Assisting with the implementation of the amended Habitat Conservation Plan, will allow us to minimize and mitigate the threats facing tortoises within the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve. Threats include habitat degradation, predation, disease and human related mortality. These threats to tortoise populations are imminent and urgent with tortoise populations declining roughly 50% since long-term monitoring began in 1998. In 2003, tortoise populations declined due to a combination of drought and disease. Catastrophic fires (e.g., 2005, 2020), which burned approximately 25% of tortoise habitat within the Reserve, have degraded habitat. Active management between the cooperative partners of the Reserve (i.e., local city governments, Washington County, Utah Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, etc.) is critical to minimize and mitigate threats to tortoises. Due to the number of potential threats within the Reserve and its proximity to rapidly growing communities, long-term monitoring and active management is critical to determine current management effectiveness, identify future concerns and threats, and ensure the continued existence of tortoises within the Reserve. Washington County has completed the renewal process and it is anticipated that UDNR will increase funding to meet long term commitments for tortoise recovery, with the ultimate goal of UDNR taking over funding and management responsibility for the desert tortoise.

The overall goal of this project is to coordinate desert tortoise recovery activities within southwestern Utah. The objectives of this project include: 1) Perform administrative duties associated with implementation of the amended Washington County Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP); 2) Coordinate desert tortoise recovery activities for the Upper Virgin River Recovery Unit and the Northeastern Mojave Recovery Unit (Beaver Dam Slope Desert Wildlife Management Area); 3) Assist Washington County with regulatory activities (e.g., clearances, presence and absence surveys), monitor incidental take activities associated with the amended HCP, and assist Washington County in surveys on non-federal lands; 4) Implement desert tortoise regional density and population demographic monitoring in accordance with Recovery Plan objectives for the Upper Virgin River Recovery Unit, extending monitoring to the new Management Zone 6; 5) Implement, monitor, and evaluate the translocation of tortoises removed from designated HCP take areas and complete a Translocation Plan; 6) Monitor radio telemetered tortoises to quantify above ground activity patterns, long-term impacts of fire, and long term survival of radioed tortoises within the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve and 7) Develop a long-term management strategy for upland desert tortoise Mojave Desert restoration post burn and assist agency partners in habitat restoration projects on desert tortoise critical habitat within the Red Cliffs and Beaver Dam Wash NCA. Tasks for each objective are described in the Methods section below.

