Historically, the development and maintenance of ponderosa pine forests was favored by non-lethal fires ignited by both humans and lightning. The continued fire presence limited the regeneration and existence of fire intolerant species such as pinyon and juniper that now occupy and encroach on local ponderosa pine stands. Fire disturbance has been absent for multiple cycles. Stand densities have increased and competition between trees is strong. Not only do these ponderosa pine forests exhibit variation in the standing tree structure, but they also exhibit considerable variation in the amount of coarse woody debris that is associated with soil productivity. Pinyon pine and juniper have also encroached limiting growing sites for desirable mixed conifer/aspen species and creating ladder fuels. There is a need to reduce stand densities and remove undesirable species to improve forest health and stand composition and structure. There is also a need to reduce ladder fuels and fuel loading to reduce risk of stand replacing fire. Both prescribed fire and mechanical techniques can be used to change the forest structure and encourage the regeneration and development of ponderosa pine, especially as an early seral species, within interspersed mosaics. If the structure were changed, such forests may be resistant and resilient to native insects and diseases, uncharacteristically severe wildfires, and be beneficial to many wildlife species. In addition the pinyon-juniper woodland has increased its range and has expanded into areas historically dominated by the sagebrush-steppe ecosystem. This has reduced the quality and quantity of habitat and forage available to mule deer, Rocky mountain elk, greater sage grouse, and many other wildlife species. This project is needed to push back the current treeline to provide more quality habitat, increase the useable area for sage grouse and retain the forb/grass understory within the sagebrush.

1)Remove The accumulation of fire intolerant vegetation, and dense forest canopies that have developed, thus creating forests favoring crown fires rather than low intensity surface fires that historically occurred. 2) Reduce risk to insect, and disease by reducing stand densities and improving forest health. 3) Reduce the quantity and continuity of surface fuels, increasing crown base heights, and decrease crown continuity and density to lessen the risk of loss from extreme wildfire events and allow the opportunity to implement prescribed fire in the future for a more natural fire cycle. 4) Improve health, composition, and diversity of shrubs, grasses, and forbs; reduce pinyon pine and juniper density by 90%; Maintain adequate habitat components to meet needs of greater sage grouse in nesting, brood rearing, and winter habitats; Maintain/create large, unfragmented blocks of sage brush habitat with a variety of seral stages to meet seasonal needs of sage grouse.

If area remains untreated as stand densities increase and pinyon and juniper encroachment into the understory continues the risk of catastrophic wildfire increases. Untreated areas would burn as stand replacing events rather than low severity, low tree mortality events. Increased stand densities could also lead to reduced forest health as the risk of insect and disease increase leading to potential tree mortality. The continued encroachment of trees into areas that are dominated by sagebrush and grasses is a threat to wildlife habitat unless removed. The project area needs to have the trees removed but will not need to be seeded if the project is done now (before it crosses an ecological threshhold) since there is a good, existing understory of grasses and forbs. The area falls within sage grouse summer and winter habitat and is within critical winter mule deer habitat.

Upper Sevier Watershed Management Plan (2004). This area was identified as 1 of 3 priority areas overall, within the entire Upper Sevier planning area. This project is in conformance with the Kanab Field Office Record of Decision and Resource Management Plan (RMP), signed October 31, 2008. VEG-30, 32, 33, 35. SOL-3. The proposed treatment is consistent with Fish and Wildlife Habitat Management Decision #FW-01, with states: 1) that BLM will manage suitable public land habitats for the recovery or re-establishment of native populations through collaborative planning with local, state, and federal agencies, user groups, and interested publics. Numerous other management plans have identified the need for these projects, including the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Statewide Management Plan for Mule Deer (2008), Color Country Adaptive Resource Management Plan (CCARM) (2008) for sage grouse, The proposed project is consistent with the Southern Utah Support Area Fire Management Plan dated September 9, 2004, which states: 15,000 acres be mechanically treated to convert pinyon and juniper invasion (condition class 3) into sagebrush/perennial grass (condition class 1 or 2) vegetation types. BLM National Sage Grouse Habitat Conservation Strategy (2004). Utah Wildlife Conservation Strategy (2005). Of particular concern within this area are: Greater Sage Grouse, mule deer, and shrub steppe (key habitat). Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Statewide Management Plan for Mule Deer (2008). The Color Country Adaptive Resource Management Plan for Sage Grouse (CCARM) (2007) strategies and action to: 1) Improve age distribution of plants within sagebrush-steppe communities by 2016; 2) Identify and prioritize target areas needing improvement; 3) Coordinate among agencies and landowners to fund implementation of projects and monitoring; 4) Monitor response of sage grouse to changing habitat conditions. National Greater Sage Grouse Planning Strategy (2011) which provides a framework for establishing adequate regulatory mechanisms (conservation measures). Sagebrush Memorandum of Understanding (2008) and the WAFWA Greater Sage Grouse Comprehensive Conservation Strategy (2006). Other plans that relate to the proposed project are: BLM's Final Programmatic Environmental Report: Vegetation Treatments on BLM Lands in 17 Western States Programmatic Environmental Report, June 2007, The Fundamental of Rangeland Health (43 CFR 4180) and Utah's Standards and Guidelines for Rangeland Health which address watersheds, ecological condition, water quality and habitat for special status species, National Fire Plan (2000), Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003 which state protecting forests, woodlands, shrublands, and grasslands from unnaturally intensive and destructive fires, Utah Wildlife Conservation Strategy (2005), and Coordinated Implementation Plan for Bird Conservation in Utah (2005),

