This project will consist of rehabilitation of the Canal Fire that burned in Millard and Juab Counties in June of 2020. This fire was associated with a lighting strike that cause a 78,023 acre wildfire. This Wild Fire burned over 78,023 acres within the Millard and Juab Counties with a majority of the fire burning 25,459 acres of FS property, 20,870 acres of BLM, 3,304 acres of SITLA and over 28,390 acres of Private. All if not most of the property is critical to Utah's Wildlife species such as mule deer, big horn sheep, elk, upland game birds, small mammals and Domestic Livestock. This project will allow us to reseed the fire with a competitive seed and forb mix, also evaluate areas where the use of an "Ely" Chain is suitable to cover the seed for better establishment. The added need to control invasive weed and grass species is critical as well. The need to repair burned fences, pipelines and watering troughs is critical for wildlife as well as livestock within the surrounding allotments. Great Partnerships have bee developed during these types of projects and the work between State and Federal Agencies along with Private Landowner will make this project a success moving forward.

This project objectives will consist of aerially seeding the burned ares of the Canal Canyon Fire with suitable grasses, forbs and shrubs. This will be done through the use of contracting out an aerial seeding contractor to reseed with a fixed wing airplane or helicopter a primary and secondary seeding mix. After the primary seeding has been aerially applied we would like to single chain the suitable areas on BLM and Private Properties to cover the seed and reduce possible erosion areas within the burn scar. This aspect of the project will be done through contracting through State Purchasing with a contractor the use of two D8 or D9 tracked cats to cover the seed in the fall of the year. Additional efforts will be made to inventory all watering facilities, fence lines and pipelines in the area to see what needs to be replaced or fixed. UDWR will be working closely with SITLA, Private Landowners, Fillmore Forest Service and Fillmore BLM office to complete these tasks. UDWR, FFO BLM, SITLA, Private Landowners, USFWS Partners Program and the FFO Forest Service will work together as a partnership to accomplish these objectives and complete the restoration needs to ensure a diverse rangeland community of grasses, forbs, shrubs and browse species are reseeded through this effort. In addition to the reseeding efforts the possible need to apply a Herbicide Treatment will be looked at and addressed as needed moving forward, this will ensure a treatment that will help control invasive cheatgrass and improve establishment of the seeded species.

Risk of not doing any restoration work will allow for invasion of noxious weed species, and little to no grasses, forbs and shrub recruitment, in the high severity burn scar. In additional areas that had moderate to low severity will come back or should show a response in the future. Erosion of soil will be present due to rain and snow precipitation allowing for flooding of lower elevation properties. Rangeland plant health will be compromised due to lack reseeding efforts and covering the seed through proper implementation efforts. The need for soils to stabilize is critical within the next year or two. Perennial grass, forb and shrub species that will become established in the future will benefit livestock and wildlife within the Leamington Canyon, Wringer Canyon, Fool Creek, Wide Canyon Oak Creek and Lower Oak Creek Watersheds. Post Fire flooding also pose a risk to human life and safety. Storm Patrols will be necessary to protect USFS values at risk and implementing early flood warning systems could significantly mitigate risks to human life and safety. Severe risk to roads and trails is very likely as well, loss of soil due to erosion will be significant within the burn scar.

