alternative(s) are not specifically mentioned in the plan, they are consistent with its objectives, goals and decisions. Wildlife CBGA Plan Objectives: Manage wildlife habitat to favor a diversity of game and nongame species. Provide forage for current big game numbers and prior stable or long-term numbers in the future should populations increase and habitat improvements occur. Improve habitat in poor condition on substantial deer winter range to reduce depredation on private lands. Protect against the loss of crucial big game habitat from encroachment by incompatible uses. Range CBGA Plan Objectives: The analysis area includes lands within the Hole in the Wall, Horse Hollow, Iron Springs, Jenson, Perry Well, Sherratt and Upper Horse Hollow Allotments. The CBGA land use plan categorizes the Hole in the Wall, Iron Springs, Jenson Allotments as 'I' category allotments. The Horse Hollow, Perry Well and Upper Horse Hollow Allotments are categorized as an "M" category allotment. The Sherratt Allotment is categorized as a "C" category allotment. Fire Cedar Beaver Garfield Antimony Land Use Plan Amendment (2004) -- Open up the pinyon-juniper and juniper plant communities to increase the sagebrush and grass in the plant composition. In the sagebrush create a mosaic of different age classes using prescribed fire or mechanical treatment. (This document is currently being replaced with the Southern Utah Area Fire Management Plan). Cultural Resources CBGA Plan Objective: Protect the cultural and historic values in the planning area from accidental or intentional destruction and give special protection to high value cultural and historic sites (CBGA Pg. 163) Cultural clearances would be conducted as part of the Horse Hollow Vegetation Enhancement project, prior to any ground disturbing activity, to adequately protect cultural resources that may occur in the project area. Soil/Water/Air CBGA Plan Objective: Improve watershed conditions in areas identified with considerable erosion issues and on other sensitive watershed areas. Avoid the deterioration of or improve watershed conditions on all other federal lands (CBGA Pg. 97). Forestry CBGA Plan Objective: Authorize harvest of woodland products which approximates the biological capability of the stands to replace its harvested trees (CBGA, Pg. 103). In addition, the following local and national directives specifically address or apply to vegetation treatments within the Project Area: Deer Herd Unit Management Plan, Deer Herd Unit #30, Pine Valley, February 2015 The project area would allow the continuation of adequate forage for deer winter range by removing encroaching Pinyon and Juniper that would help to attain the goals outlined within the plan that include: Manage for a population of healthy animals capable of providing a broad range of recreational opportunities, including hunting and viewing. Balance deer herd impacts on human needs, such as private property rights, agriculture crops and local economies and help to maintain the population at a level that is within the long-term capability of the habitat to support. Utah Pronghorn Statewide Management Plan (2009) The proposed project will help to attain the goals in this plan by removing encroaching pinyon and juniper into the sagebrush steppe with adequate herbaceous understory within Crucial year-long pronghorn habitat. The project will play a key role in the Habitat Management Goal: Assure sufficient habitat is available to sustain healthy and productive pronghorn populations and the Recreational Goal: Provide high quality opportunities for hunting and viewing of pronghorn. Southwest Utah Support Area Fire Management Plan (2006) The Iron Springs Shooting Range/Three Peaks SRMA Project falls within the Escalante Desert Fire Management Unit (FMU) identified in the Cedar City Fire Management Plan. The purpose of the Fire Management Plan is to facilitate activities that would be used to achieve ecosystem sustainability including its interrelated ecological, economic and social components within the Color Country District. The Escalante Desert FMU requires full suppression action of wildfires due to wildland urban interface and noxious weed potential. The plan calls for protection of private lands and areas with low rehabilitation potential. An objective for the Escalante Desert FMU is to use treatments to reduce the existing fuel load in specific areas and meet community and land use needs. National Fire Plan (2000) The National Fire Plan provides national direction for hazardous fuels reduction. This direction emphasizes measures to reduce the risk to communities and the environment. The primary elements applicable to this plan are: * Improve Prevention and Suppression * Reduce Hazardous Fuels * Restore Fire Adapted Ecosystems Wildlife Action Plan (2015-2025) This project will fulfill WAP threats to habitat types by addressing lowland sagebrush habitat for mule deer and pronghorn by lowering the risk of catastrophic fires from dense fuel loads from encroaching P/J allowing maintenance and improvement to the existing herbaceous forage. Also by removing encroaching P/J and opening up the herbaceous understory will push the habitat towards a more desired potential state opening up habitat for both Golden eagle and Ferruginous hawk allowing increased opportunity for hunting prey species. Wildlife surveys will be conducted as mentioned in this proposal and any currently identified nest will have a half-mile buffer associated allowing areas for birds to perch and nest. Overall this project will allow for better recharge of ground water by removing encroaching P/J lowering soil erosion and loss by allowing better infiltration of precipitation benefiting the habitat for all species. Utah Field Office Guidelines For Raptor Protection From Human And Land Use Disturbances January 2002 Update By removing encroaching P/J and allowing for the recovery of a habitat that should be dominated by shrubs and perennial grasses, this project will have an immediate impact to raptors, especially Ferruginous hawk and Golden eagle by creating a more desired habitat for other birds, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and insects that constitute the bulk of the prey base for raptor species (Steenhof 1983, Palmer 1988). As mentions in this proposal wildlife surveys will be conducted before implementation of this project. Any current raptor nests for Golden eagles and Ferruginous hawks will have a half-mile buffer placed around them and added into the project design to create snags that will allow birds more desirable areas to perch and nest.

