This project will remove 100% of the juniper in uplands near Panguitch Creek. This will allow for sagebrush system to remain enact and while meeting the goals of the private landowners.

Reduce 100% rocky mountain and Utah juniper on 58.8 acres of private property.

1) Increased erosion and sedimentation 2) Stream channel incision and loss of fish habitat 3) Increased risk of flooding and debris flows 4) Loss of soil productivity 5) Loss of later seral stage wildlife habitat 6) Threat of noxious weed invasion and a change in plant community type 7) Loss (at least temporarily) of wildlife forage More specific to treatments of pinyon-juniper throughout the various vegetation types are the risks of continued loss of vegetation diversity and continued elevated erosion rates if left untreated. As further detailed in the "Need for the Project" the allelopathic qualities of pinyon and juniper tree suppress the growth of grass, forbs and shrubs and create larger areas of bare ground, that result in increased erosion. Mule deer on the Panguitch Unit have seen a steady decline in population of over 500 animals in the last three years. Population estimate models show a decline from 10,500 deer in 2019 to 10,000 deer in 2021. The biggest risks to project success are probably natural or human caused ignition in the project area prior to the project being completed, overutilization of treatments preventing desired vegetation establishment and maintaining a mosaic of successional stages into the future. As discussed under the future management section, the goal is to manage fire adapted ecosystems through a combination of natural fire ignitions (managed for Forest Plan benefits) and low intensity prescribed fire. The areas proposed for lop and scatter are primarily Phase II PJ succession. If these areas are not treated within the next 10 years, they will require more effort and probably a lop and pile prescription which could increase costs from 2-7 times currently estimated costs to complete. The bulk of the acres proposed for mastication are in Phase II PJ succession with a range from early Phase II - early Phase III.

Utah's Wildlife Action Plan (WAP): The WAP identifies the following key habitats to be addressed by the Panguitch Creek Watershed Improvement project Phase 1: Aquatic Forested, Mountain sagebrush and Aspen-Conifer. 2.3.14 Conduct upland vegetation treatments to restore characteristic upland vegetation, and reduce uncharacteristic fuel types and loadings. 2.3.15 Conduct riparian vegetation treatments to restore characteristic riparian vegetation, and reduce uncharacteristic fuel types and loadings. 2.3.17 Apply or allow more fire in habitats/locations where fire was historically more frequent or intense. The Riparian and upland treatments proposed are designed to restore characteristic vegetation, and reduce uncharacteristic fuel types and loadings with the end goal to be able to allow natural ignitions to be managed for resource benefits in the future. The WAP lists Problematic Plant Species -- Native Upland as a Very High level threat to Mountain sagebrush communities with the following as potential conservation actions. 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. The treatments proposed in this vegetation type are designed to stimulate the younger/mid age classes through cutting or masticating invading conifer. Deer Herd Unit # 28 (Panguitch Lake): The Unit Plan has habitat management objective to "Maintain mule deer habitat throughout the unit by protecting and enhancing existing crucial habitats and mitigating for losses due to natural and human impacts," "Encourage vegetation manipulation projects and seeding to increase the availability, abundance and nutritional content of browse, grass, and forb species," and "Seek cooperative projects and programs to encourage and improve the quality and quantity of deer habitat, with public and private land managers to maintain a stable or upward trend in vegetative composition." The Plan notes that future habitat work should focus on: increasing "browse species in critical winter range and burned areas." Increasing "critical winter range opportunities for mule deer," maintaining "summer fawning areas by increasing beneficial habitat work in summer and transitional habitat areas," Continuing "to reduce threats to catastrophic wildfires, by reducing fuel loads and creating firebreaks," and supporting "enhancement and restoration efforts in Quaking Aspen forests unit wide by reducing encroachment of Spruce-Fir forests." The plan specifically calls to "Reduce expansion of Pinyon-Juniper woodlands into sagebrush habitats and improve habitats dominated by Pinyon-Juniper woodlands by completing habitat restoration projects like lop & scatter, bullhog and chaining projects." Treatments proposed in this project are designed improve these habitats and achieve these objectives. Additionally, see "Other Sustainable Uses" for a discussion on depredation issues. Elk Herd Unit # 28/ (Panguitch Lake): The Unit Plan has an objective to "maintain and/or enhance forage production and habitat quality (including aspen systems) through direct range improvements throughout the unit on winter and summer range to achieve population management objectives. Focus will be on high use areas especially where we can entice animals away from agricultural areas and crucial range areas receiving higher than desired use." The plan acknowledges "Maintain and/or enhance forage production on elk summer and winter range throughout the units. Coordinate with the USFS, SITLA, BLM and private landowners to complete projects designed to improve forage production for both elk and livestock and to improve elk distribution across the unit. Identify higher elevation habitat projects that would encourage elk to winter higher and potentially away from traditional deer wintering areas." The plans also states" Encourage and support projects and management actions that will maintain and restore aspen ecosystems on the unit. Support federal land management agencies in managing vehicle access in order to provide and maintain refuge areas for elk." The plan specifically calls for "Summer range projects to stimulate aspen recruitment and reduce conifer encroachment will be identified and implemented." Treatments proposed in this project are designed to do exactly those things. Additionally, see "Other Sustainable Uses" for a discussion on depredation issues. Garfield County Resource Management Plan: "Land managers prioritize eradication of noxious and invasive weeds, restoration of encroaching conifer woodlands to desirable vegetative communities and minimization of bare ground to maximize beneficial use and quality of scarce water resources over restrictive activities that do not maximize quantity, quality and beneficial use." "Protect, restore and maintain the hydrologic regime (i.e., timing, magnitude, recharge, duration, stream network/groundwater connectivity, temperature, and spatial distribution of peak, high, and low flows) of surface and groundwater, through management of vegetation in upland, riparian, aquatic, and wetland habitats." "Class II and Class III pinyon/juniper woodlands shall be reduced by 25% on a rolling 10 year average and replaced with desirable vegetative communities to reduce erosion and impacts to the County's rivers and streams." "Restore and maintain the County's forests and woodlands to a properly functioning condition consistent with the historical range of variability and ecologic site descriptions, including but not limited to composition, age, size, and density." Invading conifers, especially pinyon/juniper associations, are recognized as the greatest threat to a desired and healthy sagebrush ecosystem in Garfield County. Treatments to arrest conifer invasion and restore sagebrush communities shall be given high priority. Recovery of special status species and precluding listing of other at-risk species through active management, proactive habitat restoration and sound resource use is the central policy, goal and objective of Garfield County's special status species program.