he pinyon-juniper and big sagebrush areas lie within the MountainSagebrush Steppe Habitat type which is one of the key habitats identified in the WAP (Wildlife Action Plan). The proposed projects will address some of the habitat management strategies outlined in the bighorn sheep, deer and elk management plans for herd unit 21 (Fillmore Oak Creek Unit ) including: *Continue to improve and restore sagebrush steppe habitats critical to deer according to DWRs Habitat Initiative. *Maintain habitat quantity and quality at a level adequate to support the stated population objectives while at the same time not resulting in an overall downward trend in range condition and watershed quality. *Work cooperatively with land management agencies and private landowners and or grazing permittee to plan and implement improvement projects for the purpose of enhancing wildlife habitat and livestock range resources in general. *The project also helps fulfill the state mule deer management plan section IV Habitat Goal: Conserve and improve mule deer habitat throughout the state with emphasis on crucial ranges. *The proposed projects will address the following goals and objectives of the Division of Wildlife Resources most recent strategic management plan: *Resource Goal: expand wildlife populations and conserve sensitive species by protecting and improving wildlife habitat. *Objective 1: protect existing wildlife habitat and improve 500,000 acres of critical habitats and watersheds throughout the state. *Objective 3: conserve sensitive species to prevent them from becoming listed as threatened or endangered. *Constituency Goal: Achieve broad-based support for Division programs and budgets by demonstrating the value of wildlife to all citizens of Utah. *Objective 2: improve communication with wildlife organizations, public officials, private landowners, and government agencies to obtain support for Division programs. *UDWR SR critical big game winter range are important browse communities that need to be enhanced and improved. The Division will employ a variety of methods to achieve this including prescribed grazing, prescribed burning, reseeding and seedling transplants, also mechanical treatments. Priority areas will include sagebrush-steppe and mountain browse communities. Falls within the rangeland focus area for WRI wildlife species for mule deer and elk. Utah Wildlife Action Plan, 2015 Publication Number 15-14, State of Utah, Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife Resources, Effective 2015-2025 -- Promoting and funding restoration that reduces the uncharacteristic and surpluses of older age class, including: Dixie/chain harrow, brush mowing or other treatments that reduce the older age class and stimulate the younger/mid age classes; herbicide or mechanical treatments single tree mulching/cutting of invading conifer. Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Statewide Management Plan for Mule deer. Section IV Statewide management goals and objectives. This plan will address Habitat Objective 2: Improve the quality and quantity of vegetation for mule deer on a minimum of 500,000 acres of crucial range by 2013 (p11-12). Strategy C. Initiate broad scale vegetative treatment projects to improve mule deer habitat with emphasis on drought or fire damaged sagebrush winter ranges, ranges that are being taken over by invasive annual grass species, and ranges being diminished by encroachment of conifers into sagebrush or aspen habitats. Strategy f. Encourage land managers to manage portions of pinion-juniper woodlands and aspen/conifer forests in early successional stages. Fillmore Pahvant/Oak Creek Deer Herd Management Plan Unit #21 (2015) - Habitat Management Objectives -- Encourage vegetation manipulation projects and seeding to increase the availability, abundance, and nutritional content of browse, grass, and forb species. Strategies: Habitat Protection, Improvement and Maintenance - Reduce expansion of Pinyon-Juniper woodlands into sagebrush habitats and improve habitats dominated by Pinyon-Juniper woodlands by completing habitat restoration projects like lop & scatter, bullhog and chaining projects; maintain summer fawning areas by increasing beneficial habitat work in summer and transitional habitat areas.(p3-4) Utah Wild Turkey Management Plan Newly treated areas through fire or mechanical means will attract use by wild turkey which are abundant on Oak Creek Management Unit. Insects and new growth will be readily available to support turkey populations, also the availability of more water in the Church Hills and Long Canyon areas. UDWR Wildlife Action Plan This project is geared toward meeting the goals found within this plan for a variety of wildlife species from large to small. The entire proposed project area is found within a UWRI conservation focus area. *This plan is consistent with the Fishlake National Forest Plan for wildlife habitat enhancement and fuels management to improve habitat, reduce fuel loading, and protect against catastrophic wildfire. *Other project have been completed by the Forest Service and UDWR in past years within the Long Canyon and Whiskey Creek HUC 12 area. *Project within the are also benefit the management plans objectives of the lower Sevier River Watershed, as this will reduced sediment run off and create a healthy rangeland communities. *Management Plans are also in conjunction with NRCS overall goals of healthy rangelands and communities, improving watersheds and reducing erosion and sediment. The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides leadership in a partnership effort to help people conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment *FFSL CWPP Process is a local Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) is a collaborative plan created by the fire department, state and local forestry, land managers, community leaders, and the public.The planning process maps values at risk, and requires actions to reduce risk, such as prescribed burning, fuel reduction, or other measures that adapt a community to better confront their wildfire threat. *Area is also part of the Millard RWPP FFSL Plan which was implemented in 2014, there are Wildfire Codes and Ordinances associated with this plan. Project would also be relevant to NCS Goals and supported through the FS National Cohesive Strategies. CAT FIRE Objectives and