The Valley Mountain (South valley) project area is Phase 2 of the 30,000-acre landscape level Valley mountains Vegetation Enhancement Project. The purpose of this project is to improve wildlife habitat; including big game transition and winter range, protect structures at risk of wildfire, reduce wildfire risk to the public and firefighters, and ensure escape routes are feasible and easily accessible. The Little Long Valley community has 8 Structure's in need of defensible space located on the valley mountain range on private land. To accomplish this purpose, Color Country BLM, West Desert BLM, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR), School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA), Utah Forestry Fire and State Lands (UFFSLs), Sanpete County and Private Landowners have determined there is a need to seed and mechanically thin pinyon/juniper (PJ) from ~4142 total acres of sagebrush/grass/forb areas surrounding the Little long valley community. Also included is 477 acres of spike treatment to remove sagebrush. The PJ expansion and fading understory in this area is having negative impacts to big game wildlife species (primarily Mule deer and Elk which is a priority species listed on the Richfield Field Office RMP) which are dependent upon this area and these ecosystems. On the ground surveys and site visits have allowed staffs from the BLM, Sitla, FFSL and UDWR to see the lack of understory plants in the PJ complex on the Valley Mountain range. Over half of the PJ in the project is in phase II transitioning to phase III. Some understory brush, grasses, and forbs still exist but is about to cross the threshold into phase III dominated PJ and lose the remaining understory. Forage productivity has diminished greatly over the past century and the PJ expansion continues on a yearly basis into the more productive sage/grass/forb communities. This PJ expansion largely results from reduced occurrences of natural disturbance. The other half of this project is in phase I with portions transitioning to phase II. Most of these areas have a good understory still present but PJ encroachment continues on a yearly basis into these more productive sage/grass/forb communities As PJ has become dominate on the landscape and the loss of understory vegetation increases, big game and small game animals are experiencing a loss of foraging habitat. This expansion of more PJ with reduction of sage/grass/forb habitat has contributed to the overall decrease in Mule deer populations and other wildlife species on the mountain. This expansion factor also contributes to the issue of big game moving closer to local agricultural crops in the valleys to find sustainable forage. The BLM, UFFSLs, UDWR and Sitla anticipates the PJ areas that currently have very little understory will likely need to be reseeded. Improving the habitat in these areas will result in multiple benefits, which include but are not limited to, improving habitat for wildlife dependent upon these various ecosystems, improving native species diversity, reducing hazardous fuel accumulations, reducing the risk for large scale, uncharacteristic wildland fires, which in turn creates a fire resilient environment with less risk to public and firefighter safety. These treatments will create a better-balanced ecosystem diversity that will enhance population viability for a variety of big game, small game, migratory birds, upland game, raptors, small mammals, insects and key pollinator species. An interdisciplinary team, composed of BLM, UDWR, FFSL, Sitla, private landowners along with other groups recently visited the area and have identified opportunities within the project area, which include: 1) reducing hazardous fuels and risk to life and property from catastrophic wildfire. 2) restoring and improving the sagebrush ecosystem. 3) increasing plant species and diversity and improving watershed conditions and water quality. 4) improving the health of both woodlands and sagebrush/grasslands by increasing vegetation diversity as well as age class structure. 5) decreasing the amount of pinyon/juniper expansion into areas historically dominated by shrubs, grass, and mountain brush, 6) enhancing important seasonal and year-round habitat for several species of wildlife, in particular wintering mule deer (100% of project area is within wintering mule deer habitat). 7) open phase III canopy for use of hunting and foraging for Golden, Bald Eagles and ferruginous hawk. 8) Reducing hazardous fuels around little long valley community and create a mosaic pattern fuel break continuing from public to private land. Previous phases of the project Lone Cedar Chaining (2188 acres), Little Valley Fuels Reduction (1525 acres) have proven successful in restoring grass, forb, and shrub species to the site, decreasing erosion, improving species diversity and functional plant groups and improving winter mule deer habitat

1) Maintain or improve vegetative diversity and age class structure. 2) Re-establish frequency of grasses to 25%, forbs to 10%, and shrubs to 20%. 3) Restore percent canopy cover of grasses to 15%, forbs to 5% and shrubs to 20%. 4) Reintroduce healthy, viable, perennial grasses, forbs, and shrubs on critical mule deer and Elk winter range. 5) Decrease hazardous fuels by removing 95% of standing pinyon and juniper. 6) Minimize project costs by promoting cost effective treatments along with increased scale and size of treatments that will reduce overall cost per acre. 7) Reduce sedimentation through erosion into Sevier River drainage. 8)Implement a landscape level ecosystem restoration project that will reduce risk of catastrophic fire. 9) Create defensible space for 8 landowner/structures in Little long valley community 10) Install 2 wildlife guzzlers.