The goals and objectives of this project are consistent with 29 goals and objectives from over 11 management plans. This project closely follows those recommendations listed in the Revised Recovery Plan for the Mojave Population of the Desert Tortoise (USFWS 2014) and the Recovery Plan for the Desert Tortoise (Mojave Population; USFWS 1994). Additionally, the Red Cliff's NCA RMP and the St. George Field Office RMP call for pro-active vegetation management efforts to protect a variety of resources, including wildlife, recreation, and cultural. Revised Recovery Plan for the Mojave Population of the Desert Tortoise (USFWS 2011) and the Recovery Plan for the Desert Tortoise (Mojave Population; USFWS 1994) * Develop, support, and build partnerships to facilitate recovery (1) * Protect existing populations and habitat (2); Conserve intact desert tortoise habitat (2.1); Restore desert tortoise habitat (2.6 ) * Augment depleted populations through a strategic program (3); Implement translocations in target areas to augment populations (3.4) * Monitor progress towards recovery (4); Monitor desert tortoise population growth (4.1); Monitor the extend of tortoise distribution in each recovery unit (4.2); Quantify the presence and intensity of threats to the desert tortoise across the landscape (4.4) * Conduct research on the restoration of desert tortoise habitat (5.2) * Implement an adaptive management program (6) Recovery Action Plan for the Mojave Desert Tortoise in the Upper Virgin River (USFWS 2014) * Restore habitat in burned or otherwise disturbed areas; identify polygons of high potential or importance and create islands of seeded or planted habitat to enhance recovery (Priority 1, 4.02). * Conduct habitat restoration by controlling cheat grass and other non-native and invasive plant species (Priority 1, 4.05). * Restore habitat with large-scale seeding or plantings within the Reserve (Priority 2, 4.03). Recovery Action Plan for the Mojave Desert Tortoise in the Northeast Mojave (USFWS 2014) * Reduce coverage of exotic annual grasses and thus fire risk, and increase the coverage of native species and plant diversity (Priority 1, 1.02). * In recently-burned habitat on the Beaver Dam Slope, re-seed multiple polygons, no smaller than 40 acres each (Priority 3, 1.12). Washington County Habitat Conservation Plan (WC 1995) * Preserve and enhance desert tortoise populations and their habitat within the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve (1.5) * Provide protection for other listed and candidate species and their habitats (1.5) * Fund surveys and other actions to help gather information and identify and implement actions to help other listed and candidate species Gila Monster Conservation Strategy (UDWR 2007) * Identify, maintain, protect, and enhance important habitat to protect and conserve Gila monsters in southwestern Utah (Goal 2) * Identify and implement management actions that would protect and enhance Gila monster habitat (2.2). * Maintain biological integrity of protected habitat areas (i.e., Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, 3.1.1) Utah Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (UDWR 2005) * General Conservation Action to control and monitor invasive species with specific conservation action to protect and maintain habitat (6-2, 6-7). * Restore degraded habitat by managing previously or potentially suitable habitat to achieve or approach properly functioning condition with specific conservation action to maintain habitat integrity (6-2, 6-7). * General Conservation Action to control and monitor invasive species with specific conservation action to protect and maintain habitat (6-2, 6-7). Dixie Resource Area Resource Management Plan (BLM 1998) and Resource Management Plan for the Red Cliffs and Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Areas (BLM draft 2014) * Maintain wildlife habitats in properly functioning conditions to support natural wildlife diversity, reproductive capability, and appropriate human use and enjoyment (2.24) * Manage suitable public land habitats for the recovery or reestablishment of native populations through collaborative planning with local, state, and federal agencies, user groups, and interested organizations (2.24). * Work with state, local, and other federal partners to minimize or eliminate the need for additional listing of species under the Endangered Species Act in Washington County (2.24) Utah Mule Deer Statewide Management Plan (UDWR 2014) * Expand and improve mule deer populations throughout the state within the carrying capacity of available habitats and in consideration of other land uses (VI, pg 17). * Conserve, improve, and restore mule deer habitat throughout the state with emphasis on crucial ranges (VI, pg. 18). Landscape Conservation Forecasting for Washington County's National Conservation Areas (TNC 2011) * Improve or maintain condition of all ecological systems; improve the condition of ecological systems that are currently in an undesirable (highly departed) condition (Pg. 4-5). * For the six ecological systems that are vital tortoise habitat, reduce departure from desired future condition (tortoise habitat departure) from high to low (Pg 4). * Protect reference vegetation classes, unburned and only once-burned shrubland classes (Pg. 4). * Decrease fuel loading and continuity to help reduce risk of loss from wildlife to natural and cultural resources in the NCA's (Pg. 4). Southwest Utah Support Area Fire Management Plan, Cedar City Office (BLM 2004) * Prevent invasive species and restore watershed function and biological communities through short-term stabilization and long term rehabilitation (II,A., pg. 11). * Restore healthy, diverse, and resilient ecological systems to minimize uncharacteristically severe fires on a priority watershed basis through long-term restoration (II,A., pg. 11). Virgin River (Watershed) Management Plan (WCWCD, 2006) * To maintain and enhance water quality and associated natural resources of the Virgin River Watershed by reducing soil erosion, wildfires and flooding (Chapter 1, III-14).

Compliance under Federal and State law is required and has been completed through the Habitat Conservation Plan process.