The Iron Springs Shooting Range/Three Peaks SRMA project falls within the Escalante Desert Fire Management Unit (FMU) as identified in the current Cedar City Fire Management Plan (FMP) (2004). This FMU requires full suppression action of wildfires due to wildland urban interface and noxious weed potential. The plan calls for protection of private lands and areas with low rehabilitation potential. Full suppression tactics have been used for many years to any wildfires within the project area. This has resulted in a large fuel load build-up and an alteration of fuel structure and composition. The pinyon/juniper trees once held in check by frequent fires, have expanded in range and moved into areas once dominated by shrubs, forbs and grasses. Pinyon/juniper expansion is well documented throughout the west. One of the objectives for the Escalante Desert FMU is to use treatments to reduce the existing fuel load in specific areas. Within the project area, mature pinyon and juniper stands are now at a stage where the tree canopy and material on the ground has increased the risk of catastrophic wildfire. Extreme fire behavior such as fire whorls, flame lengths in excess of 300 feet, and spotting distances in excess of 1/2 mile can be anticipated in dense canopy pinyon, juniper and sagebrush fuel types (FMP, 2004). With the expansion of human development into this area, the risk to private property, firefighter and public safety is of great concern. Hazardous Fuels reduction treatments should be designed to reduce the risks of wildland fire by decreasing or modifying fuels to reduce the potential for severe fire behavior and reduce the impacts of post fire damage. Fuels can be modified by changing the vertical and horizontal distribution and continuity, size and shape of fuels, and fuel loading. Fire Regime and Condition Class is out lined in the Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station technical report entitled "Development of Coarse Scale Spatial Data for Wild land Fire and Fuel Management (RMRS-87) dated April 2000. The Healthy Forest Restoration Act (2003) adopts this classification system, known as the Fire Regime Condition Class (FRCC), which describes the amount of departure of an area or landscape from historic to present conditions. This departure from the natural state may be a result of changes in one or more ecosystem components such as fuel composition, fire frequency, or other ecological disturbances. As mandated by national direction, the Cedar City FMP utilizes the FRCC classification system to rank existing ecosystem conditions and prioritize areas for treatment. The entire project area is in FRCC 3 which are lands that are significantly altered from their historical range. The lands targeted for treatment in the proposed action are areas which have the greatest potential for moving from FRCC 3 to FRCC 2 or FRCC 1. The treatments proposed would require maintenance in the future which would be based on need due to regrowth of fuels and the continued effectiveness of fuel breaks.

