Two concerns in the Right Fork Lake Canyon/Gray Head area have been identified by the Ashley NF, and the Ashley has identified two projects to improve these watershed conditions. These two projects will address the two identified watershed concerns by improving the spring and an adjacent wet meadow, and removing the threat of encroaching conifers into habitats critical for sagebrush and mountain brush obligate wildlife species. First - The spring and wet meadow is in a severely degraded condition and is in need of protection. Second - This area contains sagebrush/mountain brush communities and upland meadows that are being encroached by conifers (pinon/juniper and Douglas fir). Barring disturbance, conifers will suppress and ultimately replace the existing shrubs. This will negatively affect sagebrush/mountain brush and upland meadow obligate wildlife species (deer, elk, pronghorn, bighorn sheep and a variety of song birds) that depend on these shrub communities in this area for survival. Removing these encroaching conifers will improve wildlife habitat in the watershed and deter the encroachment of conifers into important sagebrush/mountain brush communities that are critical for wildlife.

Spring and wet meadow restoration Objectives 1) Protect and restore the sensitive wetland habitat, where wetlands are extremely limited. Shrub and Upland Meadow Community Objectives 1) Deter conifer encroachment into sagebrush/mountain brush and upland meadow communities for approximately 25+ years. 2) Improve wildlife habitat for sagebrush/mountain brush and upland meadow obligate wildlife species (e.g. Brewers sparrow, sage sparrow, deer, elk, pronghorn, and bighorn sheep) through removing encroaching conifers on approximately 945 acres of shrub and upland meadow communities in the Gray Head area of the Watershed. 3) Improve big game winter, summer, and transitory range by maintaining forage for mule deer, pronghorn, bighorn sheep and elk. 4) Long term monitoring of vegetation and wildlife species to measure results of the project in the short term and long term. 5) Assist in accomplishing objectives in several management plans (see Relation to Management Plans Section).

These projects to improve the Right Fork Lake Canyon/Gray Head area will reduce threats to the Watershed. Springs and wetlands are rare in this area, this particular wetland is severely degraded and could potentially cease to function as a wetland if action is not taken. Degraded springs and wetlands could have negative effects in the watershed to nearby CRCT. Over time encroaching conifers will replace the sagebrush/mountain brush and upland meadow communities in the area with a stand of pinyon/juniper or Douglas fir. The loss of the these community types would have negative impacts to sagebrush/mountain brush obligate species in the area such as Brewers sparrow (and a variety of other song birds), elk, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, and deer. This project will remove encroaching conifers in these communities and maintain habitat for these wildlife species. Additionally, as pinon/juniper in the Watershed leach the soil of water, this project would help retain water in the Watershed for more desirable vegetation that will aid the ecosystem in retaining water as a whole (especially on the north facing slopes of the project). Reducing the conifer encroachment will increase the amount of shrubs, grasses, and forbs which in turn, will reduce surface water runoff and debris flows (which causes soil erosion and poor water quality) and aid in retaining the moisture in the ecosystem. Conifer encroachment also contributes to large catastrophic fires (e.g. the Dollar Ridge fire of 2018). Removing these conifers will reduce the risk of catastrophic fire and increase the likelihood of fire suppression if a fire occurs in the Right Fork Lake Canyon/Gray Head area. This type of project in the area of the catastrophic Dollar Ridge fire would likely have helped reduce the severity of the fire and would have also helped firefighters.