Ecological Threats: This project focuses on juniper removal as a means to mitigate threats to critical Mule deer summer/winter range, elk winter range. Sagebrush habitat is at risk of being lost due to excessive pinyon and juniper, wildfire, and high potential for invasive vegetation. High severity wildfire could lead to an Increase in cheatgrass and loss of perennial native species. This project will decrease the risk of high severity wildfire by reducing fuel loading and promoting the growth of perennial understory species which are critical to maintaining ecosystem resilience. This project will increase the availability of a diverse suite of vegetational communities. As stated earlier the dominant vegetational state is pinyon and juniper woodland. A healthy landscape has a diversity of vegetational states. A diverse landscape benefits a larger community of wildlife and people. A diverse landscape is also more resistance and resilient to disturbance. By allowing this landscape to continue to move further into a dominant PJ woodland it increases the risk of its resistance to disturbance and its resilience to bounce back and heal after a disturbance. Numerous projects have been implemented in the area with more planned to be implemented in the near future. The combination of all these projects is in effort to increase the pace and scale of implementation to help disperse browse pressure for both wild and domestic ungulates. Ground surveys and site visits have allowed us to see the lack of understory plants in both the mountain sagebrush and lowland sagebrush. Forage productivity has diminished greatly over the past century and the PJ encroachment continues on a yearly basis into the more productive sage/grass/forb communities. Some areas within the project have lost a majority of the understory sage/grasses/forbs, but other areas have not. One of the greatest threats to the area is no action. This would facilitate the continued loss of understory from those areas that have some sagebrush/grasses/forbs understory left and the immediate conversion of sagebrush to cheatgrass following the next wildfire. This will continue to be "poor" habitat and range for ungulate animals as well as Livestock. Species Threats: This area has been identified as priority for restoration of CRUCIAL mule deer habitat under the Statewide Mule Deer Management Plan. "Crucial" means the areas habitat is necessary to sustain the areas mule deer herd. Allowing the area to move into phase 2 and 3 pinyon and juniper encroachment will mean less quality habitat to meet mule deer objectives. Elk and Mule Deer: The Lone Cedar area of the Valley Mountain range is very important for mule deer and elk. From higher to lower elevations elk and deer depend on the habitat with it's available forage and cover to complete their life cycle requirements. This project will greatly improve available forage for elk and deer populations. Treatments patterns will play an important role within the treatment implementation. One of the primary objectives of this project is to improve habitat for elk and deer. Winter range improvements from this project will benefit elk and deer populations for decades to come. Future monitoring and maintenance of the project will be essential to prolong the integrity of the treatment and health of big game populations. It has been said by land managers, biologist, and researchers familiar with the project area that this area is very important because Mule Deer are space limited here, meaning available habitat and water seem to be the limiting factor for population growth. As habitat is made available by doing this project, we are addressing an immediate threat to one of the primary limiting factors for this population. Ferruginous Hawk: Decreasing populations are commonly attributed to loss of habitat, and lack of secondary prey species. Ferruginous hawk is closely associated with open landscapes offering good visibility and prey resources In Utah, these conditions are often provided by lowland sagebrush, mountain sagebrush, and desert grassland habitats (UDWR 2015). Drought conditions over the past two decades have contributed to sagebrush die-offs, increased fire intensity and frequency, and increased invasive plants. These in turn lead to habitat fragmentation, decreased plant community vitality and decreased prey populations. This project will offer good visibility for foraging and nesting with a mosaic pattern and limit the risk of high intensity wildfire with increased invasive plants. The project will open foraging opportunities for prey such as lagomorphs, ground squirrels, birds and reptiles. Breeding success and population status have been tied to prey abundance and cycling. Wild Turkey: Newly treated areas through fire or mechanical means will attract use by wild turkey. Insects and new growth will be readily available to support turkey populations. This project will provide more foraging opportunities for wild turkey as grasses and forbs provide insects and seed. Domestic Livestock: As treated areas are allowed to establish from seeding and sufficient rest from livestock these sites will produce additional AUMs for the allotments. Allowing livestock to enter the treatment areas before new seed establishment will greatly minimize the integrity of the treatment. Annual operating plans will be in place to reflect the timeline for resting the treatment areas from livestock. Social/Political Threats: The project area also provides important recreational hunting for the local population and people travel from all over the state (and from other states) to hunt on the nebo unit for elk, and mule deer. The highly sought-after hunting opportunities within the project areas provide a financial boost to local economies in several ways. Continuing to do work to maintain the habitat in this area will help to perpetuate the recreational and economic benefits. Financial: Financial thresholds need consideration when funding habitat conservation. The type of pro-active work we are proposing reduces future cost from becoming prohibitive. The partnership dollars currently available also need to be taken into consideration as an ecological and/or other threat. With multiple partners actively funding, planning, and implementing conservation practices in the area costs are being shared. If not done now, future costs may make implementing conservation practices at this scale prohibitive.

