The Timpanogos WMA provides winter and transitional range for mule deer and elk. This property has been affected by wildfire in 1996 and again in 2020. These fires have removed preferred shrub species leaving only Gamble oakbrush which resprouts after fire. In order to provide more shrubs on the WMA they will have to be actively seeded. Recreational use on the WMA is growing and a system of user created trails has been established on the property over the years, totaling over 40 miles of trails. An official trail system developed with input from user groups and the Utah Valley Trails Alliance reduced the official trails to about 17 miles. Some trail improvements and signing were completed in 2021, but there remains a significant amount of trail improvements needed to make some of the official trails sustainable with respect to erosion.

* Scalp along slope contour and establish seeded shrubs to a density of at least 500 shrubs/acre by the end of the 3rd growing season. * Reclaim 3 miles of user created trails on the WMA * Improve 8 miles of approved recreational trails * Plant 1,000 shrub seedlings with a survival rate of at least 60% by the end of the 3rd growing season.

Establishing shrubs will be easier before perennial grasses fully establish after the fire

Statewide Deer Plan Habitat Goal: Conserve, improve, and restore mule deer habitat throughout the state with emphasis on crucial ranges. Habitat Objective 1: Maintain mule deer habitat throughout the state by protecting and enhancing existing crucial habitats and mitigating for losses due to natural and human impacts. Strategies c. 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. Habitat Objective 2: Improve the quality and quantity of vegetation for mule deer on a minimum of 500,000 acres of crucial range by 2019. Strategies d. 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. Statewide Elk Plan B. Habitat Management Goal: Conserve and improve elk habitat throughout the state. Habitat Objective 1: Maintain sufficient habitat to support elk herds at population objectives and reduce competition for forage between elk and livestock. Strategies: C. Watershed Restoration Initiative a) Increase forage production by annually treating a minimum of 40,000 acres of elk habitat. b) Coordinate with land management agencies, conservation organizations, private landowners, and local leaders through the regional Watershed Restoration Initiative working groups to identify and prioritize elk habitats that are in need of enhancement or restoration.

Not applicable

Scalping strips along the slope contours will reduce potential erosion and allow better water infiltration.

Arch clearance will be done in areas where ground disturbance is planned.

* Use a bulldozer type scalper to scalp and seed shrub seed via a dribbler and broadcaster. Scalping will be done in areas that are open and not dominated by Gambel oakbrush. * Hand seed shrub seedlings with volunteers in suitable areas with deeper soil. * Reclaim unauthorized trails with hand crews and heavy equipment * Improve trails to prevent erosion with reverse grading, water bars and nicks * Reroute sections of trail where necessary * Establish kiosk signs showing authorized trail system * Sign all major trail intersections

There is a range trend study site on the WMA that will be used to continue to monitor vegetation response. Photo points will be established in other areas to monitor response of the shrub seeding project. Seedlings will be counted to identify survival of hand planted seedlings.

This project is being done with the DWR and Utah Valley Trail Alliance with funding assistance from a recreation grant and sportsman groups.

This property will continue to be managed for big game winter and transitional range according the the Timpanogos WMA Habitat Management Plan.

This project will improve browse forage for deer and elk,

07/01/2022

10/28/2023

2024

This project is improving winter habitat and trails on the Timpanogos WMA. Shrub seed and seedlings were planted in areas burned by the 2020 Range fire. We used the Mad Max scalper bulldozer to scalp 10.2 acres of open areas perpendicular to slope. Bitterbrush seed was planted in the scalp rows at a depth of about 2 inches. Forb, sagebrush and fourwing saltbush seed was broadcast on the top of the scalp rows. A contractor started growing 1,400 containerized shrub seedlings in a green house in February of 2023. These plants were planted in scalp rows on October 28th of 2023 with a contractor and volunteers. An approved trail system was adopted in 2019 on the WMA. All of these trails were user created and many need improvements to make them sustainable. A professional trail builder was hired to improve, reroute and close trails with heavy equipment. The contractor improved 4,665 linear feet of approved trails by adding reverse grades and rolling dips to get water off the trails. The contractor rerouted 2,131 linear feet of trails to make them more sustainable. Contractor closed 1,847 linear feet of trails. Volunteers consisting of Dedicated hunters and high school mountain bike team members provided about 400 hours of in-kind labor doing trail maintenance.

Scalp areas were done in open areas where the slope is not too steep to operate the bulldozer and on areas without large Gambel oak clones. Only a portion of the 2022 scalp rows were used to plant seedlings. Volunteers helped maintain existing trails and plant shrub seedlings. .

This area will be managed for wildlife habitat, primarily deer and elk winter range. This property is heavily used for recreation and an approved trail system is in place to