Strategies: In 2013, the State of Utah developed the Catastrophic Wildfire Reduction Strategy (CAT FIRE) in response to the severe 2012 fire season. Reducing the catastrophic wildfire requires attention to three interdependent goals identified in the National Cohesive Wildfire Management Strategy -- Restore and Maintain Landscapes, Fire Adapted Communities, and Wildfire Response. These goals have been embraced throughout the development of the state's CAT FIRE strategy. Mitigation of hazardous fuels can change fire behavior making it easier to suppress. The effects of the mitigation, however, are not limited to life and property safety but will also affect forest health, water quality, vegetative species abundance, etc. As we continue to implement projects across the landscapes in Utah, the only way to truly be successful is to integrate existing programs, utilize local and federal partners and continue to educate the general public to create the desired shift towards more resilient communities and ecosystems. We have also added to the documents tab the Millard County Plan that addresses these types of habitat projects along with edits from the State of Utah Resource Management Plan. **Attached below is information from the Statewide Bighorn Sheep Plan: Bighorn sheep are uniquely adapted to inhabit some of the most remote and rugged areas in Utah. They exist in some of the most hostile climatic conditions ranging from the hot, dry canyonlands of southern Utah to the cold, snowy alpine regions of Utah's northern mountains. Bighorns are sometimes referred to as a wilderness species because of the naturally remote and inaccessible areas they inhabit. Bighorns prefer open habitat types with adjacent steep rocky areas for escape and safety. Habitat is characterized by rugged terrain including canyons, gulches, talus cliffs, steep slopes, mountaintops, and river benches (Shackleton et al. 1999). The diet of mountain sheep is comprised primarily of grasses and forbs, although sheep may also utilize shrubs depending on season and availability. Most Rocky Mountain bighorns typically have seasonal migrations with established winter and summer ranges, whereas most desert bighorns generally do not have distinct summer and winter migrations. Extensive historical bighorn habitat occurs throughout Utah (Figure 1). However, not all habitat is currently suitable for reestablishment of bighorn populations. Vegetative changes, human encroachment, and domestic sheep grazing make some areas unsuitable for bighorn restoration. Habitat management practices include voluntary grazing allotment conversions from domestic sheep to cattle, vegetative treatments, and water developments. UDWR considers grazing conversions and restrictions "involuntary" when the party negotiating for the conversion/restriction threatens to seek more burdensome grazing restrictions, reductions, or conversions in court or through other regulatory means unless the livestock grazer consents to the requested conversion/restriction. UDWR, in partnership with conservation groups and land managers has been extremely helpful in negotiating, funding, and participating in habitat projects. Habitat Degradation or Loss: Bighorn habitat can be degraded, fragmented, or lost to a variety of causes including human disturbance, energy development, and natural succession. Reductions in the quality or quantity of habitat can result in corresponding losses to bighorn populations (DeForge 1972, Hamilton et al. 1982). Human disturbance may cause bighorn sheep to change use areas and abandon certain habitats because of those disturbances. Loss of preferred habitat can compel bighorns into habitats that reduce productivity, decrease survival rates, and increase risk of pathogen transmission. Human disturbance is also thought to be a possible stress inducer, which may lead to disease problems in some populations (DeForge 1981, Bunch et al. 1999). Working with federal land management agencies to protect the habitat needed for healthy herds may improve herd health. Plant succession can also dramatically affect habitat quality. Encroachment by pinyon-juniper and other shrubs has resulted in the fragmentation and loss of large expanses of bighorn habitat. Vegetative treatments, including fire management and mechanical treatments, can restore and improve bighorn habitat to its condition prior to settlement times. Habitat Management Goal: Provide good quality habitat for healthy populations of bighorn sheep. Objective: Maintain or improve bighorn sheep habitat to enhance individual herd success and thereby promote the overall sustainability of bighorn sheep statewide. Strategies: a. Identify valuable bighorn sheep habitats and work with land managers and private landowners to protect and enhance these areas. b. Assist land management agencies in monitoring bighorn sheep habitat. Habitat monitoring by the land management agencies will be contingent on available funding and personnel. c. Work with land managers to minimize and mitigate loss of bighorn habitat due to human disturbance and development. d. Initiate vegetative treatment projects to improve bighorn habitat lost to natural succession or human impacts. e. Under the correct circumstances, encourage land management agencies to allow fires to burn when such action improves bighorn sheep habitat. f. Improve or maintain existing water sources and develop new water sources as needed to improve distribution and abundance of bighorn sheep. g. Support research and monitoring efforts to evaluate bighorn sheep use of water sources to ensure the water sources are having the desired effect. h. Work with land management agencies and private landowners to voluntarily implement agency guidelines for management of domestic sheep and goats in bighorn areas similar to those proposed by the WAWFA Wild Sheep Working Group. i. Support conservation groups' efforts to pursue willing conversions of domestic sheep grazing allotments by working with willing permittees in bighorn areas to minimize the risk of pathogen transmission. j. Inform and educate the public concerning the needs of bighorn sheep including the effects of human disturbance and the need for habitat improvements. k. Create preferred habitat for bighorn sheep in areas not proximate to domestic sheep and goats to attract bighorns away from risks of pathogen transmission.