Objective 1: Perform administrative duties associated with implementation of the amended Washington County Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). 1. Participate on the Washington County Habitat Conservation Plan Technical Committee (TC), completing tasks as assigned by the Habitat Conservation Advisory Committee (HCAC). 2. Coordinate activities with the HCAC, Washington County, BLM, USFWS, and Snow Canyon State Park. 3. Assist with the implementation of the HCP Public Use Plan and Human Impact Monitoring. 4. Assist with monitoring utility development protocol compliance for projects within incidental take and HCP reserve areas. 5. Coordinate law enforcement activities with UDWR conservation officers, Washington County, and BLM. 6. Assist with acquisition of non-federal Reserve lands through ESA Section 6 grant proposals. Objective 2: Coordinate desert tortoise recovery activities for the Upper Virgin River Recovery Unit and the Northeastern Mojave Recovery Unit (Beaver Dam Slope Desert Wildlife Management Area, BDS DWMA). 1. Participate on the desert tortoise Management Oversight Group providing biannual updates on UDNR/UDWR recovery activities and participate in range wide recovery activities. 2. Participate on the Recovery Implementation Teams for the Upper Virgin River Recovery Unit and the Northeastern Mojave Recovery Unit (BDS DWMA). 3. Identify restoration and management actions to achieve desert tortoise recovery and coordinate and identify viable funding sources to implement recovery. 4. Coordinate implementation of recovery plan objectives within Beaver Dam Slope Critical Habitat Unit with BLM, Arizona, and Nevada. 5. Manage regional program activities to assist in the recovery of the desert tortoise. 6. Participate in interstate tortoise passage and culvert working group. 7. Participate in interagency working group to identify Potential Regional Augmentation Sites in the Northeast Mojave Recovery Unit. 8. Obtain appropriate training and remain current on conservation biology techniques. 9. Provide the Salt Lake Office the required information for the federal shell collection and handling permit. 10. Provide the Salt Lake Office the required information to compile Section 6 funding requests. 11. Integrate current disease research into tortoise disease management protocols for the Recovery Units. Objective 3. Assist Washington County with regulatory activities (e.g., clearances, presence and absence surveys), monitor incidental take activities associated with the amended HCP, and assist Washington County in surveys on non-federal lands. 1. Cooperate with Washington County in conducting presence/absence and tortoise removal surveys within designated HCP incidental take areas. 2. Assist with and monitor Washington County's facilities for holding displaced desert tortoises removed from designated take areas. 3. Coordinate and assist with the transfer, handling/holding, health, and disposition of displaced tortoises. 4. Review results of presence/absence and tortoise removal surveys and provide feedback to Washington County. 5. Complete quarterly reports on monitoring of incidental take activities (October 2021, January 2022, April 2022, and July 2022). 6. Depending upon additional HCP funding, complete Systematic Clearances and annual Incidental Take Summary Reports which identify clearances requested, surveys conducted, uncoordinated take, as well as incidental take acreage. 7. Work with Washington County to identify potential habitat on non-federal lands, prioritize areas for survey, and complete desert tortoise presence and absence surveys in these areas. 8. Identify relative occupancy and distribution in surveyed areas to determine current distribution of desert tortoises in Washington County. Update current distribution map of sign including deep winter burrows, shell remains, and live tortoises found. 9. Assist with the Shivwits Tribal land survey project in cooperation with the Shivwits Band, Washington County, Dixie State University, Southern Utah University, and Conserve Southwest Utah, providing technical assistance and oversight. Initiate intensive surveys to determine relative abundance and distribution of tortoises on Shivwits lands. 10. Using data obtained from presence and absence surveys, work with Washington County to prioritize areas on non-federal lands to complete tortoise clearance surveys. 11. Complete quarterly reports on survey activities to Washington County and HCAC (October 2021, January 2022, April 2022, and July 2022). 12. Complete final report on Desert Tortoise Surveys on nonfederal lands in Washington County (January 2022). Objective 4. Implement desert tortoise regional density and population demographic monitoring in accordance with Recovery Plan objectives for the Upper Virgin River Recovery Unit, extending monitoring to the new Management Zone 6. 1. Survey permanent long-term monitoring transects in burned habitat within the Cottonwood Trail Fire and Turkey Farm Road fire. 2. Maintain telemetered desert tortoises within Zone 3 of the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve. 3. Maintain a database on marked desert tortoises within Zones 2, 3 and 5 of the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve. 4. Analyze and complete a report on long term survival of desert tortoises within the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve using data collected from mark recapture plots (1983, 1988, 1994) and line distance sampling (1997 to 2019) to assess the effects of stochastic events (e.g., wildfire, disease), environmental variables (e.g., drought severity), spatial variables (e.g., management zone) and demographic covariates (e.g., age, sex, disease, condition). 5. Assess density of shell remains in burned areas and compare direct and latent impacts of the 2020 fires. 6. Assess density of live tortoises and compare with previous monitoring data (1998 to 2019). 7. Quantify impacts of direct and latent mortality on desert tortoises within burned areas, analyze data and prepare annual report for Washington County. 8. Complete quarterly reports on activities to Washington County and HCAC (October 2021, January 2022, April 2022, and July 2022). Objective 5. Implement, monitor, and evaluate the translocation of tortoises removed from designated HCP take areas. Work with HCP agency partners to complete a desert tortoise Translocation Plan. 1. Process displaced animals prior to translocation (e.g. pit tag, ELISA test, etc.). 2. Coordinate translocation effort of displaced animals during the spring and fall. 3. Reevaluate the translocation technique at the end of the season and amend as appropriate. 4. Maintain a database on desert tortoises translocated into Zone 4 of the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve. 5. Analyze data to assess density, abundance, and survival of translocated tortoises as well as assess demographic data including age class distribution, sex ratio, and growth. 6. Using data from presence and absence surveys and relative abundance surveys on non-federal lands within Washington County help identify and prioritize the need for establishing new potential translocation sites for displaced tortoises. UDWR will work with HCP partners to complete a Desert Tortoise Translocation Plan within two years of the signature of the renewed Washington county HCP (Jan 2023). Objective 6. Monitor radio telemetered tortoises to quantify above ground activity patterns, long-term impacts of fire, and long term survival of radioed tortoises within the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve. 1. Maintain radio telemetered desert tortoises within the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve. 2. Assess above ground tortoise activity during monitoring season to estimate go for distance sampling. 3. Assess long-term survival of radioed desert tortoises and compare pre and post burn survival estimates. 4. Complete report on long term survival of desert tortoises, including those with transmitters, within the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve. Objective 7. Develop a long-term management strateg