Improving springs and wetlands in the area and removing conifer encroachment in sagebrush/mountain brush and upland meadow communities in the area will improve habitat for several wildlife species. Several Species plans have identified conifer encroachment as a threat to the species habitat. Below is a list of Management Plans; their objectives, goals, and strategies that will be accomplished by this project (spring and meadow restoration, and removing encroaching conifers). - The Project will accomplish Objectives in the UDWR Colorado River Cutthroat Trout (CRCT) Conservation Strategy - Objective 4) Secure and enhance watershed conditions. The project will accomplish several goals in the Statewide Bighorn Sheep Management Plan specifically B. Habitat Goal Strategy d. Initiate vegetative treatment projects to improve bighorn habitat lost to natural succession or human impacts; and f. Improve or maintain existing water sources and develop new water sources as needed to improve distribution and abundance of bighorn sheep. - The project will also accomplish several goals in the Statewide Pronghorn Management Plan specifically Habitat Management Goal Objectives (1a) enhance crucial pronghorn habitat, (1c) mitigate loss of habitat, (1e) design project to improve pronghorn habitat. - This project meets several strategies in the Goals and Objectives in the Statewide Mule Deer Management Plan specifically: - Habitat Goal Objective 1 strategy A. (b.) identify threats to habitat, and B. a.(b) work with management agencies to identify and manage crucial mule deer habitats; Habitat Goal Objective 2 strategy A. (d.) initiate vegetative treatment projects to improve mule deer habitat with emphasis on.......ranges being diminished by encroachment of conifers into sagebrush or aspen habitats. - This project meets several strategies in the Goals and Objectives in the Statewide Elk Management Plan specifically Habitat Objective Goal 1 strategies (b)properly manage elk habitat, (d) mitigate for losses of habitat; Habitat Objective Goal 2 strategies (c) identify elk habitat in need of restoration, (d) initiate project to improve winter habitat. - This project is also compatible and governed by the Ashley National Forest Plan, with the following goals, (a) to improve 500 acres of wildlife habitat annually (b) develop support from interest groups for funding of wildlife projects. - This Project will also accomplish Forest Service obligations outlined in the Migratory Bird MOU with the USFWS in accordance with the Migratory Bird Executive Order 13186 specifically (1) restoring and conserving habitat for F&WS birds of conservation concern such as the Brewers sparrow and sage sparrow. Habitat for these species will be conserved by removing encroaching conifers to maintain the habitat for these species. - This project is consistent with the "potential conservation action" addressing the threat of "inappropriate fire frequency" identified in the UDWR's Wildlife Action Plan. Action code 2.3.14 sates "Conduct upland vegetation treatments to restore characteristic upland vegetation, and reduce uncharacteristic fuel types and loadings." Reducing conifer encroachment would help restore characteristic upland vegetation. - The Utah State Resource Management Plan has several applicable objectives and policies & guidelines: 1)The State promotes fuel breaks, thinning, chaining, prescribed fire and the selection of fire-resistant vegetation in green-stripping and burned areas. 2) The State will pursue opportunities to conduct and assist other partners with fuel reduction work including mechanical treatments and prescribed fire. 3) Improve vegetative health on public and private lands through range improvements, prescribed fire, vegetation treatments, and active management of invasive plants and noxious weeds. 4) Actively remove pinyon-juniper encroachment in other ecological sites due to its substantial consumption of water and its detrimental effect on sagebrush, other vegetation, and wildlife. 5) Protect existing wildlife habitat and improve 500,000 acres of critical habitats and watersheds throughout the state by 2025. - The Duchesne County Plan identifies conifer encroachment as a threat to water yield (Section 6 - Forest Management - Water Considerations in Forest Management), aspen (Section 6 Forest Management) sage-grouse (Section 22 Threatened, endangered, sensitive species), and as a contributor to fuel loading (Section 19 Fire management). This project would reduce those threats and reduce fuel loading by removing encroaching conifers.

Conifer removal in the Right Fork Lake Canyon/Gray Head area will help reduce the likelihood of a catastrophic wildfire occurring in the watershed. Conifer encroachment contributes to large catastrophic fires, such as the Dollar Ridge fire of 2018. This project will provide a direct long-term benefit by reducing the threat of large fires through reducing fuel loading. While, the initial removal of conifers will increase fuel loading; after the needles fall in 2 to 3 years and the loped trees begin to decay, the long term effect will be a reduction in hazardous fuel build-up. Additionally, removing encroaching conifers will reduce the risk of catastrophic fire and increase the likelihood of fire suppression if a fire did happen to occur.

