This allotment is currently used to graze domestic sheep. However, within the allotment and in adjacent areas there is habitat that could be used by bighorn sheep. By controlling the grazing right of this allotment, there is more opportunity to have bighorn sheep on the Pahvant Mountain Range. This is the final public allotment on the Pahvant that is designated to be grazed by domestic sheep. There are some domestic sheep that are trailed near the mountain, and some private land that has domestic sheep and goats. While we work to resolve the other risks of pathogen transmission, this allotment could be used as a potential alternative winter domestic sheep allotment for other operators who are near bighorn sheep populations. For example, if the current domestic sheep operator on the DER would be willing to graze on this allotment, then we could potentially make progress towards establishing a desert bighorn nursery facility on the DER. .

Long-term: Create suitable habitat for bighorn sheep by reducing the risk of transmitting pathogens that cause respiratory disease. Short-term: Provide an alternative grazing location for domestic sheep operators. This is valuable if the current grazing location of these operators is creating a risk of pathogen transmission to bighorn sheep.

N/A

Helps us to reduce the risk of pathogen transmission to bighorn sheep. Statewide and unit management plans.

N/A

N/A

Utah Wild Sheep Foundation and Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife declare no conflict of interest related to this project. No officers of either organization benefit directly from the expenditure of the funds associated with this project.

Purchase the grazing rights and use those rights to improve Utah's wildlife resources. The following is a statement of how UWSF & SFW negotiated the price of this transaction. Due to disease transmission issues between domestic and wild sheep, particularly Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae ("Movi"), separation of wild sheep from domestic sheep is critical to the health and well being of wild sheep populations, not only in Utah but throughout Western North America. The acquisition of domestic sheep grazing allotments by conservation organization such a Utah Wild Sheep Foundation ("Utah WSF") and Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife "SFW" are a critical aspect of both maintaining existing Bighorn Sheep populations throughout the State of Utah but also to reintroducing wild sheep to their historical ranges. By acquiring domestic sheep grazing permits, conservation organization are able to create additional "spatial separation" between wild and domestic sheep, which reduces the risk of contact and potential for disease transmission. The foundation of Utah's Bighorn sheep program is based on translocation/reintroduction due to the historical extirpation of nearly all native Bighorn sheep within the State. Utah WSF has made numerous acquisitions of domestic sheep grazing permits over the past thirty plus years, and more recently in partnership with SFW, in support of the aforementioned. Valuation of these grazing acquisitions has been and continues to be very difficult. The USDA Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management will not put a value on grazing AUM's. Additionally, the private party market for these types of permits varies widely, from $50 per AUM to more than $300. This wide range of value can be contributed to many factors, including quality of the allotment, duration of use, improvements, sheep vs. cattle, location, etc. It has been, and continues to be the expectation of Utah WSF to pay above market value when acquiring domestic sheep grazing permits from the private sector. This is most likely attributed to the fact that as a conservation group, we are not part of the agricultural community and most private party sellers expect a premium as a result. This "premium" is typically 25%+ of expected market value. However, as previously mentioned, market value varies significantly. In summary, Utah WSF and its conservation partners will continue to pursue the acquisition of domestic sheep grazing permits in order to protect our existing herds and reintroduce new herds of wild sheep to their native ranges throughout Utah.

N/A

Utah Wild Sheep Foundation Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife

We will establish a simple MOU with UWSF and SFW to ensure that efforts are made for this allotment to be used for wildlife conservation. It is agreed that UWSF & SFW will... a. Comply with all terms and conditions outlined by the land management agencies in the grazing permit. Not causing a forfeit, suspension, or cancelation of the permit. b. Use the grazing permit in such a way that would not cause the UDWR to violate Utah Code 63J-4-401. Which states that "the state opposes the relinquishment or retirement of grazing animal unit months in favor of conservation, wildlife, and other uses; the state opposes the transfer of grazing animal unit months to wildlife for supposed reasons of rangeland health." c. Use the grazing permit explicitly to the benefit of bighorn sheep management in Utah. This may include a) grazing cattle or horses if bighorn sheep are present on the Pahvant Mountain Range, b) grazing domestic sheep or goats if bighorn sheep are not present on the Pahvant Mountain Range. Grazing domestic sheep or goats could specifically benefit bighorn sheep management in Utah by providing a suitable alternative grazing destination for operators who would otherwise graze domestic sheep or goats near bighorn sheep populations. d. Consider any net revenue that is obtained from the grazing permit as "retained revenue" (conservation permit program) that will be handled consistent with... e. Not use the grazing permit as collateral for their organizations. f. Not transfer (sell) the grazing permit to any other entity to be used for domestic sheep or goat grazing.

In all ways, this allotment will be used explicitly for the benefit of bighorn sheep management in Utah. This project will reduce the risk of pathogen transmission to bighorns and provide the opportunity to expand bighorn sheep range and numbers on a statewide level.