All HCP activities will be conducted in close coordination with Washington County and the HCAC. Quarterly reports are supplied to the Washington County HCP administration, subsequently distributed to the HCAC, and reviewed by the Washington County Commission. The HCP administration prepares annual work plans and budgets with consultation through the TC and HCAC. UDWR prepares annual reports on population monitoring and other HCP activities for Washington County, the HCAC and TC.

This project will be implemented by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources in cooperation with Washington County Habitat Conservation Plan collaborators including federal (Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), state (Utah Department of Natural Resources, Utah Division of Parks and Recreation), local government agencies (Washington County, City of Ivins, Santa Clara, Hurricane, St. George, Springdale) and non-government organizations (The Nature Conservancy, Virgin River Land Preservation Association). In Calendar Year 2021, Washington County will provide $15,000 for assistance with desert tortoise surveys on the Shivwits Band of Paiutes Tribal lands, $35,000 on all other nonfederal lands within Washington County, and $25,000 for desert tortoise fire mortality surveys on recently burned habitat within the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve.

The information obtained through this project will be used to develop management strategies to assist in the implementation of the amended HCP and ultimately the recovery of the desert tortoise. This information will help the HCP staff, HCAC, and Technical Committee better assess potential threats to the desert tortoise population, and understand tortoise survival and mortality within the Reserve. Implementation of the proposed project will result in long-term benefits to tortoise populations by reducing and minimizing threats.

