The summer of 2020 has been very hot and dry and seen its fair share of fires including both large and small. Among those fires in the southern region is a handful that do not qualify for ESR funding due to their size but do have some merit in rehabilitation needs. Needs range from trying to outcompete invasives and prevent future larger fires to important wildlife habitat.

Seed small burned areas to prevent them from converting completely to invasive annuals such as cheatgrass that are more likely to burn again and burn bigger. By doing so we will also provide future protection to important wildlife habitat.

Without treatment conversion to invasive annuals is highly likely and future fires would impact an even larger footprint.

The project is consistent with the following BLM land use plans and associated decisions: * Cedar Beaver Garfield Antimony Resource Management Plan Resource Management Plan (1986). * Utah Greater Sage-Grouse Approved Approved Resource Management Plans as Amended (ARMPAs 2015 and 2019) * Southwest Utah Support Area Fire Management Plan (May, 2006) * The project is in conformance with the Normal Year Fire Stabilization and Rehabilitation Plan Environmental Assessment (EA UT-0040-03-28). The project is in conformance with the applicable land use plans because it is provided for in the following land use plan decisions: Record of Decision and Approved Utah Greater Sage-Grouse Resource Management Plan Amendments (2015 and 2019) Goal SSS-1: Maintain and/or increase GRSG abundance and distribution by conserving, enhancing, or restoring the sagebrush ecosystem upon which populations depend in collaboration with other conservation partners Special Status Species (SSS): Objectives SSS-1, SSS-2, SSS-3, SSS-4, and SSS-5; Management Actions (MA) MA-SSS-1, MA-SSS-3, and MA-SSS-4, MA-SSS-7. Vegetation (VEG): Objective VEG-1; MA-VEG-1, MA-VEG-2, MA-VEG-3, MA-VEG-4, MA-VEG-5, MA-VEG-6, MA-VEG-10, MA-VEG-11, MA-VEG-12, MA-VEG-14. Fire and Fuels Management (FIRE): MA-FIRE-2, and MA-FIRE-3. Other Plans/Strategies Utah Conservation Plan for Greater Sage-Grouse (2019) State of Utah Executive Order 2015/002- Implementing the Utah Conservation Plan for Greater Sage-Grouse (2015) Utah State Wildlife Action Plan (2015) State of Utah Resource Management Plan (2018) National Fire Plan (2000) Utah Pronghorn Statewide Management Plan (2009) Southwest Desert Deer Herd Unit Management Plan (2015) Coordinated Implementation Plan for Bird Conservation in Utah (2005) Local Sage-Grouse Working Group Plans Southwest Desert Greater Sage-Grouse Local Conservation Plan (2009)

Multiple fires encompassing approximately 1060 acres in the Southern Region. In just the Mineral Black Mountain Fire Management Unit (FMU) (646,151 acres). Approximately 241,620 acres have burned over the past 20 years within this FMU. This amounts to over 37% of the FMU being impacted by high intensity wildfire. Approximately 40,000 acres have burned more than once (cheatgrass burn/re-burn cycle). Most alarming is the fact that for the 22 years in which fire records are available (1993-2014) the number of fires has decreased over the past 10 years; however, the acreages burned has increased more than 200%. Without treatment it is expected that cheatgrass will invade and dominate these areas. Future fires will continue to be more difficult to control and have devastating effects by burning at a higher intensity, which could lead to fires getting larger and burning unburned habitat. Treatments identified within this proposal, includes seeding with more fire resistant vegetation are expected to reduce the overall threat of future wildfires, which could impact unburned areas in the watersheds.

The small footprints of these fires would have very little direct impact to water quality and quantity, but larger future fires could prove catastrophic to the watersheds these fires occurred in.

Any of the areas that ultimately received any soil disturbing activities would need prior archeological clearances which would likely be handled in house due to the small footprint of each fire.

UDWR would contract for aerial seeding of these areas utilizing the simple but competitive seed mix attached to the proposal. UDWR and BLM would look for opportunities to cover the seed with chaining or a harrow as they move from project to project this fall.

Photopoints could be taken at each location and revisited at intervals not to exceed 3 years to check for establishment of the seedings.

UDWR and BLM have worked together to identify these small fire perimeters that both agencies believe have merit in attempting some rehabilitation.

Areas would continue to be utilized under the same resource management plans as they are currently managed under. Monitoring will check for establishment of seeding and subsequent treatments could be planned if results are not good enough.

Biggest goal here is protection of important wildlife habitat from future fires. Parowan front sees significant hunting and wildlife viewing pressure as does Nephi pasture. Horse Valley and Baboon are both in or adjacent to areas important to mule deer, sage grouse, and utah prairie dogs.

01/11/2021

01/17/2021

2021

Seed was applied using fixed wing aircraft from various airports in the vicinity of the treatment areas. Seeding after fires may be necessary after there has been an evaluation of fire severity. Seeding is done to reduce the invasion of noxious weeds, increase the ability to be resistance to future wildfires, and resilience when fire occurs in the future. Seeding can also increase the forage for wildlife, livestock, and important flowering plants for pollinating species. It can also reduce soil lost from wind and water erosion. Partnering land management agencies and other partners as applicable work together to provide the funding for these projects to enhance Utah's Watersheds.

After refining the seed mixes for the elevations and land managers need, seed was mixed by the GBRC and seed flight was contracted through the State of Utah Purchasing. The Aerial seeding took place starting 1/11/2021 by Hamond Helicopter. The contractor was done seeding all the contracted polygons on 1/17/2021. Current forecast calls for snow with amounts ranging from 1-6" in the next five days with what seems a change in our weather pattern.

BLM will work with livestock permittee(s) to ensure that successful establishment can be met. BLM will monitor for noxious weeds and develop treatment plans as needed.