The project falls within the Central Mountains, Nebo unit management plan. Current winter range surveys show that mule deer winter range in this area is poor. This unit identifies habitat as a limiting factor and states that "P/J encroachment on traditional winter rangelands is decreasing diversity and vigor of browse plants." and then identifies as a habitat management objective: *Winter range restoration efforts must be completed for this deer herd to reach its population objectives. Pinyon and juniper reduction treatments and sagebrush restoration are necessary to stabilize winter range conditions and allow this herd to withstand heavy winters. *Continue to be committed to the statewide goal of supporting habitat projects that increase forage for both big game and livestock. Discourage the encroachment of Pinyon and Juniper (PJ) trees into sagebrush and other habitats. Seek opportunities to improve habitat through grazing practices and mechanical treatments to improve habitat where PJ encroachment is occurring. The plan also identifies barriers to acheiving unit management objectives: *Degradation of rangelands by woody vegetation. The proposed treatments will address some of the habitat management strategies outlined in the deer and elk management plans for herd unit by removing PJ and improving habitat for deer and elk. 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. CENTRAL UTAH FIRE MANAGEMENT PLAN (FMP): *Greater use of vegetation management to meet resource management objectives *Hazardous fuels treatments will be used to restore ecosystems; protect human, natural and cultural resources; and reduce the threat of wildfire to communities *Sagebrush steppe communities will be a high priority for ESR and fuel reduction to avoid catastrophic fires in these areas Federal Land Policy and Management Act *Sec. 102 (a); the public lands be managed in a manner that will protect the quality of scientific, scenic, historical, ecological, environmental, air and atmospheric, water resource, and archeological values; that, where appropriate, will preserve and protect certain public lands in their natural condition; that will provide food and habitat for fish and wildlife and domestic animals *Sec. 103 (c); The BLM is directed to manage public lands in a manner that will best meet present and future needs of the nation. Richfield Field Office RMP *Manage for a mix of vegetative types, structural stages, and provide for native plant, fish, and wildlife habitats. * Sustain or reestablish the integrity of the sagebrush continuity, and quality of habitat that is necessary to maintain sustainable populations of sagebrush-dependent wildlife species. BLM Grazing Management Regulations: *Objectives are to promote healthy sustainable rangeland ecosystems; to accelerate restoration and improvement of public lands to properly functioning condition *Maintenance and enhancement of habitats to promote the conservation of Federal proposed, Federal candidate, and other special status spec. Wildlife Action Plan Improving Conditions Lowland Sagebrush: *Promoting and funding restoration that reduces the uncharacteristic class, including cutting/mulching/chaining of invading pinyon and juniper trees, herbicide or mechanical treatment of non-native invasive species such as cheatgrass and secondary perennial weed species, and rehabilitation of burned areas following wildfire. *Continuing the development of new plant materials and restoration techniques suited to this habitat. *Developing and deploying techniques to diversify the understory species composition and age classes of decadent even-aged sagebrush stands. *Developing and deploying techniques to diversify species composition in monoculture or near monoculture stands of seeded non-native plants (e.g., crested wheatgrass). *Promoting management that includes seeding a diversity of grasses, forbs and shrubs that will lead to increased resiliency and resistance in the plant community. Mountain Sagebrush: Improving Condition *Promoting policies and management that allow fire to return to a more natural regime. *Promoting policies that reduce inappropriate grazing by domestic livestock and wildlife. *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 treatment of non-native invasive species such smooth brome; single tree mulching/cutting of invading conifer. *Continuing the development of new plant materials, especially native forbs. *Promoting zoning/policies/laws that lead to responsible human/energy intrusion and development. *Promoting management that includes seeding a diversity of grasses, forbs and shrubs that will lead to increased resiliency and resistance in the plant community. Gamble Oak: Fire is excluded from habitats in which potential burns now would be frequent, large, and destructive to soils and native vegetation; the habitats are being actively managed (treated) to reduce components or factors that promote risk of catastrophic fire, such as unnaturally large stands of mature Gamble oak. Gambel oak resprouts after fire, so other types of vegetation generally do not replace it following burning. Gambel oak stands are susceptible to cheatgrass invasion, especially on drier sites. Changes in fire regime may not replace the dominant oaks but are likely to have effects on other important members of the plant community that defines this key habitat. Utah Wild Turkey Management Plan: Newly treated areas through fire or mechanical means will attract use by wild turkey. Insects and new growth will be readily available to support turkey populations. This project will provide more foraging opportunities for wild turkey as grasses and forbs provide insects and seed. Utah Statewide Mule Deer Management Plan *Initiate broad scale vegetative treatment projects to improve mule deer habitat with emphasis on drought or fire damaged sagebrush winter ranges, ranges that have been taken over by invasive annual grass species, and ranges being diminished by encroachment of conifers into sagebrush or aspen habitats, ensuring that seed mixes contain sufficient forbs and browse species. *Work with local, state and federal land management agencies via land management plans and with private landowners to identify and properly manage crucial mule deer habitats, especially fawning, wintering and migration areas. *SITLA Management Plans: Correspond with the Utah Code Title 53C Chapter Five Section 101, 102 and 103 in accordance with Management of Rangeland Resources Utah Administrative Code R850-50-1100 Range Improvement Projects within the SITLA Property. Sanpete County RMP *Support the removal of conifers and manage land to promote the establishment of attendant grass, brush, and forbs. *Sanpete county encourages federal and state agencies to adopt and maintain scientifically sound forest management policies based on high quality, recently acquired data, and to pursue multiple use of public forest resources to provide sustainable and continuous yield of timber, forage, firewood,wildlife, fisheries, recreation, and water. *Support managing forest cover types to perpetuate tree cover and provide healthy stands, high water quality, and wildlife and fish habitat. *Support agencies in providing for harvest of forest products when the activity would improve water production and does not adversely affect water quality. *Support the management of forests and woodlands for healthy conditions that contribute to healthy habitat for animal and plant species, proper watershed functioning conditions, and riparian restoration and enhancement. *Support agencies in prioritizing fuel reduction treatment in high value/high-risk areas. Implementation of fuels management actions should be prioritized using the following criteria: *Wildland-urban interface (WUI) areas. *Areas with fuel loading that could potentially result in the loss of ecosystem components following wildland fire. *Support the prioritization of using native seeds for fuels management treatment based on availability, adaptation (site potential), and probability of success. Where probability of success for native seed is low, desirable non-native seeds may be used to trend toward restoring the fire regime. When reseeding, use fire-resistant native and desirable non-native species, as appropriate, to provide for fire breaks. *Hazardous fuels reduction treatments should be used to restore ecosystems, protect human, natural, and cultural resources, and reduce the threat of wildfire to communities. *Support the reduction of fuel loading conditions in forests and woodlands. Six County pre-disaster mitigation plan *Mechanically treat hazardous fuels around little long valley community *Work with landowners to create defensible spaces around structures located in little long valley community. *Coordinate with BLM to reduce fuel loads along south valley and lone cedar road for accesses and egress to little long valley community.