07/01/2021

06/30/2022

2022

Objective 1: Performed administrative duties associated with implementation of the amended Washington County Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP). * Participated on the Washington County Habitat Conservation Plan Technical Committee (TC), completing tasks as assigned by the Habitat Conservation Advisory Committee (HCAC). * Coordinated activities with the HCAC, Washington County, BLM, USFWS, and Snow Canyon State Park. * Assisted with the implementation of the HCP Public Use Plan and Human Impact Monitoring. * Reviewed TC assignments and incorporated member comments into final report. * Completed impact analysis of utility development projects and made recommendations to minimize impacts to desert tortoises. * Assisted with monitoring utility development protocol compliance for projects within incidental take and HCP reserve areas. * Participated in law enforcement activities with local (Washington County, City of St. George), state (Snow Canyon State Park, UDWR conservation officers) and federal (BLM) agencies. * Assisted with acquisition of non-federal Reserve lands through ESA Section 6 grant proposals. * Responded to multiple desert tortoise related GRAMA requests by providing the appropriate distribution data. * At the request of SLO, completed a yard visit and necessary paperwork to reunite displaced captive tortoises with original owner. Objective 2: Coordinated desert tortoise recovery activities for the Upper Virgin River Recovery Unit and the Northeastern Mojave Recovery Unit (Beaver Dam Slope Desert Wildlife Management Area, BDS DWMA). * Participated on the desert tortoise Management Oversight Group providing biannual updates on UDNR/UDWR recovery. * Participated on the Recovery Implementation Teams for the Upper Virgin River Recovery Unit and the Northeastern Mojave Recovery Unit (BDS DWMA). * Identified restoration and management actions to achieve desert tortoise recovery and coordinate and identify viable funding sources to implement recovery. * Provided the required information for federal desert tortoise shell collection and handling permit to SLO. * Coordinate implementation of recovery plan objectives within Beaver Dam Slope Critical Habitat Unit with BLM, Arizona, and Nevada. * Provide the Salt Lake Office the required information for the federal shell collection and handling permit. * Identified potential sites for restoration polygons (roughly 90 acres) within the Turkey Farm Road and Cottonwood Trail fire in collaboration with the BLM. * Working with Isabel Adler (Conserve Southwest Utah), Dixie State University, and 12 community volunteers, helped organize a community outreach project to remove trash and invasive weeds from the Reserve. * Removed 51 bags of trash from UNLV Red Cliffs restoration plot including plastic plant containers, chicken wire, stakes, pvc pipe and water gel debris. * With the assistance of American Conservation Experience crews provided by the BLM, removed 39 bags of invasive weeds (e.g., Russian thistle) from sensitive, high density tortoise habitat. * Provided the Salt Lake Office the required information to compile Section 6 funding requests. * Integrated current disease research into tortoise disease management protocols for the Recovery Units. Objective 3. Assisted Washington County with regulatory activities (e.g., clearances, presence and absence surveys), monitor incidental take activities associated with the amended HCP, and assist Washington County in surveys on non-federal lands. * Assisted the BLM and Washington County with a tortoise clearance survey on the 20 acre Long Valley Road Extension Project. No tortoises were removed within the survey area, although scats, burrows and a shell remain were observed in the project area. * Assisted Utah State Parks and Horrocks Engineers with a tortoise presence and absence survey in the Gunlock improvement project impact area. On October 11, 2021, UDWR spent 3.5 hours surveying the site and documenting tortoise sign. No tortoises or sign were observed in the project area. * Completed a two mile fencing survey along Tuacahn Road within Snow Canyon State Park. On November 3, 2021, four UDWR personnel spent seven hours documenting minor or major holes in the existing fence line, identifying erosion issues (e.g., undercutting), damage to fence or any other issue that could compromise the integrity of the tortoise fence. Of the fourteen fencing issues identified, four could not be resolved, including severe undercutting at the northern tortoise culvert along Tuacahn Road. This concrete box culvert, on the east side of the road, experienced severe undercutting (roughly 110-120 cm below the lip of the culvert) rendering it unusable and a potential trap for tortoises. * Worked with Washington County to identify potential habitat on non-federal lands, prioritized areas for survey, and completed desert tortoise presence and absence surveys in these areas. * Conducted tortoise presence and absence surveys on six private property parcels (e.g. SITLA, Washington County Water Conservancy) within Washington County. Parcels were located along SR-7, the Utah state line, east of the I-15, and surrounding Sand Hollow Reservoir. Over a two month period (September 17 to December 17, 2021), UDWR surveyed 9,306 acres and walked over 289 km searching for tortoises and their sign. No definitive tortoise sign was observed on any of the presence and absence tortoise surveys completed and some parcels were moderately to heavily disturbed by humans, particularly in the southwest parcel along the Interstate and Utah state line. * Completed field reports, summarizing methods and results, on the Long Valley Extension clearance, presence and absence surveys, and Tuacahn fence survey. * Trained wildlife technicians on desert tortoise general biology, handling protocols and survey techniques (e.g., clearance, presence and absence). * Assisted with and monitored Washington County's facilities for holding displaced desert tortoises removed from designated take areas. * Coordinated and assisted with the transfer, handling/holding, health, and disposition of displaced tortoises. * Completed final report on Desert Tortoise Surveys on nonfederal lands in Washington County (January 2022). Objective 4. Implement desert tortoise regional density and population demographic monitoring in accordance with Recovery Plan objectives for the Upper Virgin River Recovery Unit, extending monitoring to the new Management Zone 6. * Surveyed long term permanent transects within the Cottonwood Trail and Turkey Farm Road fires, in Management Zone 3 of the Reserve. UDWR completed 45 transects (88.30 km) in burned habitat from April 9 to June 4, 2021. We encountered 43 unique tortoises (i.e., 37 adults, 5 immatures, 1 juvenile) during spring population monitoring. Burn injuries were observed on 10% (n=4) of encountered