Juniper trees have encroached into the sagebrush, mountain shrub and Aspen communities that provides critical summer and winter ranges for deer, elk and moose and habitat for sage-grouse. There is a robust mahogany component in the area but they have very little to no recruitment. By removing junipers there will be an increase in grasses and forbs along with water and the space left by the junipers will hopefully promote mahogany recruitment. There are areas where Junipers are very dense in phase II and III. Invasive weeds are threatening the Intermountain West with negative impacts on wildlife habitat, native plant communities, soil and watershed resources, recreation, and aesthetic values. A shift from native vegetation to invasive weeds decrease wildlife forage, reduces species diversity, and increases soil erosion. Activities associated with Pinyon and Juniper removal often serve as a source for new noxious weed invasions, and can also spread existing infestations. An attempt to control the spread of noxious weeds in this area will preserve the value of previous habitat improvements associated with vegetation removal, and prevent spread to other areas.

To remove junipers thus providing increased forage for sage-grouse, deer, elk, moose, cattle and sheep. To increase the above ground water flow in the area and new habitat for sage-grouse, deer, elk, moose, cattle and sheep. To reduce fuel load to prevent catastrophic fire. Controlling the spread of noxious weed infestations within the project area will further enhance habitat improvements.

Not doing the project will result in continued expansion of the junipers resulting in a loss of more under story, aspen communities, water resources and an overall increase in the risk of catastrophic wildfire. Waiting to implement could result in crossing a threshold wherein future restoration would become much more difficult, cost prohibitive, or even impossible. Burdock, spotted knapweed, Canada thistle, bull thistle, field bindweed, houndstongue, and dyer's woad have all been documented within the project area. Adverse impacts as a result of noxious weed invasion include a change in the composition of native plant communities, a decrease in biological diversity, undesired shifts in wildlife populations, increased soil disturbance and surface water runoff, decreased water quality, decreased recreational opportunities, and increased economic costs. Many wildlife species are linked to specific native plant communities that are degraded by invasive species. Loss of these communities can lead to higher mortality due to lack of cover and forage. Additionally, the conversion of native perennials to an annual plant mono-culture creates a landscape inhospitable to many pollinator species. Reduction or loss of key pollinators can reduce wildlife forage, and indirectly lead to lower wildlife populations.

