Part of the Santaquin WMA is bordered on the West side by Interstate 15. Wildfires are often started by cars along the interstate that burn onto the WMA. The DWR has been working to plant shrub seedlings on the property to provide deer with winter feed. To prevent future fires burning off the freeway right-of-way, the fire scar will be seeded and a 50 wide vegetated green strip of fire wise vegetation will be planted along the right-of-way fence.

* Establish perennial grasses to a cover value of at least 12% by the end of the 3rd growing season * Establish perennial forbs to a cover value of at least 5% by the end of the 3rd growing season * Establish forage kochia in the green strip to a cover value of at least 10% by the end of the 3rd growing season * Establish perennial forbs in the green strip to a cover value of at least 10% by the end of the 3rd growing season

Failure to establish perennial vegetation could allow annuals like cheatgrass to establish and provide fuel for future wildfires.

This project will improve winter range for mule deer. The project will help achieve some of the objectives of the Utah Mule Deer plan. * Habitat Objective 1. Maintain mule deer habitat throughout the state by protecting existing critical habitats and mitigating for losses due to human impacts. * Habitat Objective 2. Improve the quality of forage and vegetation for mule deer on 200,000 acres of critical range. The proposed project will address some of the limiting factors and habitat management strategies outlined in the deer management plan for herd unit 16 Central mountains including: HABITAT MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES - Deer Plan * Protect, maintain, and/or improve deer habitat through direct range improvements to support and maintain herd population management objectives. HABITAT MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES * Continue to improve, protect, and restore sagebrush steppe habitats critical to deer. Cooperate with federal land management agencies and private landowners in carrying out habitat improvements such as pinion-juniper removal, reseedings, controlled burns, grazing management, water developments etc. on public and private lands. Habitat improvement projects will occur on both winter ranges as well as summer range. 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 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. Constituency Goal: Achieve broad-based support for Division programs and budgets by demonstrating the value of wildlife to all citizens of Utah. Objective 2: improve communication with wildlife organizations, public officials, private landowners, and government agencies to obtain support for Division programs. This project will help meet some of the goals and objectives of the State Resource Management plan including..

This project will decrease the chance of wildfire from spreading onto the Santaquin WMA from the freeway corridor.

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Parts of this area were cleared for ARC in December of 2005 and some of the property was previously disturbed by agriculture in the past.

One way harrow and broadcast seed mix on the fire scar and 50 foot green strip along right of way fence. Spray Indaziflam (Esplanide) herbicide on green strip during the spring of 2025 to reduce annuals from growing in the green strip.

CRO personnel will take photos and monitor green strip establishment

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The project will continue to be managed by the DWR as part of the Santaquin WMA.

This project will improve the quantity of forage for wildlife.

10/01/2022

11/26/2022

2023

The Santaquin fire was started along the I-15 freeway during the summer of 2022. It burned approximately 65 acres on the Santaquin WMA. The fire was one-way chain harrowed and seeded on November 14th and 15th of 2022. The harrow was pulled by the D-6 bulldozer, from the GBRC, with a broadcast seeder on the back. A 30 foot green strip was also chain harrowed and seeded along the east side of the right-of-way fence to I-15 to help prevent future fires.

The project was completed in-house with the Regional habitat staff. The 30ft harrowed and seeded green strip will be sprayed with Esplanade herbicide during the early fall of 2024, after the seeded species have germinated and established.

This project occurs on the Santaquin WMA which is managed primarily for big game winter range. The property is routinly grazed to reduce fine fuels and encourage shrub growth.