tortoises, one in the Cottonwood Trail Fire and three in the Turkey Farm Road fire, and included burned forelimbs, hind limbs and tail, scute laminae peeling and melted, and misshapen carapace, with some burns covering greater than 50% of the carapace. Tortoise encounter rates for the 2021 spring monitoring season was 0.34 tortoises per km surveyed, less than the average encounter rate from previous monitoring years (n/l=0.42; n=13; range = 0.22 to 0.67). * Processed 16 shell remains during distance sampling monitoring in several stages of decay. Fire was determined to be the cause of death for seven shell remains with scutes heavily charred and burned. * In coordination with Shivwits Band of the Paiutes Tribe, Conserve Southwest Utah, and Washington County, assisted with spring surveys from April 6 to May 25, 2021. UDWR spent 35 person work days and a total of 138.25 work hours assisting search efforts, completing 113 transects, and surveying 340 km over 8,204 acres (33.2 sq km). The encounter rate for adult tortoises was 0.04 tortoises per km with 13 tortoises observed on transects and an additional 5 tortoises observed walking to or from the transect. We observed at least 27 unique individuals in both transect and visual encounter surveys during the entire project. * Completed UDWR field reports, Post Wildfire Desert Tortoise Monitoring in the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, 2021, and Desert Tortoise Surveys on Shivwits Band of the Paiute Tribe Lands: Spring 2021, summarizing methods and results. * Assisted with the interagency final report, Pika'aya Tooveep (Tortoise Country) Final Report, for the Conservation of Mojave Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). * Maintained the database on marked desert tortoises within the Reserve and surrounding areas. * Hired, supervised, and coordinated field crew. * Trained agency personnel and field technicians on desert tortoise general biology, handling protocols and survey techniques (e.g., clearance, presence and absence). * Presented the report, Post-fire Spring Tortoise Surveys within the Red Cliffs, to the HCAC at the September 28, 2021 monthly meeting. * In support of monitoring in Zone 6, UDWR provided weekly estimates of desert tortoise above ground activity to Washington County during active surveys. * Finalized draft peer reviewed paper, Mojave Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) mortality and injury following the Cottonwood Trail Fire in Red Cliffs National Conservation Area, Utah. * Analyzed and completed a report on long term survival of desert tortoises within the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve using data collected from mark recapture plots (1983, 1988, 1994) and line distance sampling (1997 to 2019) to assess the effects of stochastic events (e.g., wildfire, disease), environmental variables (e.g., drought severity), spatial variables (e.g., management zone) and demographic covariates (e.g., age, sex, disease, condition). * Worked with University of Utah student on a capstone project, Occupancy Modeling of the Mojave Desert Tortoise in the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve Objective 5. Implemented, monitored, and evaluated the translocation of tortoises removed from designated HCP take areas. Work with HCP agency partners to complete a desert tortoise Translocation Plan. * Coordinated and assisted with the transfer, processing, health, and disposition of displaced tortoises in urbanized areas. * Responded to 74 urban wildlife calls on desert tortoises from the public (e.g., informational, displaced, violation, injured). * Relocated 37 tortoises (4 males, 17 females, 11 immatures, and 5 juveniles) into the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve (Reserve), federal land or protected areas, depending upon their capture location. Tortoises were observed by the public in residential areas and, following a health assessment, relocated to an adjacent protected area either within the Reserve or St. George. All relocated tortoises were healthy with no clinical signs of Upper Respiratory Tract Disease. * Processed displaced animals prior to translocation (e.g. pit tag, ELISA test, etc.). * Coordinated translocation effort of displaced animals during the spring and fall. * Reevaluated translocation protocols at the end of the season and amended as appropriate. * Translocated 19 displaced tortoises to Management Zone 4 of the Reserve, in cooperation with the Washington County HCP Administration. * Completed annual field report summarizing 2021 translocation efforts within the Reserve. * Maintained a database on desert tortoises translocated into Zone 4 of the Reserve. * Drafted Desert Tortoise Translocation Plan document and identify adaptive management protocols to be reviewed by agency partners (e.g., USFWS, Washington County, BLM). Objective 6. Monitor radio telemetered tortoises to quantify above ground activity patterns, long-term impacts of fire, and long term survival of radioed tortoises within the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve. * Maintained 14 radio telemetered desert tortoises at Area 31. * Monitored radio telemetered desert tortoises within the Reserve. * Assessed weekly above ground tortoise activity during the monitoring season to estimate go for density and abundance analysis. * Maintained long term database for marked desert tortoises. * Tracked fire-injured tortoise within the Cottonwood Trail Fire and removed radio after assessing health and status of tortoise. * Using radiotelemetered tortoises, estimated above ground activity (Pa) during population surveys, that is, percent of tortoises visible on the surface or near the front of the burrows. Weekly surface activity over the eight-week spring survey period varied from 61 to 96% and the average (Pa) during the 2021 survey period was 0.82 ± 0.04. * Worked with Dr. Mary Conner (Utah State University) to analyze survival of marked tortoises in the Reserve to incorporate results into a summary report. Objective 7. Documented Mortality and Illegal Take within the Upper Virgin Recovery Unit, and provided Law Enforcement presence on UDWR Wildlife Administration Rule violations. * Documented and processed 12 tortoise mortalities, of which six were attributed to road kills. * Maintained desert tortoise mortality database, completed annual report, and identified issues and concerns to Technical Committee and Washington County. * Documented and processed four native desert tortoises illegally removed from the Reserve in Management Zone 2 (Paradise Canyon), Zone 3 (T-Bone Mesa), Zone 4 (Babylon Road), and Zone 5 (East Cinder Knoll). * Completed field report on illegal tortoise possession and collection within the Upper Virgin Recovery Unit. * Responded to several incidents of desert tortoise possession violations within the Cedar City, St George, and Leeds communities.

