There are a myriad of habitat development and stewardship agreements for the benefit of wildlife that could be accomplished on private and public lands in Utah. In most cases, there is adequate funding under programs such as the Conservation Permit Program, Federal Farm Bill, Watershed Restoration Initiative, Invasive Species Mitigation Fund, Grazing Improvement Fund, etc. Currently, the limiting factor for initiation, implementation and delivery of habitat development work is limited UDWR staff. As a result, there are many opportunities to improve private, state and federal lands for mule deer and other wildlife that are not being taken advantage of.

The Mule Deer Foundation will help fill the land and wildlife management agency staffing void by hiring and supervising a habitat development and stewardship project specialist, MDF is uniquely suited to pursue this type of work because of the distinctive organizational structure that allows local chapters to decide where and how to best invest their money for wildlife locally. The MDF habitat specialist will focus primarily on stewardship agreements, in cooperation with the USFS, on summer range improvement to benefit mule deer and other wildlife species. The MDF habitat specialist will also help secure funding and implement habitat projects on other state, federal and private lands.

N/A

Statewide and unit by unit mule deer management plans.

Many of the projects completed by this biologist serve to reduce fire and fuels risk.

Many of the projects completed by this biologist serve improve water quality and increase water quantity.

All projects completed by this biologist will undergo NEPA and cultural clearances as required.

Duties to be performed by the MDF habitat specialist will include, but are not limited to, contact with landowners, coordination with federal and state agencies, attending regional WRI meetings, site preparation, seeding, herbicide spraying, mowing, conifer thinning/mulching, coppice cutting, burning, aspen protection, tree and shrub panting, etc. The MDF habitat specialist will, at a minimum, annually complete 5 habitat and/or stewardship projects throughout Utah designed to benefit wildlife. Each of these projects shall be entered into Utah's Watershed Initiative project database (wri.utah.gov) Whenever possible, projects should be reviewed and approved prior to implementation by the appropriate WRI regional team and reported on after completion according WRI rules. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in termination of this cooperative agreement.

N/A

MDF partners with most federal and state land management agencies through stewardship and other agreements and contracts. Private landowners statewide are also partnered with on a project by project basis.

See individual projects submitted by the MDF Stewardship biologist or federal partners for details.

Most all the projects completed by this biologist will improve quality and quantity of sustainable uses such as grazing, timber harvest, biomass utilization, recreation, etc.

10/04/2021

06/30/2022

2022

Mule Deer Foundation continues to partner with multiple organizations and land-management agencies to improve mule deer and other wildlife habitat in Utah. Active project management achieved through Supplemental Project Agreement #20-SA-11041904-041 with the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache NF utilized mechanical and hand crew treatments for timber harvest, thinning (pre-commercial & riparian) and conifer removal from important aspen and mountain shrub habitats on the North Slope of the Uintas. The season's planning and implementation included agreement mods, prioritizing funding needs, WRI project submittal and partner coordination. MDF/USFS shared project manager position continued to oversee operations on both North Slope Uintas project areas (Burnt-Beaver & Bear River Resiliency) and 3 total projects.

MDF and USFS submitted Master Stewardship Agreement extension (to 2032) to R4, pending. UWC submitted SPA mod to support project oversight for next 3-4 years, pending. Renewed funding agreements with UDWR to support below projects. DeHamer pursued partnership contacts in each region, including attending WRI field tours and as invited member of Book Cliffs Working Group. Co-led MDF team for disbursement of Cons. Expo tag monies, 51 projects, $1.38M. NGO rep on Central Region WRI Scoring committee. Initiate cross-border project design team with NE, SE, & BLM in UT and CO to treat Book Cliffs summer range. Submitted draft SPA proposal with Ashley NF Vernal-FG District. Initiated stewardship discussions with Fishlake & Dixie NF leadership. Pursuing statewide Master Stewardship agreement with BLM-UT. Team consult on habitat enhancement for 12k acre private land/CWMU in Price area, may pursue water enhancement projects. Participated in USFS R4 Wildfire Crisis Strategy Roundtable, May '22. Assisted with guzzler installations in Strawberry River/Timber Canyon and Tintic areas. Burnt-Beaver project, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache NF, Project Oversight by Meservy: Phase 2 - Machine piling on 155 acres completed 26 July '22. This closes out Phase 2 treatments that were delayed/incomplete due to contractor issues (SWEAT LLC & Axis Ecological Restoration). MDF spent $81k to cover clean-up work. Phase 3 - Completed late Fall '21. Total hand piles = 27,080 over ~511 acres See completion report for WRI #5248 for further detail. Phase 4 - Pile burning. USFS and contracted crews spent 14 days in Fall '21 and burned just over 33,800 hand piles and 1550 mechanical piles across ~2000 acres. Phase 5 - Submitted to WRI and fully funded. Ashley NF wants to address similar objectives for forest health measures (see future mgmt below), joined project. UWC intends to pursue Rx broadcast burning Fall '22, pending appropriate window and nationwide restrictions from NM wildfire. Bear River Resilience, UWC NF, Project Oversight by Meservy: Phase 2 - Whitney mastication ongoing for 182 acres, began June '22 currently 94 acres completed. Phase 3 - WRI Project submitted and fully funded ($1.05M) for fuels reduction, aspen regeneration and wildlife habitat. Includes USFS and private land timber work near several cabin communities.

Burnt-Beaver, UWC & Ashley NFs: Phase 2 - MDF and USFS will close out 19-PA-11041904-059. Phase 4 - Estimated 178 acres remain of hand piles to burn, 155 acres of machine piles. USFS & contract crews to burn in late Fall '22. Phase 5 -UWC: Plans to conduct Rx broadcast burning for 2,000-3,000 acres with support from contract crews, pending appropriate window and potential USFS policy restrictions resulting from NM fires. Monitor and spray for noxious weeds within previous treatment areas in Spring '23. Phase 5 - Ashley NF: Contracting arch clearance over ~4,600 acres; Intend to conduct thinning and cut/deck ops over ~441 acres already NEPA cleared. MDF and Ashley Vernal/Flaming Gorge District submitted draft SPA proposal to USFS R4 for future stewardship work over 5 watersheds, pending. Bear River Resilience, UWC: Phase 2 - Continue work on Whitney area mastication, 88 acres. Anticipate completion by mid Sep '22. Lop & Scatter work is complete as of 7/20/22 for 257 acres. Phase 3 - Bids submitted, award offered as of 8/13/22. Contractors to begin work on Carter Crk mastication (~280 acres) early Sep '22. Acres may be adjusted down to meet leave tree spacing, aspen regen and chip depth reqs. East Fork hand cut & pile (535 acres) to begin work early Sep '22. MDF collaborating with FFSL to contract ~150 acres of thinning/aspen regen timber work including cut/deck for firewood & posts on private land north of Elizabeth Mt Road. FFSL is main POC w/ both landowners. Bid package to be assembled by early Sep '22, anticipate award by Dec '22 and work begun ~early June '23 as conditions allow. Planning will continue with partners for Bear River Ph 4, potential Burnt Beav Ph 6, Ashley NF Flaming Gorge, Dixie NF Bear/Little Valley, DWR/BLM Book Cliffs Rx Burn & Habitat, DWR/TNC Indian Creek, DWR/UWC Strawberry Ridge, etc. Will participate as NGO/hunting rep for Parowan and Bicknell Bottoms WMA mgmt plan revision committee, S Region.