The majority of the area is at moderate to extreme on the fire risk index. Pinyon and juniper trees have expanded and moved into areas once dominated by shrubs, forbs, and grasses. Without this project, fuel conditions are such that a wildfire may be difficult to contain, leading to an increased risk to firefighter and public safety, suppression effectiveness and natural resource degradation. Fire Regime Condition Class within the project areas is predominately FRCC 3 which is where fire regimes have been extensiviely altered and risk of losing key ecosystem components from fire is high. Treatments identified within this proposal, including seeding with more fire-resistant vegetation, would help reduce hazardous fuel loads, create fuel breaks, and reduce the overall threat of a catastrophic wildfire which could impact the communities of Scipio, Gunnison, Fayette and Little Long Valley. Treatments in and around the sagebrush areas would break up continuous fuels and reduce the risk of wildfire entering these sensitive areas. Removing pinyon and juniper in a mosaic pattern would also break up continuous fuels and reduce the risk of a high intensity wildfire. Because there is a greater risk of conversion of shrublands to annual grasslands under a high intensity fire, managed, pro-active treatments proposed would reduce the likelihood of cheat grass invasion and help perennial grasses and forbs persist long-term to create a more resilient landscape. The National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy currently guides fire and fuels management for Utah BLM. The strategy encourages collaboration among all stakeholders and across all landscapes, using best science, to make meaningful progress towards the three goals of: 1) resilient landscapes; 2) Fire adapted communities; and 3) Safe and effective wildfire response. This project will address all three of these goals. Sanpete County, FFSL along with Six County pre-disaster mitigation plan identified the little long valley community at a high risk for wildfire and had the following recommendations. *Mechanically treat hazardous fuels around little long valley community *Work with landowners to create defensible spaces around structures located in little long valley community. *Coordinate with BLM to reduce fuel loads along south valley and lone cedar road for accesses and egress to little long valley community.

