SRO WMA's provide some of the most critical wildlife habitat in the region as well as recreational opportunities for constituents of the UDWR. As such, UDWR has an obligation to maintain, improve, and manage these lands to meet the goals and objectives for which they were acquired. Specific maintenance needs vary from year to year and property to property but typically involve: access improvements, fencing, signage, habitat improvement projects, trash removal, and weed control. Additionally, UDWR has a complex of more than 300 guzzlers that have various maintenance needs each year typically including: turning big game guzzlers on and off in the spring and fall, minor repairs, and noting major repairs needed for future proposals.

1)Securing and maintenance of existing fence boundaries. Also property signage and maintenance; 2)Implement a noxious weed control program by inventory and spraying on an annual basis; 3)Maintain public access and recreational opportunities on authorized roads/trails through road maintenance activities; 4)Maintain water developments for wildlife and livestock grazing; and 5)Implement habitat restoration activities to improve wildlife habitat values of WMA's.

Failure to maintain WMA's, CE's, and wildlife guzzlers will result in habitat degradation and loss; conflicts with counties, local municipalities, and adjacent landowners and failure to meet and/or comply with legal obligations.

WMA maintenance will help achieve the recommendations and goals of each individual WMA Management Plan. In addition this project will help implement goals A-D of the UDWR's Strategic Plan. Improvements on WMA lands will help specific Tier I, II, and III species listed later in this proposal and identified in the WAP. Numerous key habitats (Shrubsteppe, wetland, riparian) as defined by the WAP will also benefit from improvement and protection of WMAs in the SRO. Water developments and their maintenance are called for in many of the Elk and Deer herd unit management plans.

Implementing annual noxious weed control programs by inventory and spraying will reduce the fire risk by reducing quick burning annual weedy species and maintaining more desirable fire resistant species. Maintaining fences also aids us in controlling grazing regimes; this further reduces weedy fire prone species. Proper grazing practices also help reduce annual fire prone grasses and weeds.

WMA maintenance (fencing, vegetation) of desirable healthy landscapes improves water quality and quantity. Also guzzler construction and maintenance provides critical water sources for wildlife throughout the southern region.

Archaeology, UDWR archaeologist will be contacted prior to undertaking any projects that may or are likely to require clearance. Survey required for project activities having the potential to impact the ground.

Primary tasks include; fence maintenance, construction of new fences, water developments, road closures, weed control, cattle guard construction, surveys, and sign construction. The habitat manager and maintenance specialist in the region will coordinate maintenance activities in the region with other regional personnel. Habitat section personnel will coordinate with the Dedicated Hunter Coordinator to find projects where volunteers can be used. Weed control will be done under the supervision of the lead maintenance specialist. Special attention will be given to Weed Control in the Richfield and Parowan areas this year due to known weed outbreaks. Fencing and signing will be done by maintenance personnel with assistance from seasonal's and volunteers where appropriate. Road maintenance will be completed by maintenance specialist where possible and in conjunction with county road departments in some instances. Guzzler maintenance will be carried out by assistant maintenance position with assistance provided by other staff as requested.

Established range trend studies on WMA's will be read on regular rotation. Photos and documentation of specific maintenance duties will be collected as needed. Wildlife monitoring will be conducted on those WMA's in which specific surveys for game and non-game species are already in place. Many of the WMA's are included in big game classification routes.

The SRO holds several Conservation Easement Properties in conjunction with multiple NGO's. Several of those are maintained by the SR habitat staff. We work in conjunction with those groups to ensure the integrity of the objectives for which they were purchased. UDWR also works cooperatively with counties on management plan implementation and has partnered with them on activities such as road maintenance and weed control.

Lands owned and managed by the Division will continue to be managed for wildlife according to individual Habitat Management plans.

Grazing is utilized by the Division to reach habitat management goals/objectives within the southern region. Grazing will be used on an as needed basis on WMA's following the grazing plans contained in the HMP's for each WMA. Grazing will be permitted under the Division's Land Use Rule by SRO habitat section personnel. Other sustainable uses that are available on WMA's include hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing. We have a couple of areas (Parowan Front and Indian Peaks) where Christmas tree harvest is allowed.

07/01/2020

06/30/2021

2021

During FY 21 all fenced WMA's were walked in the spring and fall to ensure property boundaries were secure and signed. Special emphasis continues to be placed on the Indian Peaks and Fillmore WMAs due to significant wear on aging fences. At Indian Peaks we are beginning to see a return on investment as the crews this year have noted that the fence has been in good condition. Future HC proposals will likely be brought forward to address aging fence concerns throughout the region. Yankee Meadows restrooms continue to see significant use and are managed under a cleaning contract with Cedar Superior Cleaining. The Elbow Ranch has also been a significant focus this past year. With the completion of the new irrigation system we have invested together with our leasee in recontouring the irrigated land to allow the pivot to travel a full 360 degrees. We have also purchased and drilled new seed into the pivot area consisting largely of sainfoin, small burnett, cicers milkvetch, and birdsfoot trefoil. All of these have non-bloat qualities keeping it attractive to our grazing leasee while at the same time being highly nutritious for wildlife and hopefully specifically for deer. The leasee did the land recountouring and drill seeding and we purchased the seed and provided the no-till drill for the work. Additionally we installed protective fences for the irrigation infrastructure. The Turkey Farm property in Washington County was burned in the Turkey Farm Road Fire in the past year as well. Fence maintenance on some research plots was carried out as a result and other treatments as part of the ESR WRI proposal have begun restoration efforts there. This past year fire restrictions including prohibition of target shooting on wmas was also implemented and required work to sign and enforce. We opted to keep one of those areas open as it had a well developed shooting range and unfortunately experienced a fire there and closed it for a period while property improvements were enhanced including chemical and mechanical control of vegetation. Weeds are controlled on an as needed basis with the biggest emphasis continuing to be ongoing work to combat a thistle infestation on the Summit WMA. We have seen significant progress on this patch. Monitoring and continued management will be essential to keep the infestation under control. Guzzler maintenance has seen Mike Jenson really start to take over and handle the role and continuing to fulfill the needs with assistance from the habitat seasonal crew as needed. Mike has continued to learn and utilize the guzzler maintenance collector app and we continue to be excited about its utility in helping collect and pass on information.

Todd Nebeker, Lead Maintenance Specialist, oversaw a majority of this work utilizing a team of seasonals and dedicated hunters to accomplish the needed maintenance tasks. Mike Jensen oversees the guzzler maintenance program and utilizes the habitat seasonal crew as needed. Various other Division employees help out with work on WMA's on an as needed/requested basis.

Grazing continues on select units on the Parowan Front, Parowan Valley, Fillmore, and Kingston Canyon. Parowan Valley also continues to be farmed under an agricultural lease and we hope to bring Elbow Ranch online under a similar agreement in the coming year. WMAs will continue to be assessed annually for fence, weeds, habitat maintenance, and other needs.