The Project Area is located at 5,000 - 5,500 feet above sea level; therefore, it is expected that the opportunity to restore native species to the composition and frequency appropriate to the area is high. As discussed, this area is dominated by encroaching pinyon pine and juniper. Perennial herbaceous understory is decreasing due to pinyon and juniper encroachment increasing the potential for soil erosion. The project is expected to improve herbaceous understory that is already established with the project area, this will reduce water runoff and decrease soil erosion while increasing infiltration. Improvements to the Standards and Guidelines for Healthy Rangelands (Standard 1 and Standard 3) are expected through project implementation. It is expected that Standard 1 (Soils) -- will improve by allowing soils to exhibit permeability and infiltration rates that will sustain/improve site productivity throughout the area. This will be accomplished by making improvements to the Biotic Integrity of the community by converting areas that are dominated by pinyon pine and juniper to a diverse component of perennial grasses, forbs and shrubs that is consistent with the Ecological Site Description. Indicators will include sufficient cover and litter to protect the soil surface from excessive water and wind erosion, limiting surface flows and limiting soil moisture loss through evaporation, which will promote proper infiltration. Rangeland Health monitoring data has been collected with the project area. This monitoring data will be utilized as baseline data to determine the success of treatment while providing for a scientific measurement of the indicators identified above.

The NEPA/Final Decision documents were completed for the project in March 2015 Contract for cultural clearance of the project area is planned to go out this spring to be ready for fall FY 21 implementation.

BLM will provide overall project oversight and will also refine flagging of the treatment area (i.e. leave islands; cultural and wildlife) in cooperation with program specialists. There are two areas that will be seeded and masticated. The larger treatment unit surrounds the Iron County shooting range. The smaller unit is on the eastern side of the recreation area near the Cedar Valley Acres subdivision. The Iron Springs Shooting Range/Three Peaks SRMA (Bullhog) treatment will involve mechanically mulching 1,300 BLM acres that fall in SRMA focus areas that is all located in the Iron Springs and Jensen grazing Allotment. Herbaceous understory is limited in the majority of the project area. To work towards the goals and objectives of the focus areas the project will need to be seeded with perennial grasses, forbs and shrubs to be brought back to its ecological community.

Pre-monitoring within the project has been ongoing, futher monitoring will be included as needed within the project footprint. Monitoring will continue to be completed by the BLM, which may include some support from UDWR or other cooperators. Standard surveys will include: Key Forage Utilization, Nested Frequency (Trend), Line Intercept (Shrub Cover and Age Class), Standards and guidelines for Rangeland Health Assessment, Photo Points, Raptor Nest Surveys, General Wildlife Use Surveys and Noxious weed inventory/monitoring. Pre and Post vegetation and wildlife monitoring data will be collected throughout the project area. This monitoring data will be compiled into an overall monitoring report that will help determine the level of success for the project in the short-term and long-term. Key Management Areas are typically established in grazing allotments to monitor trend where there is livestock use. The trend sites that have been established in the Project Area will provide for baseline monitoring data so that short-term and long-term treatment success can be monitored. No Key Areas have been established within the proposed project area, but they will be established during the 2020 monitoring season and data will be collected before implementation to provide baseline data. Trend will be collected at these sites for 3 years following treatment and then these sites will be incorporated into the overall range vegetative monitoring schedule and be collected every 3-5 years. The current trend at these Key Management Areas would be expected to be static to downward based on pinyon and juniper expansion within the Project Area. Following the treatment it is expected that this will be reversed and an upward trend will occur.

A internal meeting took place that involved cooperators from SITLA, NRCS and the UDWR. During this meeting we presented this project proposal with no opposition to move forward. Several meetings have been held to inform and involve adjacent landowners. Ryan Riddle (Iron County Fire Warden) and Mike Phillips (Cedar City Fire department) were present at the most recent meeting to help answer questions from the public.

Iron Springs Shooting Range/Three Peaks SRMA The project area is within the Iron Springs and Jensen grazing allotments. Livestock grazing for the Allotments have been assessed through the permit renewal process. Grazing management systems that identified livestock numbers, season of use and AUMs were identified through this process. The Jensen Allotment has authorized livestock grazing from January 1st - February 28th for Sheep on an annual basis. Deferred livestock use until the completion of the critical growing period ensures the the vegetative community will be maintained/improved. Herding will be used to keep sheep from using the treated area until after two complete growing seasons. The Iron Springs Allotment has authorized livestock grazing from March 1st - February 28th for cattle on an annual basis. This allotment is only 29% public land. Utilization Pattern Mapping has indicated that cattle rarely utilize the area within the project area. This is due to lack of water development in this part of the allotment. The majority of cattle use is northeast of the Irons Springs Solar development. Resting the project for two growing seasons will not be an issue on this allotment and will be discussed with the grazing operator. In addition, utilization data has been collected on a continual basis within the allotments. Livestock use has been within established utilization parameters on a consistent basis. It is expected that the vegetative treatment will result in forage production increases that are consistent or greater to what has been identified in the Ecological Site Description. Future maintenance projects to protect investments made by UWRI/BLM have been addressed and allowed through the project planning document (NEPA). A large amount of treatment methods have been identified and authorized for future phases of the project.