Spring and wet meadow restoration will greatly benefit ungulate species have severely damaged this sensitive habitat. Fencing the area will protect the area from this damage. Over time if the fence restores the meadow the possibility of a small riparian pasture will be considered. Removal of conifer encroachment has water quantity benefits to the watershed and may contribute to reduced turbidity. Roundy et. al. 2014 found that mechanical tree reduction increased soil water availability. As pinon/juniper leach the soil of water, this project will help retain water for more desirable vegetation that will aid the ecosystem in retaining water as a whole. Reducing the conifer encroachment will increase the amount of shrubs, grasses, and forbs which will reduce surface water runoff and debris flows (which causes soil erosion and poor water quality) and aid in retaining the moisture in the ecosystem. The project will also occur on some north facing slopes where water retention potential would be the greatest. Additionally, the potential reduction in soil erosion/sediment loading may improve the water quality in the streams adjacent to the project. Roundy B. A. Roundy, K. Young, N. Cline, A. Hulet, R. F. Miller, R. J. Tausch, J. C. Chambers, and B. Rau. 2014. Pinon-juniper reduction increases soil water availability of the resource growth pool. Rangeland Ecology & Management 67(5) September 2014.

Archaeology/Cultural Clearances have already been attained for the conifer removal portion of this project with a NEPA Decision signed February 3rd, 2020 for the lop and scatter portion of this project. This project complies with the Ashley Forest Plan and moves towards attaining the Forest Plan Amendment goal of improving wildlife habitat. A portion of the spring and meadow restoration is already completely authorized, some compliance is still needed but should be complete by June 30, 2021.

Spring and Wet Meadow Restoration - exclosure fence will be constructed to limit livestock grazing within the wet area. No other action is expected at this time. Conifer Encroachment Removal - This project would be handled under a contract. Removal of encroaching conifers will be done with hand crews using chainsaws. Cut materials will be left on the site or lopped and scattered. There will be no piling, slashing, or burning of cut materials. Treatments will occur from mid-summer to fall. Generally these types of conifer removal projects cost approximately $50/acre. but the crew may need to hike into some of these polygons which will increase the cost per acre to $70/acre.

After the project is completed we will complete the Project Completion Report and submit photos of the project. Long term monitoring will continue in the area to measure the results of these watershed improvement projects. Spring and wet meadow monitoring will be monitored yearly for five years to look at trends and monitored every three years afterwards to document improvement and additional work if needed. Monitoring will be conducted within the conifer encroachment removal area through long term vegetative plots that have been established in the project area, bird point counts, and big game counts. The completion report for this project will be completed and monitoring results will be available as the monitoring is completed.

The conifer removal part of this project is part of a larger effort supported by adjacent private land owners and agencies to deter conifer encroachment and maintain our sagebrush, mountainbrush, and meadow areas. Nearly all of the conifer encroachment removal area in this proposal is located and completely surrounded by Forest Service land. Thus there was very little opportunity for collaboration with other land owners on these particular units. The Forest Service did reach out to the public during the NEPA process when we scoped the public, non-profit organizations, and other agencies for input. We did not receive any comments on the project, but these types of projects generally get positive support from the State and federal agencies, local Counties, nearby land owners, grazing permittees.

Spring and wet meadow will be monitored to ensure that the fencing is providing the expected result, if it does not other methods will be used. Future management in the area will continue to maintain these communities for wildlife, grazing, and overall watershed health. This management is in compliance with the Ashley Forest Plan and would have a life of approximately 25 years, at which time another treatment to remove encroaching conifers may be needed. Post treatment monitoring (vegetative and wildlife) will be conducted and follow-up treatments will be considered, if needed, to ensure the effectiveness of the project.

Conifer removal will leave material on the ground will aide nutrient cycling as well as provide some valued nesting habitat for birds. Several bird species have been documented using this slash material. As this project improves habitat for high interest big game species (e.g. deer, elk, and bighorn sheep), it will thus improve hunting and wildlife viewing opportunity (recreational benefit). A current grazing management plan has been completed for the allotment wherein the project resides. This project will maintain forage and grazing conditions for both wildlife and livestock by deterring the encroachment of conifers into these communities. Grazing regimes are not anticipated to be changed as a result from this project, but rather maintained as forage is maintained by implementation. Permittees that are permitted to run livestock on the Ashley NF are in favor of this type of project as it benefits livestock.