The Parowan Front area serves as an important winter range for mule deer on the Panguitch Lake WMU which has endured over-utilization of preferred browse species by high concentrations of mule deer due to the I-15 corridor limiting natural westward migratory movements. In addition, trees have encroached into areas of remaining sagebrush, bitterbrush, cliffrose and other deciduous shrubs causing a downward trend in herbaceous cover. Many areas of the remaining low elevation sagebrush ecosystems along the I-15 corridor have converted into an annual grass dominated system, which have been in competition with the desired but limited forbs and native perennial grasses. In the pinyon and juniper systems, densities have increased and competition between trees is strong. Tree stand densification has reduced available browse and forage, reducing carrying capacity. There is a need to reduce stand densities to improve stand health and improve age class diversity. There is a need to improve forage conditions for big game within pinyon and juniper areas. In a collaborative effort, UDWR and BLM have deployed radio collars on mule deer to provide insight on mule deer movement for identification of important habitats within limited winter and transitional range. This project will also assist in the evaluation of the immediate impacts to wintering mule deer in relation to habitat restoration efforts. The implementation of this project will provide a unique opportunity to acquire movement data associated with treatments prior to, during, and after implementation. In the first year of monitoring, collared mule deer utilized and highlighted the value of the low elevation grass-dominated areas which appear to be substantially higher in value in early spring when deer move from the hills down to the lower portions of the valley (see attached map). During this time, deer are transitioning from their winter diet of browse species and are in search of newly emerging vegetation. High numbers of mule deer are well documented closer to I-15 along the Parowan Front from March to May. Continued loss of these habitat types may contribute to deer migrating to summer range in poorer condition and experiencing lower fawning rates. Furthermore, the pinyon and juniper tree dominated areas along Cottonwood Creek do not provide much stop-over habitat value during migratory movements. This project aims to provide deer higher quality habitat on a limited winter and transitional ranges based on empirical data. This project will also improve elk habitat and promote expansion of sage grouse habitat in the Buckskin Valley area. This project will also consist of thinning to promote pinyon and juniper stand health in an effort to increase healthy pinyon jay habitat. Pinyon jays are commonly found on BLM lands surrounding Cottonwood Creek. Thinning will occur within approximately 200 acres of pinyon and juniper near an aspen stand on the west side of Buckskin Valley.

1) Restore low elevation sagebrush systems in a high mule deer density area on Parowan Front 2) Remove pinyon and juniper to improve health, vigor, and composition of riparian species by increasing water yield and retention. 3) Remove pinyon and juniper trees within a documented migratory corridor to create pockets of forage for mule deer. 4) Reduce cheat grass fuel loads and re-establish perennial grass, forbs and shrubs to as close to ecological site description percentages as possible by re-seeding the treatment area with an aggressive seed mix. 5) Thin pinyon and juniper areas in the western portion of Buckskin and upper Cottonwood Creek to improve health of pinyon and juniper stands and improve forage conditions for mule deer transition habitat.

The invasion of pinyon and juniper trees into areas once dominated by grasses, forbs, and shrubs has lowered the carrying capacity for wintering mule deer. Not completing this project we risk mule deer herds being forced to compete for browse and forage on an already crowded winter range, thus decreasing the carrying capacity of the winter and transition range even further. The increase of pinyon and juniper also increases the risk for catastrophic wildfires in these habitats, resulting in the complete or partial loss of current winter range and likely conversion to non-native (ie cheatgrass) systems detrimental to wildlife species (eg. threat to FEHA from non-native plant establishment). With increased tree densities pinyon and juniper habitat areas would burn as stand replacing events rather than low severity, low tree mortality events. Increased stand densities could also lead to reduced forest health as the risk of insect and disease increase. Pinyon and Juniper expansion has also resulted in loss of foraging areas for raptors such as Ferruginous hawk due to the continuous canopy. Opening up foraging spaces in this canopy while retaining clumps of trees with large flat-topped juniper for raptor perches and nesting is synchronous with the design feature of retaining patches of thermal and hiding cover for wintering big game. BLM/DWR will aggressively treat any noxious weeds within the treatment area.