The need to reseed and establish a improved community of grasses, forbs, shrubs and browse species is critical to support wildlife and livestock in the future. Through restoration efforts from the USFS, SITLA, Private Landowners, BLM, Grazing Permitees and UDWR this will be a partnership that can obtain the goals and objectives by working together to restore and maintain the area effected by the Canal Fire. We need to make sure the reseeding efforts are a success to allow for reduction in wildfire behavior due to the resilient seed species being planted that can help suppress fire activity in the future. The Oak Creek Management Unit has burn several time over the past 10-20 years, which include but not limited to the Wood Canyon Fire, Clay Springs Fire and Fool Creek Peak Fire. Fuel loading has transitioned to more of a grass and shrub community over this time adding lower concentrated fuels due to cheatgrass invasion over time. With the implementation and reseeding efforts of perennial grasses and forbs we are hopeful we can establish grasses and forbs that can complete and resist or control large scale fir behavior.

Water Quality and Quantity should greatly increase due to the nature of old standing PJ trees along with some conifers in the top end of this project being burned. After reseeding efforts and restoration occurs we are more likely to see the improvement of springs, increase water flow to rangeland warter troughs, increase grass and fob establishment due to loss of competition from the pinyon-juniper trees. Water should be better utilized by the perennial grasses, forbs and shrubs increasing the quantity down stream for water users and irrigation systems.

Before areas are to be single chained, they will need to be surveyed for all culture resources and also a cadastural survey will need to be completed finding the section corners and quarter corners of the treatment areas. Certain inventories have been completed in the past for both the private, and the BLM portions. Project Manager will follow up to ensure treatments can move forward without any complications. UDWR Project Manager will consult with UDWR Archaeologist to make sure of consultation lead from the BLM and SITLA.

Methods will include the application of aerially seeding grasses, forbs and shrubs through the use of a fixed wing or helicopter. We would like to implement planting browse species for wildlife which will be done with a dribbler attached to the dozers. Seed will then be covered by using a "smooth or ely" chain pulled by two D8 or D9 tracked cats. If we utilized a herbicide treatment within the Canal Fire we would use a chemical called "Plateau" along with a surfactant, this would more likely be done on private, SITLA and possibly some BLM properties. All aspects of this fire Rehab treatment will be done through State Purchasing Contracting. Within some portions of BLM properties, the BLM will treat there acres in house with the use of chaining and drill seeding implementation.

