Pinyon-juniper 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, Small game and livestock.

Improve forage conditions for big game and livestock by increasing natural regeneration of shrub, forb, and grass vegetation as ground cover browse; improve health of trees retained on site by reducing stand densities (and thus competition); increase woodland heath by providing for a future diversification of age class and size structures. Current Stand Density Index (SDI) for trees on this site is approximately 35% and consists mostly of an older age class. The objective of this treatment is to maintain the older age class at a lower level of stand density (10-15% SDI). This will leave an open savanna type stand (spacing of 45-50 ft. between individual trees, or 150-200 feet between groups of 3-5 trees) creating additional site space for understory grass/forb/shrub and regeneration of younger juniper.

Local increase of Fire Hazard for short phase when cut slash is in "red needle phase". However, this will mitigate quickly as needles fall from stems and slash begins to decay. There is low potential for weed invasion. Cheatgrass is found in areas of the project area; but overall is minimal. However; it has not been shown to dominate for extended periods of time after disturbance. Whereas this is a hand thin project, no direct surface disturbing activities will be taking place. If the area remains untreated as densities of pinyon and juniper increase into areas once dominated by grass, forbs, and shrubs the risk of losing key areas for mule deer and pronghorn increases. Increased pinyon and juniper densities also increase the risk of catastrophic wildfire in the project area. Untreated 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.

Horse Hollow Vegetation Enhancement Project EA/FONSI/DR - 2015 The EA/FONSI/DR recognized the importance of the Project Area regarding improving the vegetation component within the Horse Hollow Area. A variety of treatments were authorized that would improve/maintain pinyon-juniper vegetation types in accordance with the Ecological Site Description. The focus for management within this area is to improve pinyon-juniper types for wildlife habitat and forest health. This project is consistent with the Pinyon Management Framework Plan (1983) and the Cedar Beaver Garfield Beaver Antimony Land Use Amendment (2004) for management of woodlands for commercial and non-commercial values. This project will satisfy demands for future products such as posts and fuelwood while improving forest health and age class diversity. Wildlife and range objectives of improving habitat will be met with removal of PJ and increased production of forage. By reducing stand densities, this project meets objectives of the National Fire Plan (2000) and Healthy Forest Restoration Act (2003) for reducing hazardous fuels and improving forest health. This project falls within Deer Herd Unit #20 (Southwest desert) of the UDWR Deer Herd Unit Management Plan (summer - winter, Substantial) and the Statewide Management Plan for Pronghorn. Habitat will be enhanced by reducing PJ densities thus allowing for increased forage production.

The Mud Springs Old Growth Thinning 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 on 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.

PJ can have a major impact on hydrology. The distribution and quantity of water that reaches the soil and other vegetation can be altered by the presence of PJ through many different avenues such as PJ canopy interception of precipitation, evapotranspiration, transpiration, and competition with understory vegetation for nutrients and water (Thurow and Hester 2015). This competition with understory vegetation can increase the amount of bare soil, which can lead to an increase in runoff, soil loss and erosion (Thurow and Hester 2015). Erosion can lead to a reduction in soil productivity and can also increase non-point source water pollution, thus having the potential to affect water quality within a watershed over time (Thurow and Hester 2015). Reducing stand densities of PJ would increase ground cover (shrub, grass and forbs) that would result in an increase in water quality.

This project is in compliance with the Horse Hollow Vegetation Enhancement Project Environmental Assessment (2015). All needed archaeological and wildlife clearances will be completed prior to implementation.

Stands will be hand thinned to approximately 10-15% of maximum stand density. This will create an open stand with spacing between individual trees of approximately 45-50 feet depending on size class (150-200 feet for groups of 3-5 trees). 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. Stump heights will not exceed 6 inches. Slash height will be lopped and scattered as to not exceed 24 inches.

Monitoring will include a walkthrough 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.

This project was posted on the Utah BLM Environmental Notification Bulletin Board March 27, 2013. Persons, groups, and agencies consulted are as follows: State of Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration, Livestock Permittees, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Paiute Tribe of Utah and the appropriate Band, Southwest Desert Adaptive Resource Management Local Working Group, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Utah Field Office, Utah State Historic Preservation Officer.

It is not anticipated that the area will need to be rested from livestock grazing as the area will not be seeded nor have any ground disturbance. This area will continue to be grazed as currently authorized.

Reducing PJ densities will increase/improve understory vegetation which will benefit livestock that currently graze in the project area. This site is known by hunters for its pronghorn that frequent this area. Thinning the trees will allow for more desirable Pronghorn habitat and maintain/improve the perennial grass that is present, while still leaving trees to provide the cover needed by the mule deer that use this area. Slash material left on the ground from the thinning can be collected for firewood, providing a good source close to Cedar City.

11/19/2020

12/20/2020

2021

Lop & Scatter - Completed 530 Acres The project was contracted out to Summit Forestry. The crew consisted of 8 guys and 1 foreman. Later towards the end of the project 5-6 more guys joined the crew to help finish up. Summit Forestry was excellent to work with. The foreman coordinated well with the project inspectors. Project inspectors spent the first few days all day on the ground with the crew to make sure they were comfortable with the specifications. Project inspectors only had minimal concerns that would be coordinated with the foreman who would always promptly relay the message to his crew to make sure the job was done right. The project consisted of some large juniper three which did slow crews down a bit but the job was completed December 20th, 2020.

Project Objective: Improve forage conditions for big game and livestock by increasing natural regeneration of shrub, forb, and grass vegetation as ground cover browse; improve health of trees retained on site by reducing stand densities (and thus competition); increase woodland heath by providing for a future diversification of age class and size structures. Current Stand Density Index (SDI) for trees on this site is approximately 35% and consists mostly of an older age class. The objective of this treatment is to maintain the older age class at a lower level of stand density (15% SDI). This will leave an open savanna type stand (spacing of 45-50 ft. between individual trees, or 150-200 feet between groups of 3-5 trees) creating additional site space for understory grass/forb/shrub and regeneration of younger juniper. This project was a tree thinning project that had the following requirements and standards: Thinning shall generally be from below favoring the trees with the tallest height, fullest crown, and straightest stem and, which are free of damage due to insect, disease, physical and mechanical damage. Cut trees shall include live trees from one foot tall. Trees less than one foot tall shall not be considered in spacing requirements. Thin trees to average 50 by 50 foot spacing. Spacing range is variable, that is, two or more trees can be left in clumps if no other trees are present in the vicinity; however, the trees per acre (TPA) target (17 TPA) shall not be materially increased. All trees infected by dwarf mistletoe shall be cut. This project was completed to specification and requirements.

This area had a perennial grass understory and was not seeded. Now that the stand has been opened up to portray an open savanna type stand it should promote new herbaceous understory growth. The area will have no livestock rest period and will continue to be grazed as authorized.