Utah Mule Deer Statewide Management plan (2014) Habitat Goal: Conserve, improve, and restore mule deer habitat throughout the state with emphasis on crucial ranges. Panguitch lake Deer Herd Unit Mangement Plan (#28) 2015 The mid elevation upland site supports a pinyon-Utah juniper community and is generally considered to be in very poor condition for deer winter range. This community is prone to infilling from pinyon-juniper trees which can reduce understory shrub and herbaceous cover if not addressed. It is recommended that work to reduce the pinyon-juniper cover (e.g. bullhog, chaining, lop and scatter, etc.) should continue in this plant community. Parowan Front Wildlifre management plan All of the units on the Parowan Front WMA have pinyon-juniper forests that are encroaching on the sagebrush sights and out competing many of the browse species important to wintering deer. Several thinning (lop and scatter) bullhog and chaining projects have been done in the past to remedy this problem. However, due to the extent of the encroachment an aggressive thinning policy needs to be carried out on the Parowan Front WMA to improve habitat for wintering deer. Southern Utah Support Area Fire Mangement Plan 2004 which states: Mechanicallly treat to convert pinyon and juniper invasion (condition class 3) into sagebrush/perennial grass (condition class 1 or 2) vegetation types. . Utah's Standards and Guidelines for Rangeland Health which address watersheds, ecological condition, water quality and habitat for special status species National Fire Plan (2000) Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003 which state protecting forests, woodlands, shrub lands, and grasslands from unnaturally intensive and destructives fires Utah Wildlife conservation Strategy (2005) Iron County Deer Winter Range Resource Plan (2011) Protect and expand deer winter range and associated wildlife habitats. State of Utah Resource Management Plan (2018) The state supports the efforts of the Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative and other rehabilitative efforts throughout the state The state supports the Watershed Restoration Initiative to encourage reduced wildfire acreage, reduced soil loss from erosion, reduced sedimentation and storage loss in reservoirs, and improved water quality. The state plan supports active management to improve and enhance riparian resources to provide for appropriate physical, biological and chemical function. engage with federal land management agencies to support active management of healthy riparian areas on federal land. Seeding an optimal mix of native and desirable non-native species to support desired ecologic conditions and create a properly functioning ecosystem. Actively remove pinyon-juniper encroachment in ecological sites due to its substantial consumption of water and its detrimental effect on sagebrush, other vegetation and wildlife. Use of the good neighbor program to partner with Federal Agencies to better manage forage. Iron County Resource Management Plan (2017) This plan supports our project in the following ways; Encouraging the BLM in managing rangelands "in a manner that will protect the quality of scientific, scenic, historical, ecological, environmental, air and atmospheric, water resource, and archeological values, while providing for outdoor recreation, food and habitat for fish, wildlife, and domestic animals. By stating that it supports management of rangelands and forestlands to enhance desired plant communities that benefit watersheds, wildlife, water quality, recreation, and sustainable livestock grazing. By encouraging multiple-use as custom and culture on current and future federal land projects. By encouraging protection of watershed from the threats of catastrophic wildfire through proper management of forests, and the reduction of fuel loads to prevent and minimize wildfires and their effects and whenever re-seeding needs to occure re-seeding with certified weed-free seed. By stating that riparian areas should be managed to protect vegetation characteristics. Conservation efforts include preserving existing riparian areas as well as restoring damaged ones. Preservation should also include the dedication of sufficient water and groundwater to support vegetation. By supporting range improvement projects in crucial deer winter ranges to sustain viable huntable populations, limiting off-road travel of vehicles in crucial deer winter ranges, and efforts to expand deer wintering ranges in the county.

The majority of the area is at moderate to extreme on the fire risk index. There is a large fuel load build up along the Parowan Front and an alteration in fuel types. Pinyon and juniper trees have expanded and moved into areas once dominated by shrubs, forbs, and grasses. Tree densities have increased within pinyon and juniper habitat types. The potential for more extreme fires will intensify as densities of pinion and juniper increase. By reducing stand densities the possibility for future larger-scale stand replacing fire events will be decreased. An extreme fire event could lead to a loss of crucial habitat/understory vegetation and the potential for a noxious weed infestation. Without this project, fuel conditions are such that a wildfire may be difficult to contain, leading to an increased risk to firefighter and public safety, suppression effectiveness and natural resource degradation. Fire Regime Condition Class within the project areas is predominately FRCC 3 which is where fire regimes have been extensiviely altered and risk of losing key ecosystem components from fire is high. Treatments identified within this proposal, including seeding with more fire resistant vegetation, would help reduce hazardous fuel loads, create fuel breaks, and reduce the overall threat of a catastrophic wildfire which could impact the communities of Paragonah and outlying residential properties and infrastructure. Treatments in and around the sagebrush areas would break up continuous fuels and reduce the risk of wildfire entering these sensitive areas. Removing/thinning pinyon and juniper in a mosaic pattern would also break up continuous fuels and reduce the risk of a high intensity wildfire. Because there is a greater risk of conversion of shrublands to annual grasslands under a high intensity fire, managed, pro-active treatments proposed would reduce the likelihood of cheatgrass invasion and help perennial grasses, forbs, and shrubs persist long-term.