Utah's Sage-grouse strategic Management plan: Goal: Protect, maintain, enhance, and restore greater sage-grouse populations, habitats, and the ecosystems that sustain them. Reestablish, augment, and facilitate sustainable populations of greater sage-grouse in suitable habitats to improve statewide population continuity and distribution. Objective B-2: Enhance and restore current and potential sage-grouse habitats and the ecosystems that sustain them. Objective C-2: Identify and secure funding for habitat enhancement, research, monitoring, and maintenance. A. Vegetation management. 1. Manage seasonal sage-grouse habitats in a manner appropriate to the site conditions, and based on habitat assessment or local expert knowledge and observed ecological condition. and 4. Manage for late summer brood-rearing habitat that includes a variety of succulent vegetation adjacent to sagebrush escape and loafing cover. Create or enhance riparian/wet meadow habitat in areas where late brood-rearing habitat is lacking. Strive to manage sagebrush habitats with 10-25% canopy cover. Forest Plan of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest Forest wide Goals: 3-Biodiversity & Viability, Goal 3d, Goal 3f., Goal 3g. Goal 3o., The project is consistent with the following Forest Plan Ojective: 3.d. Increase grass and forb production and plant species and age class diversity in sagebrush and pinyon/juniper by treating approximately 2,000 acres average annually1 for a 10-year total of 20,000 acres. Utah Elk Statewide Management Plan: Statewide goal A, Strategy r.Properly manage elk populations to minimize competition with mule deer on crucial mule deer range. Habitat Management Goal B: Habitat Objective 1. Maintain elk habitat throughout the state by identifying and protecting existing crucial elk habitat and mitigating for losses due to human impacts. Strategies A. and B. Habitat Objective 2:Improve the quality and quantity of forage and cover on 250,000 acres of elk habitat with emphasis on calving habitat and upper elevation elk winter range by the end of this plan. Strategies c, d e, h. and j. Statewide Management Plan for Mule Deer: Habitat Goal and Habitat Objective 1, Strategies a, and b. Habitat Objective 2 and strategies, B, C, D, E, F and H. 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. d. Minimize impacts and recommend mitigation for losses of crucial habitat due to human impacts. k. Where appropriate, work with county, federal and state land management agencies to adopt seasonal motorized route closures to minimize human disturbance in existing crucial mule deer habitats. l. Work with county, state, and federal agencies to limit the negative effects of roads by reclaiming unused roads, properly planning new roads, and installing fencing and highway passage structures where roads disrupt normal mule deer migration patterns. 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. e. Continue to support and provide leadership for the Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative, which emphasizes improving sagebrush-steppe, aspen, and riparian habitats throughout Utah. f. Seek opportunities through the Watershed Restoration Initiative to improve aspen communities that provide crucial summer habitat for mule deer. DEER HERD UNIT MANAGEMENT PLAN, Deer Herd Unit # 2 (Cache) Meets habitat goals and objecitives for this plan. * Logan, Green, Providence and Blacksmith Fork Canyons. Projects should be focused on removal of encroaching juniper, and reestablishing understory with winter browse species as well as species of plants that can be used in the spring by wintering deer. ELK HERD UNIT MANAGEMENT PLAN Elk Herd Unit # 2 Cache: Habitat objective: Maintain and/or enhance forage production through direct range improvements throughout the unit on winter range to achieve population management objectives. Pay special attention to WMA's and areas were holding elk could alleviate pressure on private landowners experiencing damage by wintering elk.Work with private and federal agencies to maintain and protect critical and existing winter range from future losses. UTAH MOOSE STATEWIDE MANAGEMENT PLAN C. Habitat - The primary limiting factor for moose in Utah and across their range is the availability of suitable habitat. - Moose have done well in drier habitats in northern Utah which are dominated by mountain mahogany, Gambel oak, serviceberry, quaking aspen, and burned over coniferous forests A. Habitat Degradation or Loss. - The single biggest influence on moose populations in Utah is the quantity and quality of available habitat. Habitat can be degraded, fragmented, or lost to a variety of causes including human development and plant succession B. Habitat Management Goal: Assure sufficient habitat is available to sustain healthy and productive moose populations. Strategies -- A,D,E Logan Ranger District Travel Management Plan implementation; Wasatch-Cache Forest Plan; Forestwide Goal 3-Biodiversity & Viability Provide for sustained diversity of species at the genetic, populations, community and ecosystem levels. Maintain communities within their historic range of variation that sustains habitats for viable populations of species. Restore or maintain hydrologic functions. Reduce potential for uncharacteristic high-intensity wildfires, and insect epidemics. 3m. Provide for connectivity of continuous large patches of forested habitat for interior forest-dependent and wide-ranging species (such as lynx, wolverine and migratory birds). 3o. Provide adequate habitat components for sustainable big game populations coordinated with State wildlife management agencies, private lands and other resource needs and priorities. 3s. Greatly reduce known infestations of noxious weeds and rigorously prevent their introduction and/or spread. Guidelines for Biodiversity and Viability: (G26) Protect key big game calving, fawning and lambing habitat and provide security in summer concentration areas. Greater Sage-grouse ROD, Greater sage-grouse Utah Plan Amendment (FS 2015). GRSG-GRSGH-GL-032-(UT) In priority and general habitat management areas, sagebrush focal areas, and Anthro Mountain, native plant species should be used when possible to maintain, restore, or enhance desired conditions (Table GRSG-GEN-DC3) in Utah. (Amendment #13, September 2015) State of Utah's new Greater Sage-Grouse Management Plan (2009) --M2 Maintain/protect large contiguous intact sagebrush communities that contain seasonal habitat needs of sage-grouse populations within the state. Wasatch-Cache Forest Plan; Forestwide Goal 3-Biodiversity & Viability Provide for sustained diversity of species at the genetic, populations, community and ecosystem levels. Maintain communities within their historic range of variation that sustains habitats for viable populations of species. Restore or maintain hydrologic functions. Reduce potential for uncharacteristic high-intensity wildfires, and insect epidemics. 2a. Identify areas not in properly functioning condition. Improve plant species composition, ground cover and age class diversity in these areas. 2j. Maintain and/or restore habitat to sustain populations of well distributed native and desired non-native plant, vertebrate, and invertebrate populations that contribute to viability of riparian dependent communities. 3m. Provide for connectivity of continuous large patches of forested habitat for interior forest-dependent and wide-ranging species (such as lynx, wolverine and migratory birds). 3o. Provide adequate habitat components for sustainable big game populations coordinated with State wildlife management agencies, private lands and other resource needs and priorities. 3s. Greatly reduce known infestations of noxious weeds and rigorously prevent their introduction and/or spread. Guidelines for Biodiversity and Viability: (G25) Integrated weed management should be used to maintain or restore habitats for threatened, endangered, proposed and sensitive plants and other native species of concern where they are threatened by noxious weeds or nonnative plants. When treating noxious weeds comply with policy in Intermountain Region's Forest Service Manual 2080, Supplement #R4 2000-2001-1 (Appendix III). (G26) Protect key big game calving, fawning and lambing habitat and provide security in summer concentration areas. Greater Sage-grouse ROD, Greater sage-grouse Utah Plan Amendment (FS 2015). GRSG-GRSGH-GL-032-(UT) In priority and general habitat management areas, sagebrush focal areas, and Anthro Mountain, native plant species should be used when possible to maintain, restore, or enhance desired conditions (Table GRSG-GEN-DC3) in Utah. (Amendment #13, September 2015) State of Utah's new Greater Sage-Grouse Management Plan (2009) --M2 Maintain/protect large contiguous intact sagebrush communities that contain seasonal habitat needs of sage-grouse populations within the state. 5. Utah Moose Statewide Management Plan: -Initiate prescribed burns and other vegetative treatment projects to improve moose habitat lost to ecological succession or human impacts.

