PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION SUMMARY: During Phase 1-4 there has been ~19,225 total acres treated with a mix of mechanical and prescribed fire methods so far in the Salina Creek and Old Woman Plateau areas. This proposal is for Phase 5 and will consist of treating ~6,300-~11,000 acres at an overall total estimated cost/acre of ~$103-$181/acre. The plan is to treat an estimated ~20,000+ additional acres during future phases of the project. NEED FOR PROJECT: Continuing project treatments at an increased pace and scale of restoration in the Salina Creek and Old Woman Plateau areas is needed to not only address the significant sagebrush/grass/forb decline in the area, but also to reduce the risk of fire to the numerous values in the area. The pinion/juniper (PJ) expansion and fading understory in this area is having negative impacts to Salina Creek water quality which also contains Bonneville cutthroat trout and Southern leatherside chub. Approximately 1,000-1,500 acres of the PJ are in Phase II transitioning to Phase III. On the ground surveys and site visits in these areas have allowed staffs from the Richfield Ranger District to see the lack of understory plants. Approximately 7000-8000 acres of the PJ are in Phase I transitioning to Phase II. These areas are planned to be treated via prescribed fire and chain harrow. There is also approximately 500-600 acres of aspen/mixed conifer and 300-500 acres of Ponderosa Pine understory planned to be treated via prescribed fire. Forage productivity has diminished greatly over the past century and the PJ expansion continues on a yearly basis into the more productive sage/grass/forb and mountain brush communities. This PJ expansion largely results from reduced occurrences of natural disturbance. As PJ has become dominant on the landscape and as the loss of understory vegetation increases, there will be continued increases in sediment transfer and TDS into Salina Creek and big game and small game animals will continue to experience a loss of foraging habitat. There are also numerous wildlife species (primarily Mule deer, which is a Fishlake National Forest Management Indicator Species) which are dependent upon this area and these ecosystems. This area has a small Mule deer population. This expansion of more PJ and associated decreasing sage/grass/forb and mountain brush habitat has contributed to and will continue the overall decrease in Mule deer populations and other wildlife species in these areas such as the Greater sage grouse. This expansion factor also contributes to the issue of big game moving closer to higher elevation aspen and local agricultural crops in the valleys to find sustainable forage. Elk depredation issues have been a source of controversy with private landowners for several years. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Range Trend Study "Trough Hollow - STUDY NO. 16C-41" is found north of I-70 within the project area. Trend photos can be viewed in the documents section of this proposal. A summary of the study states: "Since the study was established in 1985, this site has remained dominated by a stable stand of mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyana) and antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata) with a diverse understory composed of perennial grasses and forbs. The grass component of the understory is dominated by muttongrass (Poa fendleriana) and Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis), and perennial grasses have shown an overall increasing trend (Table 16C-41.7, Table 16C-41.10). Forbs are a diverse mixture of mostly native plants with pussytoes (Antennaria sp.) being the dominant species (Table 16C-41.7, Table 16C-41.11). Preferred browse species are dominated by mountain big sagebrush and antelope bitterbrush with cover remaining stable over the study period (Table 16C-41.6, Table 16C-41.12). Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) has been present on the site in all years, but a trend is difficult to determine due to point-quarter density data not being gathered in multiple years (Photos, Table 16C-41.14). The state and transition model place this community in the Mountain big sagebrush-steppe/Introduced Non-natives state. In addition, the model indicates that improper livestock grazing could have the potential to alter the resiliency of this site due to a change in the composition of a robust and diverse understory. However, with proper management it is likely that this site will remain in the present state in future sample years (Jornada, 2019)". For this reason, it is imperative that we affect as much transition and winter habitat by treating and seeding (if needed) to produce diversity across a landscape that is losing value for big game as well as a variety of small game and avian populations. An intensive elk telemetry study in the mid-90's was conducted on the Plateau-Fishlake-Thousand Lake Unit. All capture sites were south of I-70, west of Highway 72 and east of Highway 24. The cooperative study was directed by UDWR and supported by Utah State University, Brigham Young University, USFS and BLM. Cow elk were the target animal for collars. Graduate students also captured and collared newly born elk calves to determine mortality rates, migration patterns, selection of habitat, etc. Aerial telemetry recording of elk locations was conducted every two weeks. Half of the collared elk were recorded one flight and the other half recorded on the second flight. Each collared elk location was recorded at least once a month. Ground crews were involved in locating elk with hand held telemetry tracking gear. The .pdf map included in the "Images/Documents" section of this proposal is an "All Points" map showing locations of collared elk during the study period. It is evident looking at the map that elk from the Plateau-Fishlake-Thousand Lake unit utilize habitat far and wide from the actual elk unit. Elk migrated north of I-70 to the Old Woman, Salina Creek, White Mountain, Willow Creek, Cedar Mountain, (north of I-70), east to the edge of the desert areas south of I-70 into the Sandy Ranch and Capitol Reef area, south to the Parker Mountain, and west to Monroe Mountain. Elk telemetry studies produced valuable information for biologists to have a better understanding of overall population numbers, mortality rates on adults and calves, yearling bull hunting mortality, seasonal habitat selection, migration routes, etc. Mapping seasonal habitat use by elk has helped biologist search for potential treatment projects to improve habitat on summer, transition and winter ranges. This project will improve habitat for elk, deer and moose. Improved habitat will provided added forage