The project is located within the Sevier River 19 Water Quality Assessment Unit which includes west side Sevier River tributaries from Sevier Bridge Dam to Salina Creek Confluence. The condition of the assessment unit has not been determined because insufficient water quality data are available. The assessment unit drains into the Sevier River - 17 assessment unit which is listed as an impaired water due to violations for Total Phosphorus, Sedimentation, and Total Dissolved Solids. The Project would stabilize soils and reduce runoff and therefore would benefit the adjacent assessment unit. Completion of this project would reduce flooding and runoff from heavy rainstorms by depositing woody debris in the gullies to slow and hold back the water. Currently with the pinyon and Juniper on site there is a lot of bare ground available for erosion. By planting this treatment with a variety of grasses, forbs and shrubs the ground cover will be greatly increased, which will decrease the potential for erosion. Areas that become dominated by pinyon and juniper out compete understory herbaceous species and leave bare soil prone to erosion. This herbaceous vegetation is important to reducing overland flow and reducing soil loss. A recent publication by Roundy et al. 2014 (Pinyon-juniper reduction increases soil water availability of the resource growth pool. Range Ecology and Management 67:495-505) showed that phase 3 juniper removal can increase available moisture for more than 3 weeks in the spring. And removing juniper from phase 1 and 2 stands can increase water from 6-20 days respectively. Because juniper is prolific water users, they readily outcompete understory species which eventually die off. Removing juniper is critical for restoring sagebrush habitat and ecosystem resilience because of the water available to other species once they're gone. Most recent research (Kormas, et. al.) found that when shrub-steppe communities and grasslands convert to pinyon and juniper woodlands, the water cycle and local weather pattern is significantly altered. Snow deposition and the timing and magnitude of melt can alter delivery of water to the soil, which can then impact plant growth. This study found that more water is lost to evapotranspiration and snow melts earlier in pinyon and juniper than in sagebrush-steppe areas. The study concludes that sagebrush vegetation can effectively capture, store and deliver water and better sustain vegetation diversity necessary for ecological processes than pinyon and juniper dominated areas As stated earlier, areas that become dominated by by pinyon and juniper out compete understory herbaceous species and leave bare soil prone to erosion. This herbaceous vegetation is important to reducing overland flow and reducing soil loss. Pinyon and juniper dominated sites can intercept 10-20% of precipitation (Horman et al., 1999). By completing this project this will allow more precip to contact the soil and get into the water table. Treating areas of lower densities will prevent a future situation as described above. According to Folliott 2012, research showed that pinyon and juniper expansion into areas historically dominated by higher forbs and grasses impeded stream flow for off-site uses. Because pinyon and juniper are very competitive for water this often reduces grasses and forbs within the area. "The increase in bare soil, particularly in the spaces between trees, typically leads to increased runoff and soil loss as the juniper infestation increases" (Thurow, 1997). Increased runoff and sediment load, decreases water yield and water quality within the watershed. Studies have shown that an evaluation of alternatives using conversion treatments to enhance streamflow in the pinyon and juniper should be made (Barr, 1956) where possible.