Mountain sagebrush/shrublands -- Currently the stands within the proposed treatment area can be classified as an FRCC 2 or 3 where the conditions are moderately to highly departed from historic vegetation conditions. No evidence of recent fire disturbance can be observed in the proposed stands. Historical disturbance regimes affecting the shrubland community should be stand replacing fires with a mean fire interval of 30-50 years. The typical disturbance of wildland fire tends to reduce the composition of conifers within the shrubland community and promote the development of grasses ad forbs. Mixed severity fires promote the creation of different age classes within the shrubland community. Fire adapted shrub species such as sage and bitterbrush typically exhibit variable age classes representing the occurrence of disturbance events. The current density of juniper spp. is an indication of the lack of disturbance along with a lack of younger age classes of shrub species.

Streams within the project area drain into the East Fork Sevier River. The East Fork Sevier River in John's Valley is 303d listed for macroinvertebrate community composition. One of the main factors in the poor macroinvertebrate community is probably the variable irrigation flow regime in this area; however, sediment generation and other water quality issues could exacerbate this. Similarly, downstream from Antimony Creek the East Fork Sevier River is 303d listed for temperature and has a TMDL for Phosphorus. Aspen regeneration projects where conifers are removed and Pinyon Juniper removal projects have been shown to increase the ground cover of grasses and forbs, thereby reducing bare ground and erosion (Roundy & Vernon, 1999; Pierson, Bates, Svejcar, & Hardegree, 2007a; Peterson & Stringham, 2008; Stam et al. 2008; Pierson, et al., 2010; Cline, Pierson, Kormos, & Williams, 2010). Reduced erosion the watershed could reduce the amount of Total P reaching this portion of the East Fork Sevier. The treatments proposed in this project will connect with treatments conducted in Phases I-III of Ranch Creek to reduce the risk of an uncharacteristically high severity fire, the aftermath of which could result in lowering water tables through stream incision and cause short and long-term impacts to sediment and nutrient loading, negatively affecting water quality.

Cultural Resources and environmental evaluations have taken place.

All trees not marked with flagging within the project boundaries shall be completely severed from the stump(s). No live limbs shall be left on the stump of cut trees. All main branches or stems shall be cut from the trunk of the tree to meet scattering requirements Additional treatment specifications (applies to all cutting units): 1. Cut material will be lopped and scattered so that slash height does not exceed 24" above the ground. 2. Cut material left on site shall not exceed 48" in length. 3. Cut material will be spread in ephemeral washes and draws where possible to help reduce erosion. 4. Live browse species, shall not be cut or damaged. 5. Only established roads shall be used. No overland travel by vehicle will be allowed. 6. Any trees identified as bearing trees, or any tree blazed or tagged to mark the line of any Government survey, shall not be cut or destroyed under penalty of the law. Trees with reference tags will be left uncut.

UDWR/NRCS: Pre and post photo point monitoring in treatment areas. Sage grouse Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Guide to be done pre-treatment to assess habitat conditions. UT-2 Range assessment done pre-treatment and post treatment. NRCS Pinyon and juniper woodland survey

NRCS, USFWS Partner Program and Private Land owner

Private landowner manages property for the wildlife. Landowner is in contact with UDWR about releasing beaver on the property to help with restoration of Horse Creek.

This project will complement the previous projects completed by the USFS and WRI. This will allow for protection of the forest and habitat in the public land.

11/07/2022

11/07/2022

2023

All dead and living pinyon or juniper trees were lopped and scatter in late fall. The lop and scatter specifications require that the stump be no greater than 6" tall from the high side, and live branches must be removed and all material should be cut into no greater than 48" lengths.

On Sept 3 B's Forestry was contracted to lop and scatter this project. They were able to come on Novemember 7, 2022. The few amount of trees and small project area made this job a very quick finish. They started at 9:00 am and were done by 2:00pm.

This is part of a larger project that includes stream and riparian area restoration, wildlife/pollinator seeding, fencing and bitter brush planting. A phase II of the project will be submitted for FY24 to complete the stream work, planting, and fencing.