The potential for more extreme fires will intensify as tree densities increase. By reducing stand densities the possibility for future larger-scale stand replacing fire events will be decreased. An extreme fire event could lead to a loss of crucial big game and sage grouse habitat and has the potential for a noxious weed infestation. Stand replacing fire could also lead to extreme damage to riparian system below with increased sediment flows.

The South Canyon Hatch Mountain project is located within the Upper Sevier River Watershed. The area is surrounded by rocky hills which make the area vulnerable to high amounts of runoff and flash flooding. Impacts to water quality and quantity due to the lack of herbaceous understory throughout the area was recognized by the Upper Sevier Watershed Plan. The project area is dominated by dense stands of ponderosa pine and encroaching juniper and pinyon pine. Reduced plant community composition and structural diversity has caused a high proportion of bare ground which is susceptible to accelerated runoff and erosion into the Sevier River. Increased fuel loads from ladder fuels have made the area susceptible to stand replacing fires. Removal of encroaching pinyon and juniper and reduction in dense forest canopies will allow for the increase of herbaceous perennial species. A study by Ray et al (2019) in Central Oregon found greater perennial grass, annual grass, and shrub cover in a treated watershed (with 90% juniper removed) compared to an untreated watershed. These actions should also improve water quality and quantity. Studies from the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau indicate tree removal can increase soil water availability along a hillslope over a wide range of annual precipitation levels (William et al 2018). Benefits to water quality/quantity from this project should result in decreased runoff and less sediment movement in the watershed due to an increased herbaceous understory. Previous projects in adjacent areas have proven successful in reducing erosion as soils have stabilized once seeding is established.

Both cultural clearance and NEPA have already been completed for the project area. All wildlife and archaeological clearances will be completed prior to implementation.

All treatments will be completed by hand crews with chainsaws. Competing and ladder-fuel vegetation, such as pinyon pine and juniper will be cut (aspen will not be cut). Slash will be lopped and scattered as to not exceed 24 inches in height and will be pulled from the drip line of remaining ponderosa pine, white fir, Doug fir, or aspen. In areas where fuel loading exceeds desired amounts slash will be piled and burned. Where pockets of ponderosa pine, and Doug fir seedling/saplings (tress less than 10 inches DBH) are found, trees will be thinned to a spacing of 30 x 30 feet between trees. Best trees will be retained: these will be dominant trees, free of obvious defect and deformity. All pinyon and juniper trees within unit boundaries will be cut and piled. Trees infected by dwarf mistletoe will be cut if less than 12 inches DBH. Trees greater than 12 inches DBH shall be girdled rather than felled. Girdling shall be accomplished with a chainsaw by cutting two interconnecting bands at least two inches apart, around the bole of the tree into the sapwood. All trees that are cut shall be completely severed from the stump(s). No live or dead limbs shall be left on the stump of cut trees. Stump height shall not exceed six (6) inches measured on the uphill side or four (4) inches above an obstruction (rock, etc.) located against the tree stump.

The monitoring for this treatment will be done by the BLM fuels staff. The monitoring will include a walk through as well as established plots on a five-by-five chain (330 ft.) grid during and following treatment to monitor compliance and to certify objectives for proper tree selection, spacing, stump, slash heights/piles. Percent quality will be recorded on inspection forms and can be loaded into the reporting section of the WRI data base upon completion.

This project and previously funded WRI projects adjacent to this project have support from various partners. They include Bureau Of Land Management, Division of Wildlife Resources, SFW, MDF, SITLA, Local Permitees, Private Landowners and members Of the Public. Many partners have provided funds as well as ideas to the success of the project. Coordination has taken place with the Kanab Field Office wildlife biologist and the Division of Wildlife biologist for the area. Input from these biologists was critical in the planning of this project. The Upper Sevier Watershed Plan which identifies concerns and priorities within the project area was accomplished by many partners (Federal, State, and Private). Tours and visits with various groups have occurred multiple times on this project area. We have looked at treated as well as non-treated areas. Discussions of methods, ideas, studies, seeded species, and overall what worked and didn't work took place on each of these visits and has been implemented into the project proposal.