Fishlake Forest Service will be looking at utilizing photo points within the treatment site, along with wildlife monitoring from their Wildlife Biologist that will include spring and fall classifications of deer and elk. Forest Service Range Conservationist will be conducting and gathering rangeland data as grass, forbs and shrubs respond to the treatments within the Canal Fire Restoration efforts. The BLM will also be involved with the project and overseeing their properties, making sure establishment of the grasses, forbs and shrubs are growing before grazing will return. SITLA Managers will be looking at the need to fence out properties or manage them in accordance with their management plans and objectives. We will continue to work with private landowner to make sure establishment of grasses, forbs and shrubs are suitable for grazing after the two years of deffered grazing.

Partners on this project will include but not be limited to: Fishlake National Forest Fillmore Office (USFS) Fillmore BLM Office Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) SITLA Sportsman Groups and local Chapters USFWS Partners Program NRCS/FSA County Commissioners Livestock Grazing Associations. Private Landowners UWRI is a great funding source and support in rehabbing wildfires in Utah.

Grazing of the properties will be deferred for at least two growing seasons or until establishment of grass, forbs and shrubs are deemed ready to be grazed. When grazing is re-established a grazing management plan will be developed and monitored by the Fillmore Forest Service Range Conservationist, and BLM Range Conservationist allowing for proper grazing management of the reseeding efforts. SITLA Representative will also work with grazing permittees to ensure the seeding efforts are successful on SITLA Lands as well. We will be entering into Cooperative Agreements with the private landowner for the seed donation and equipment equipment rental as well. UDWR would also like to request that the Private Landowner allows for two growing seasons to be deferred from grazing as well.

No direct livestock benefit as of right now due to the Canal Fire, within the FS, BLM, SITLA and Private properties that where effected by the fire. Through the State and Federal Agencies Fire Rehab efforts and doing restoration work will prepare us for the future benefits in the years to come. Through these restoration efforts we will be able to reseed and chain the Canal Fire with perennial grasses forbs, shrubs and browse species that will contribute to improved rangeland health conditions, increase water production for grasses species and improved water capabilities for rangeland water troughs. Overall grazing permittees and private landowners should see improved forage production and better weight gain and overall, calf production in the future due to the restoration efforts that are to take place through this fire rehab effort. In addition the improvement of grasses, forbs and shrubs will benefit the wildlife populations of big game and upland game in this area.

07/23/2020

04/15/2021

2021

Final Methods for this fire rehab project consisted of conducting arch surveys for the drill seeding along with the chaining portions of this project prior to reseeding efforts taking place on private and federal lands. We worked with over 27 private landowners to help provide seed through either drill seeding or aerial seeding/chaining efforts. Equipment was also provided as needed. DWR partnered with the Fillmore Forest Service and BLM Offices to augment seed and contract chaining and aerial seeding work to re-seed federal lands.

In July of 2020 the Canal Fire consumed more that 78,000 acres of private, State and Federal Lands located in Millard County, this fire started just north of Oak City and was contained north of Hwy 132 and the Gilson Mountains. We worked with 27 private landowners to provide seed for drill seeding and chaining efforts, provided rangeland drills for private individuals to reseed their property as well. We worked in conjunction with State Purchasing to provide contractor TTCI (Gary Smith) to single chain over 6,000 acres. We contracted with Hammond Helicopters and Mountain West Helicopters to aerially seed private, and federal lands. In working with these partnerships we implemented Good Neighbor Agreements and Cooperative Agreement with the Fillmore FS and BLM Offices as well as USFWS (Clint Wirick) on the private lands. The project worked really well, lots of private landowner were willing to step up and reseed their own property. Partnerships with the FS, BLM, SITLA and the contractors went really well. We appreciate all the funding provided towards this Fire Rehab Project.

Future Management of this large scale fire rehab effort is to monitor the re-seeding efforts that took place on Federal and Private lands. Through these efforts we have committed to defer livestock grazing and on all seeded areas of the fire rehab project, this will allow for improved establishment of grasses, forbs and shrubs that where seeding during the habitat restoration efforts.