The Mojave desert tortoise population, listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, has declined due to habitat degradation, disease, predation, and human-related mortality. The habitat conservation planning process was initiated in Washington County in the early 1990's in order to resolve conflicts between urban development and desert tortoise conservation. Recently, Washington County completed the Renewed and Restated Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and received an incidental take permit for tortoises and habitat. Assisting with the implementation of the Amended Habitat Conservation Plan will allow us to minimize and mitigate the threats facing tortoises within the Upper Virgin River Recovery Unit. Active management between the cooperative partners of the Reserve (i.e., local city governments, Washington County, Utah Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, etc.) is critical to minimize and mitigate threats to tortoises. Due to the number of potential threats within the Reserve and its proximity to rapidly growing communities, long-term monitoring and active management is critical to determine current management effectiveness, identify future concerns and threats, and ensure the continued existence of tortoises within the Reserve. It is anticipated that UDNR will increase funding to meet long term commitments for tortoise recovery, with the ultimate goal of UDNR taking over funding and management responsibility for the desert tortoise. This project would allow UDWR to meet desert tortoise recovery responsibilities under the recently amended Washington County HCP (October 2020), including assisting with incidental take clearances, revising the translocation plan for displaced tortoises, implementation of the regional monitoring program, and HCP coordination and administration. The goal of this ESMF proposal is to acquire funds to supplement funding provided to UDWR through the HCP, and to maintain associated desert tortoise HCP and recovery activities.

The information obtained through this project will be used to develop ongoing management strategies to assist in the implementation of the Amended and Revised HCP and ultimately recover the desert tortoise. This information will help the HCP staff, HCAC, and Technical Committee better assess potential threats to the desert tortoise population, and understand tortoise survival and mortality within the Reserve. Implementation of the proposed project will result in long-term benefits to tortoise populations by reducing and minimizing threats. This project is an integral component of the collaborative HCP process, which is a largescale Endangered species 25 year mitigation effort to allow continued economic development and growth in Washington County while establishing the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve to ensure the long-term persistence of the desert tortoise.