The project is expected to improve health, composition, and diversity of shrubs, grasses, and forbs in accordance with Rangeland Health Standards and Guidelines and the Ecological Site Description, which will be beneficial to livestock grazing. Furthermore, the project will be proactive in improving vegetative communities and removing ladder fuels within areas that are dominated by pinyon and juniper, which will minimize the potential for a catastrophic wildfire throughout the area, which would be detrimental to livestock grazing. It is expected that the vegetative treatments will result in increased forage production that are consistent or greater to what has been identified in the Ecological Site Descriptions. Increased forage production in this area will be beneficial by improving mule deer, pronghorn and turkey habitat, increasing the production and diversity of herbaceous understory that will work to sustain healthy populations. Healthy populations generally increase population size over time that would provide more opportunity for big game and turkey hunting, as well as shed hunting. This will also benefit other wildlife species such as sagebrush obligates, pollinators and other small game species. A diversity of forbs will encourage pollinator species, which have been on a decline over recent years to move into and utilize the treated areas. Pollinator use will help to maintain and increase forb diversity and populations in the area. The project area gets a lot of recreation use since it is part of the Three Peaks Area, by improving the diversity of vegetation, opening up areas and improving wildlife habitat will allow a more visually enjoyable recreational experience to ATV, UTV and equestrian users as well as wildlife viewing opportunities.

03/17/2021

05/14/2022

2022

For the Iron Springs Shooting Range portion of this project only the Cultural clearance was completed the Spring of 2021. The rest of the project was completed through project (5668) Iron Springs Shooting Range/Three Peaks SRMA (Phase 2). The Three Peaks SRMA portion (488 Acres) south of the Three Peaks substation was completed the fall of 2021 in house. All 488 acres were aerially seeded and masticated.

The Iron Springs Shooting Range/Three Peaks SRMA Project is focused on eliminating pinyon pine and juniper from a sagebrush ecological site; improving this community and removing ladder fuels to minimize the potential for a sagebrush stand replacing fire. Lack of natural disturbances such as wildfire have favored pinyon and juniper expansion and a subsequent decline in substantial winter mule deer and crucial year-long pronghorn habitat. And has created a risk of catastrophic fire that would threaten life and property of homes located on private parcels, a large power substation adjacent to the project area with several associated powerlines, potentially present cultural resources, and livestock resources including fences, sheds and corrals adjacent to the project area. As mentioned above the Iron Springs Shooting Range portion of this project was treated through project (5668). The portion of the project south of the substation (488 acres) was seeded and masticated fall 2021 in-house and had previously had cultural clearances completed.

The project area is within the Iron Springs and Jensen grazing allotments. Livestock grazing for the Allotments have been assessed through the permit renewal process. Grazing management systems that identified livestock numbers, season of use and AUMs were identified through this process. The Jensen Allotment has authorized livestock grazing from January 1st - February 28th for Sheep on an annual basis. Deferred livestock use until the completion of the critical growing period ensures the the vegetative community will be maintained/improved. Herding will be used to keep sheep from using the treated area until after two complete growing seasons. The Iron Springs Allotment has authorized livestock grazing from March 1st - February 28th for cattle on an annual basis. This allotment is only 29% public land. Utilization Pattern Mapping has indicated that cattle rarely utilize the area within the project area. This is due to lack of water development in this part of the allotment. The majority of cattle use is northeast of the Irons Springs Solar development. Resting the project for two growing seasons will not be an issue on this allotment and will be discussed with the grazing operator. Grazing Utilization data will continue to be collected through the BLM range program. A key management area (Photo trend) will be established within the completed project south of the substation and be incorporated into the BLM's Key Management Areas. A nested frequency site will not be established since a trend Key Area site was established in 2014 during one of the first phases completed in house at the Three Peaks project area just southeast of this project.