In the lop and scatter process much of the bare soil will be covered by limbs and woody debris which will aid in the establishment of vegetative cover, which will reduce water runoff and decrease soil erosion into the Fremont Wash watershed. Implementation of this project will also greatly increase water infiltration into the soil, recharging groundwater systems in the area. 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. 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.

This project is in compliance with the Fremont Habitat Improvement Project Environmental Assessment (2016) and is in direct proximity to the Parowan Front Habitat Restoration Environmental Assessment (2018). Archaeological clearance will be completed prior to implementation.

The lop and scatter polygon consists of phase 2 and phase 3 stands of pinyon and juniper which currently occupy and are encroaching upon the site.They will be removed by lop and scatter (approximately 300 acres within the large polygon on the map). Islands and corridors of pinyon and juniper would remain untreated/thinned throughout the unit, creating a mosaic pattern of treated and untreated vegetation maintaining thermal and hiding cover for big game. Before mechanical implementation, treated areas would be aerial seeded with a mix of grasses, forbs, and shrubs important for improving wintering mule deer habitat, and stabilizing the soil. Stands within the pinyon and juniper thin/lop and scatter polygon (approximately 200 acres within within the polygon on the map) will be thinned to approximately 15-25% of maximum stand density. This will create an open stand with spacing between trees of approximately 20-40 feet between trees depending on size class (Page, 2008) Spacing range is variable, that is, two or more trees can be left in clumps to meet desired cover or other wildlife attributes, however, the target trees per acre target shall not be materially increased. Species preference will be to retain pinyon over juniper and to retain trees of best form (crown). Stump heights will not exceed 6 inches. Slash height will be lopped as to not exceed 24 inches. The plateau/chaining site will need approximately 300 acre archaeological clearance prior to chaining efforts. The Plateau application is expected to be contracted out, awarded to the lowest bidder, and completed in the fall of 2021. Aerial seeding of the seed mix should occur in fall of 2020, and the one-way Ely chaining will begin following seeding. A one-way Ely chain is proposed for 300 acres of the site to minimize impacts to the soil, and working seeds into the ground.

Photo points will be established throughout the project, before and after pictures. Radio telemetry data from wintering mule deer will be used in the evaluation of this project. The data will also be used to identify future treatments that may provide valuable stopover habitat during migratory movements. PFC will also continue to be conducted on the perennial streams within and adjacent to the project area. Monitoring for stands within the pinyon and juniper thin/lop and scatter polygon will include a walk-through as well as established plots on a five-by-five chain (330 ft.) grid during and following treatment to monitor compliance and to certify objectives for proper tree selection, spacing, stump, and slash heights. Percent quality will be recorded on inspection forms and can be loaded into the reporting section of the WRI data base upon completion. In addition, this site will be monitored on 5 - 10 year intervals using stand exams and walk thru exams to determine stand densities and stand structure. When a determination is made that the existing tree cover has exceeded desired densities (>25% SDI) a re-treatment will become necessary. At such a time both trees that have in-filled along with trees retained from the first thinning may be removed to reach desired densities.

BLM, Sportsmen groups, and UDWR have coordinated on this area multiple times due to the challenges presented by high densities of mule deer and the current habitat conditions. This area has been supported for treatment by all parties.

The project falls within the Fenton and Bone Hollow allotments. Within the Fenton portion of the plateau/chaining the producer has agreed to fencing to ensure rest for the seeding. The Bone Hollow south pasture will be rested and grazing rest agreement will be signed prior to implementation on both allotments.

Rangeland conditions are expected to improve following implementation of the proposed vegetation project. The health, vigor, recruitment and production of perennial grasses, forbs and shrubs would improve which would provide a more palatable and nutritional source of forage for wildlife. These areas are used extensively for recreation by hunters and wildlife viewers. They are also popular areas for shed antler gathering. On BLM administered lands firewood gathering, and cedar post cutting is also permissible and is governed through a permit that can be purchased at the local BLM office.

11/16/2020

12/03/2020

2021

Contract was issued using standard lop and scatter terminology within the statement of work (see documents). Project was overseen and inspected by BLM wildlife biologist and BLM forester. Chainsaw crew was used exclusively in the 232 acre project.

There was a total of 232 acres of lop and scatter completed for this project. There was no work completed on the lower portions of the area addressing cheatgrass since alternative methods were being discussed. The cheatgrass area is to be proposed and completed in FY25. The lop and scatter was completed in Dec 2020.

Monitoring of the area will continue and mule deer use of the area evaluated.