BLM: Valley Mountains EA DOI-BLM-UT-C0202012-0011-EA Signed November 12,2013. Arc and wildlife survey's will be completed before implementation. SITLA: Any NEPA and archeological and wildlife survey requirements will be completed by project partners as needed per requirements for federal funding and federal land management oversight before implementation. Private Lands: Wildlife and archeological clearances will be completed on private land before implementation.

Pinyon and juniper, which currently occupy and are encroaching upon the site will be removed through mechanical mulching (approx. 2655 acres), lop and scatter (approx.1487 acres) and spike (approx. 477 acres) of sagebrush to rejuvenate grass and forb understory. Islands and corridors of pinyon and juniper would remain untreated throughout the unit. Before mechanical implementation, treated areas would be broadcast seeded with a mix of native and non-native shrubs, grasses and forbs important for improving winter mule deer range, other wildlife habitat, and stabilization of soils. The goal of this project is to create a mosaic fuel break that will flow across boundary lines and not have hard edges. This will aid in wildfire suppression efforts. Slopes over 40% and/or areas classified as phase I PJ expansion will be hand thinned utilizing chainsaws, and/or lopped/scattered. Slopes under 40% or classified phase II or III PJ expansion will be thinned utilizing mastication and chaining methods by machine. BLM 1) aerial seeding followed by a mastication contract for approx. 2242 acres. (Fall of 2023) 2) Hand thinning contract for approx. 1452 acres. (Fall of 2023) 3) Aerially apply spike treatment 94 acres (Fall of 2023) UFFSLs 1) Defensible space clearing contract for 10 structures. (Fall 2023) 2) FFSL will use their own crew with chipper to clear 2-3 acres around all structures 21 acres of defensible space will be completed with in-house fuels crew and equipment. SITLA 1) aerial seeding followed by a mastication contract for approx. 165 acres. (Fall of 2023) 2) Hand thinning contract for 13 acres (Fall of 2023) 3) Spike treatment of 81 acres (Fall of 2023) PRIVATE 1) aerial seeding followed by a mastication contract for approx. 248 acres. (Fall of 2023) 2) hand thinning contract for approx. 21 acres. (Fall of 2023) 3) Aerially apply spike treatment 302 acres (Fall of 2023) FFSL will use their own seasonal crew and equipment to treat 21 acres of defensible space around all structures in the Little Long Valley community. The USFS, UDWR, UFFSLs and BLM will seed with a mix of grass and forbs. Areas needing to be seeded would be temporarily rested from domestic ungulate use if needed, for 2-3 growing seasons, to allow new vegetation time to establish. Instructions regarding temporary rest would be incorporated into the Annual Operating Instructions (AOIs) for the livestock permit holders. Both Guzzlers (if funded) will be installed with the help of UDWR, BLM, NWTF and other sportsman's group. One of the landowner's have agreed to having the 500-gallon guzzler installed on his private property. The other 1800-gallon guzzler will be installed on Sitla.

BLM: Vegetation and ground cover data will be collected using the line-point intercept method and nested frequency. Photos will be taken, and a qualitative site condition assessment completed. This area is also a designated mule deer route for BLM wildlife biologist and is monitored yearly. This year, each BLM Field office will have entire team devoted to the Assessment, Inventory and Monitoring program (AIM), and although the sample points are random, it is likely that some of these points will fall within the project area. This monitoring program uses standard core indicators and methods to provide a statistically valid sampling design across the landscape. UDWR Annual aerial and ground mule deer counts and classifications.

BLM: Will be providing funding/planning/implementation support and is one of the project managers working closely with Scott Chamberlin on SITLA lands. UDWR: Kendall Bagley of UDWR is working as contributors and providing planning/implementation support, project design. SITLA: Scott Chamberlin has been involved from beginning of project and has assisted in planning, seed mix and design of project. Sitla has offered to have an 1800-gallon wildlife guzzler installed on Sitla land inside project boundary. Permitee's: will be working with permitee's to ensure planning and implementation will be done to meet their objectives as well as agency objectives, also have agreed to resting for two complete growing seasons. FFSL: will be working alongside all landowners and coordinating the defensible space along with helping with overall project design and layout. Private Landowners: will be working with BLM and FFSL on project layout and design to ensure project success. One private landowner has also agreed to have a 500 Gallon wildlife guzzler installed on his property. NWTF provided a guzzler in the previous Lone cedar chaining phase will working to secure funding to provide 1 to 2 guzzlers for South Valley phase.