It is not anticipated that the area will need to be rested from livestock grazing as the area will not be seeded. This area will continue to be grazed as currently authorized. Future maintenance projects to protect investments made by UWRI/BLM have been addressed and allowed through the project planning document (NEPA). Adaptive management has been allowed for in the NEPA documents. Many tools have been analyzed in the NEPA planning process to allow other methods in the future.

The South Canyon (Hatch Mountain) project area lies within the Panguitch hunting unit. Big game that inhabit the area would reap the benefits of this habitat project such as increased forage, health, fawn and calf production, performance, etc. The success of this project would lead to success of healthy mule deer, elk and antelope populations and increased hunting opportunities. Currently hunting permits for the Panguitch Mule Deer unit number at approximately 1,839 permits, Rocky Mountain Elk 40 permits, and Pronghorn Antelope 26 permits, which brings not only local hunters to the area, but hunters from other parts of the country to the area and has a significant positive economic impact on local communities. Each year the area draws hunters from nation wide and brings in large amounts of dollars from the sale of conservation permits for Elk and Pronghorn Antelope for hunters seeking the opportunity to hunt this area. These conservation dollars will in return play a critical role in future habitat projects and wildlife conservation.This project will help in maintaining/improving the area for these opportunities, as well as improve the overall health of big game populations in the area. Multilpe recreation opportunities can be found in the area and include but are not limited to hunting, ATV riding, mountain biking, climbing, camping, and wildlife watching. Located near and around multiple National Parks and Monuments, this area serves as a stopping point for those seeking these activities. This project will help to improve the areas visual effects as well as help mitigate large scale wildfires that could have a devastating effect on recreation opportunities for years to come. This area holds one of only a few areas on Bureau of Land Management Lands that holds small stands of Ponderosa Pine. The treatment proposed would help to effectively return this area to a more resilient landscape by placing the fire regime closer to the historical range (FRCC1) and fire adapted Ponderosa Pine forest stands, where fire plays a role in the ecosystem. Rangeland conditions are expected to improve following implementation of the proposed vegetation project. The health, vigor, recruitment and production of perennial grasses, forbs and shrubs would improve which would provide a more palatable and nutritional source of forage for both livestock and wildlife. This will aid in improved rangeland conditions throughout the allotment. Implementation of this project would eventually improve overall livestock performance (e.g. increased cow weights, increased calf crops, increased weaning weights, etc).

10/24/2022

11/15/2022

2023

The Hatch Mountain project was broken into two treatment categories. A cut and pile contract was completed by 3B's Forestry on 11/10/22. The second treatment type was a lop and scatter and was completed by Cutting Edge Forestry on 11/15/22.

The Hatch Mountain project was completed to remove the accumulation of fire intolerant vegetation, and dense forest canopies that have developed, thus creating forests favoring crown fires rather than low intensity surface fires that historically occurred, Reduce risk to insect, and disease by reducing stand densities and improving forest health. These objectives were reached by issuing a contract to 3B's Forestry to cut and pile vegetation in order to reduce dense forest canopies. 3B's Forestry completed this project using chainsaws and 30 personnel starting October 24, 2022. Canopies were reduced by cutting dense vegitation with defect and disease and piled to be burned in the future. All work was completed timely ending November 10, 2022. 241 acres were cut and piled. A second objective of the project was to improve health, composition, and diversity of shrubs, grasses, and forbs; reduce pinyon pine and juniper density by 90%; Maintain adequate habitat components to meet needs of greater sage grouse in nesting, brood rearing, and winter habitats; Maintain/create large, unfragmented blocks of sage brush habitat with a variety of seral stages to meet seasonal needs of sage grouse. The second objective was completed by issuing a lop and scatter contract to Cutting Edge Forestry. Work was started November 1, 2022 and finished November 15, 2022 using a combination of chainsaws, loppers and 35 personnel. 1698 acres were completed by Cutting Edge Forestry. Minor acreage reductions were made in order to leave additional wildlife habitat islands.

Piles created are planned to be burned in FY 24 after the vegetation in the piles have cured. These piles will be burned by BLM personnel. Project area will be monitored for vegetative trend, cover and wildlife use for the next 3 years. Maintenance of the project could be completed in the future with lop and scatter, prescribed fire, or other mechanical treatments.