This will reduce the fuel load as the scattered juniper trees break down and decrease the risk of a crown fire. Noxious weeds alter fire regimes, producing a landscape more vulnerable to wildfire. Control of noxious weeds will help decrease the threat of wildfire, and in turn protect the wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities in this area.

By removing junipers there will be an increase in available water. To remove junipers thus providing increased forage for deer, elk, moose and cattle. An increase in the above ground water flow in the area and new habitat for sage grouse. Controlling the spread of noxious weed infestations within the project area will further enhance habitat improvements.

NEPA has been completed. Archeological clearances was completed with the FY21 funding.

Hire contractor to aerially seed the area. Hire a contractor to masticate junipers. Dedicated hunters and volunteers will lop and scatter junipers. Crews will be instructed not to cut mahogany. The project area will not be grazed the year after seeding to maximize the seeding success. The FS will perform quality control to ensure the objectives are met. Noxious Weed Control; A contractor will be used to survey and treat noxious weeds within the project area. Previously mapped noxious weed populations will be verified, and new populations will be recorded as treatment occurs. Accurate identification, mapping, and data entry is essential to ensuring previously known infestations are treated annually, and in determining efficacy of treatments. Chemical control will be the primary treatment method, but manual control may be utilized as appropriate. Herbicides will be applied by qualified applicators. Treatment will begin summer of 2022, with a follow up application planned for the following summer. The contractor will use their own equipment, personal protection equipment, and herbicide to treat weeds.

The project will be monitored and approved by FS fuel specialist, FS biologist and DWR biologist. DWR will also monitor treatments from big game utilization through surveys and collared animals. Post treatment and monitoring photos will be uploaded to the WRI database. Range monitoring data will be collected.

This is the 8th phase of combined DWR and FS project in the area. Grazing Permitees will be adjusting grazing after seeding.

Will do more lop and scatter and bullhog treatments along with retreatment of previous phases if deemed necessary. With improved access to Hardware Plateau conduct treatments to diversify sage brush age classes and understory vegetation in future phases. The FS and DWR will continue to monitor and treat this area utilizing agreements with partners, volunteers, or future WRI maintenance requests. To be effective, weed treatments should continue for at least three consecutive years. The FS and DWR will continue to monitor and treat this area utilizing agreements with partners, volunteers, or future WRI maintenance requests. Costs associated with this project are expected to decrease as weed infestations in the area are controlled and eradicated.

Will increase production and water availability in the areas of treatment. Cattle and sheep are run through the South Cache Grazing Association among others. Pete's Hollow is an active sheep allotment. Range monitoring data will be collected. Previous phases have increased available forage to both livestock and wildlife. Similar results are anticipated with this phase.

10/23/2023

01/15/2024

2024

A contractor transported the seed mix from GBRC to the Logan airport. It took one day on October 30th, 2023, for the contractor to aerial seed the project area with a fixed wing airplane. A mastication contractor utilized wheeled masticators for removal of 90-100% of live and dead juniper in the project area between 10/23/2023 to 1/15/2024. The 10% of junipers left within the project boundary were on slopes greater than 30% or in rocky areas that the machines were unable to access. All mahogany were left uncut. Some of the polygons for mastication (300 acres on NFS) were removed from the original proposal due to the bids coming in higher than expected and a few acres were unable to be completed due to access. Masticated 1043 acres (937 acres on NFS and 106 acres on DWR) of phase II and III juniper. Lop and Scatter juniper on 1143 acres. Aerial seeding was completed on 363 acres. Noxious weeds were treated by a USFS contractor on 93 acres.

This project is a continuation of juniper removal in the Hardware area that has been ongoing for 8 years with this being the second year of mastication. Removing junipers allows water, light and nutrients for other grasses and forbs to grow, this provides increased forage for sage-grouse, deer, elk, moose, cattle and sheep. This is critical summer and winter ranges for those wildlife species. It changes the structure of the fuels and mitigates the severity and intensity of future wildfires. Treating noxious weeds will help preserve the value of previous habitat and prevent spread to other areas. Removing junipers will hopefully promote mahogany recruitment in the area by creating space and increasing availability of ground water.

Implementation of treatments will continue in this area including lop and scatter, bullhog and retreatment of previous phases if necessary. The FS and DWR will continue to monitor and treat this area. The next phase has been proposed for FY25 for mastication of 1319 acres on NFS lands. To be effective, weed treatments should continue for at least three consecutive years.