After 12 years of intermediate Wheatgrass dominates and is not being utilizing the forage. The landowner is going to chemically treat the area and apply the seed. The planned seed mix will increase the native and desired forage for wildlife and livestock on the property.

Increase grasses and forbs by 25% Decrease the amount of open ground commonly inhabited by invasive weeds

Reducing the intermediate wheatgrass will allow for increase diversity and provide forage for livestock and wildlife including pollinators.

1. Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Statewide Management Plan for Mule deer. Section IV Statewide management goals and objectives. -This plan will address 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 (p 19-20). Strategy C. Initiate broad scale vegetative treatment projects to improve mule deer habitat with emphasis on drought or fire damaged sagebrush winter ranges, ranges that are being taken over by invasive annual grass species, and ranges being diminished by encroachment of conifers into sagebrush or aspen habitats. 2. Zion Deer Herd Management Plan, Deer Herd Unit # 29 -Habitat management objectives: Maintain and/or enhance forage production through direct range improvements throughout the unit on winter and summer range to achieve population management objectives. 3. North American Mule Deer Conservation Plan (Mule Deer Working Group 2004). A) Mule deer habitat Objectives and Strategies -Develop and implement habitat treatment protocols that reduce the impacts of cheatgrass or other invasive plants. B) Manage mule deer habitat in a fashion to control type conversions (i. e., conversion of rangeland to croplands, and shrublands to monotypic pinyon-juniper stands) (Pg. 7). 4. National Fire Plan (NFP) - Primary Goals: 1) Improve fire prevention and suppression; 2) Restore fire adapted ecosystem. 5. Accompanying (NFP) 10 year Comprehensive Strategy - Guiding Principles: 3) Prevent invasive species and restore watershed function and biological communities through short term stabilization and long-term rehabilitation; 4) Restore healthy, diverse, and resilient ecological system to minimize uncharacteristically severe fires on a priority watershed basis through long-term restoration. 6.Utah Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy - A) Conservation actions-Protect and rehabilitate remaining low elevation habitat for Mule Deer (pg. 6-60). B) Key Actions- Control invasive vegetation and plant desirable plants (Pg. K-11). C) Mountain Shrub conservation actions- Invasive Plant Species, Use herbicide mechanically remove, or otherwise control invasive non-native vegetation; plant desirable vegetation, including use of non-invasive, non-native species when ecologically indicated to fight invasive annuals (Table 8.1). 7. Strategic Management Plan for Wild Tukey -Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR 2000, Publication 00-25). Grasses provide food for adults and are especially important to poults as an environment where they can effectively forage for insects. Poults need an environment that produces insects and in which they can efficiently forage. Poults need an area that provides enough cover to hide them, but allows the adult hen unobstructed vision for protection from predators. 8. Ash Creek Watershed Coordinated Resource Management Plan-2016 -Ash Creek Watershed is also critical habitat for big game. Consequently, any treatment project that create diversification of the age class of vegetation, will assist in sustaining mule deer throughout the winter months. 9. Southwestern Utah Regional Wildfire Protection Plan (2007) -Work with new communities and volunteer fire departments to identify risks in WUI areas. -Encourage landowner mitigation and defensible space work

The project area lies west of the Dixie National Forest, adjacent to the north end of Zion National Park and east of a major transportation corridor (Interstate 15). Ignition sources, both natural and human caused, have resulted in large wildfires with decreasing fire return intervals in this area. Wildfire growth is rapid and threatens multiple subdivisions, communities, and businesses. In 2012, the New Harmony wildfire burned 2,000 acres, impacted the adjacent watersheds and threatened all of the above mentioned communities, with four homes and twenty outbuildings destroyed. This project area contains several thousand acres of uninterrupted fuels which provides a fuel bed for fire to advance quickly from ignitions to the south.

With the close proximity to Deep Creek, the need for holding water and slowing runoff and sediment is needed. As Roundy et. al. found that treatments that increase infiltration also increase soil moisture up 18 days as those areas with out treatment. Peirson et. al. indicate summer convective rain events may contribute to significant soil loss from interspace areas of pinyon and juniper woodlands. Southern Utah experiences monsoonal events frequently during the later summer months. These events coupled with winter moisture runoff and soil dynamics has lead increase erosion and during high moisture events. Increasing the amount of vegetation (grasses, forbs, and brush) along with the litter from the mastication treatment raindrop impact should be lessen and infiltration should be increased.

Cultural Resources will stay in the original seeding footprint and cultural will be completely by UDWR Archeologist if needed.

Seed will be applied using a rangeland drill at the recommend rate by landowner. Seed bed will be prepped by 2 applications of round-up and drilling into the litter to provide stability and cover and reducing potential for rhizomes disturbance of any that might have survived the herbicide application.

UDWR Farm Bill biologist will work with landowner to monitor success and provide any future technical and financial assistance through NRCS and WRI programs.

Private landowner

Grazing will be deferred for two growing seasons, and a recommendation will be provided for grazing management for the producer.

Livestock production will take place supporting the strong agricultural heritage of Cedar Mountain. . This is a popular area for mule deer and elk during in the summer and fall. The public enjoys viewing wildlife in and this is a prime area for this.

06/30/2022

07/11/2023

2024

Through the summer of 2022 the landowner applied Round-up according to the label on the project area twice. In the spring (June 2023) the landowner again applied Round-up according to the label to the re-sprouting intermediate wheatgrass. With a favorable kill rate the landowner then planted the provided seed mix in July of 2023 by broadcasting the seed and lightly harrowing it. Seed was applied with the anticipation of the monsoonal moisture that this area regularly receives to start germination.

Round-up was applied by the landowner using a broadcast spray on an ATV. This was done twice in the summer of 2022 and a follow up spray in June 2023. Using a ATV harrow and seed broadcaster, the seed mix was applied in July of 2023 with the anticipation of capturing monsoonal moisture. All equipment was provided by the landowner. The Round-up was applied according to rate on the label.

Seeding will be rested for 2 growing season as per NRCS contract requirements. A grazing management plan has been provide and as a recommendation for the landowner.