BLM: This project area is within three grazing allotments (Lone Cedar, Hayes Canyon, Swedes Canyon). All areas seeded will be rested for a minimum of two complete growing seasons or until the seedlings become established and set seed. Once seeding establishment has been confirmed, BLM may authorize grazing according to the Utah's Fundamentals of Rangeland Health and Guidelines for Grazing Management (2007). Vegetation will continue to be monitored for utilization, cover and trend. Following the rest period, the current management plan will govern. If needed, grazing adjustments would be made in Grazing Allotment Plans and through the grazing permit renewal process. Future maintenance of projects to protect investments made by UWRI, BLM, SITLA, 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. Permitee/ Private Landowner: The permitees/ Private Landowners have signed agreements that South Valley project will be rested for a minimum of two complete growing seasons.

The treatment will provide a variety of resource benefits, including a grazing management benefit. The South Valley project area is within Livestock grazing allotments used in the fall/winter grazing season. The acres of the allotments within the project area are in mid to late seral stages with a static to downward trend due to even-aged, decadent sagebrush and encroachment and infilling by pinyon and juniper. Pinyon and juniper are out competing the shrub and herbaceous components thus reducing available forage for livestock and wildlife. The SITLA, and BLM administered lands are all part of grazing rotations. This project will have a big benefit to permittees. Working across landownerships will have a greater ecological and economic impact for livestock producers. 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) and improve the economic stability of the permittees due to an increase in the quantity and quality of grasses and other herbaceous forage which are important to livestock grazing. The project area is used for big game and upland game species. This area is critical for general season mule deer, limited entry elk. The area is popular for dispersed camping, sightseeing, driving for pleasure, wildlife viewing and an overall heavy recreational use. Creating a more fire resistant and resilient landscape will add to an overall positive experience.

06/13/2022

06/09/2023

2023

An archaeology contract was started June 13,2022 and 2610 acres were completed. These acres were split between 2 BLM districts;1814 acres completed on Color Country and 796 acres completed on West Desert. The majority of the CRI completed on the West Desert (724 acres) was in preparation for a future phase (Three Knolls). November 15, 2022: Aerial seeding of 1883 acres of grasses, forbs, and shrubs was completed by Mountain West Helicopters. Mulching began December 28, 2022. There were 1864 acres mulched (1798 acres Color Country BLM, 66 acres West Desert BLM) Mulching Contract was awarded to Giles Construction. Giles did most of the mulching other than a 350-acre unit they sub-contracted to Skyline. Giles had a total of 7 machines working throughout the project. Mulching was completed on June 09, 2023. One guzzler was also installed on SITLA land. We had employees and volunteers help with installation from BLM, SITLA, DWR and dedicated hunters.

Started seeding on December 17, 2022 by aerially seeding grasses, forbs, and shrubs with a fixed wing aircraft. Contractor completed seeding within 3 days due to snow storms in the afternoons. Seed was consistent throughout the project and contractor took good care in completing contract within specifications. Mulching contract began December 28, 2022. Giles Construction was awarded the contract. Giles construction started with 3 machines and finished with 7 on project. The contract did go over the deadline by 45 days due to above average snowfall, with up to 6 feet of snow on project. Contractor did an exceptional job in complying with the contract stipulations and working with tough conditions. 1883 acres were mulched after arc sites and wildlife islands were added. Lop and scatter will not be completed in this phase and hopefully funds will become available in the future. There was no defensible space work done on private land because of no funding and also, we were not able to get funding for the defensible space work. The spike portion of project was cancelled and will be implemented with future phase of projects planned in the area. 1--1800-gallon guzzler was also installed on SITLA Land. The purpose of this project is to improve wildlife habitat, including big game transition and winter range and to help distribute the use of animals by installing a wildlife guzzler. This area has very little water so by installing guzzlers we are hoping to see an increase in wildlife.

Project area will be monitored for vegetative trend, cover and wildlife use for the next 3 years. The project area will be rested from livestock for a minimum of 2 complete growing seasons in order to allow the seedlings to become established and set seed. The rest period may be extended if monitoring shows the seeding has not sufficiently established. Maintenance of the project will be completed in the future.