for big game and provide an opportunity to have all ungulate animals, including livestock, more acres for vegetation consumption. Dispersion of ungulates across the landscape is a main goal for all our habitat improvement projects. Moose were transplanted to the Fishlake-Salina Creek areas in the early 90's. Approximately 75 moose were collared as they were captured in northern Utah and transported south to the Fishlake National Forest. Two release sights were Accord Lakes (north of I-70) and Fish Lake Basin (south of I-70). Aerial telemetry tracking was conducted once month combined with ground locations recorded by hand-held telemetry devices. A student was assigned to study moose habitat selection and vegetation selection as they were released into their new locations. These telemetry data were also used by biologists to understand seasonal habitat selection, migration routes and mortality to name a few. Recent telemetry studies are being conducted by UDWR on elk and deer that use the Salina Creek Project area. Data from telemetry studies has been used by biologists to determine where habitat improvement projects should be carried out. The overall end state of this project is to: 1. Improve vegetative resilience by increasing abundance and diversity of native shrubs and perennial herbs (grasses, forbs and other herbaceous vegetation). 2. Reduce risk and associated negative impacts from uncharacteristic wildfire to the public, firefighters, structures, private property, and other high values at risk. 3. Improve wildlife habitat summer, transition and winter range (i.e. Mule deer). 4. Improve and expand wildlife habitat for Greater sage grouse. A reduction of PJ encroachment into sagebrush communities in the Salina Creek area will also help enlarge habitat use opportunities for Greater sage grouse populations established in the area (approximately 2/3's portion of the project is within a PHMA). 5. Reduce sediment transfer and TDS into Salina Creek to improve water quality and improve and protect Bonneville cutthroat trout and Southern leatherside chub habitat (Intermountain Region Sensitive Species). To accomplish this end state, the Richfield Ranger District of the Fishlake National Forest (USFS), the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands (UFFSLs), and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR), Sevier County and adjacent private landowners have determined there is a need to treat ~6,300-11,000 acres of USFS and private lands that are also in the Old Woman Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit (CWMU). The lack of natural water sources across the Old Woman Plateau demonstrates the need to add a series of wildlife guzzlers in the area. Two Boss Tank 1,800 gallon/apron kits with appropriate fencing are proposed to enhance the success of the project.

Project goals include the following: 1. Implement a landscape level ecosystem restoration project with an increased pace and scale of implementation across boundaries. 2. Promote landscape level treatments on federal, state, and private lands located in the Salina Creek and Gooseberry areas with a collaborative effort between USFS, UFFSLs, UDWR and Private Landowners. 3. Minimize project costs by promoting cost effective treatments along with increased scale and size of treatments that will reduce overall cost/acre. 4. Manage forest cover types to provide variety in stand sizes shape, crown closure, edge contrast, age structure and interspersion. 5. Implement a landscape level ecosystem restoration project that will reduce hazardous fuels and reduce risk of catastrophic fire. 6. Improve wildlife habitat to provide quality habitat to improve the viability of local Mule deer populations. Project objectives include the following: 1. Improve and/or maintain the quality of habitat on big game summer, winter and transition habitat by thinning and prescribed burning with prior seeding in mechanical areas. Design forage to cover ratios to benefit a variety of wildlife species. 2. Improve and expand habitat for sensitive, threatened and endangered species such as Greater sage grouse, Bonneville cutthroat trout and Southern leatherside chub. 3. Improve or maintain quality of habitat for wild turkeys and upland game by increasing acres of grass and forb communities. 4. Reduce hazardous fuels while maintaining and improving fire resilient landscapes by improving the fire regime condition class to FRCC 1 and FRCC 2. 5. Increase overall forage production, habitat quality, and species diversity by treating in a mosaic pattern that will create biodiversity across the landscape. 6. Reduce sediment transfer and TDS in the long-term and reduce the risk of catastrophic fire through fuels reduction in Bonneville cutthroat trout and Southern leatherside chub-bearing streams. Refer to the Images/Documents section for additional species benefiting summary for this project. 7. Wildlife guzzler installation of two Boss Tanks guzzler kits will be placed in areas of the Old Woman Plateau where natural water sources are rare or non-existent. These 1,800 gallon fenced guzzler tanks will provide much needed water for all wildlife species found on the plateau. Wildlife distribution will be greatly enhanced. Photos showing use of previously installed guzzlers around the district show regular use by big game, small game, avian species, insects, etc.

Cost Prohibitive Ecological Threshold discussion This multi-year project has many goals, objectives, and outcomes. While many of those are related to biology and ecology, several are related to to social and fiscal outcomes. As stated, this area is at a risk for severe fire impacts throughout the watershed. Conservation practices in past phases of this project and in this phase will mitigate and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire. Wildfire suppression is one of the most costly activities land management agencies undertake every year and depletes much of land management agency budgets. Additionally, fire scar rehabilitation is one of the most costly land restoration activities conservation practitioners can undertake. Given the high threat of fire in this watershed, implementing conservation practices as part of this project will prevent fire suppression and restoration activities that may become cost prohibitive across the entire landscape. The time to do this project is now, while we can be proactive rather than being reactive after a severe wildfire burns through. We are tiptoeing the line between proactive and reactive here. In the prescribed fire and harrow treatment treatment areas the understory is still well intact and cost are very low and not cost prohibitive if we treat now. Forage productivity has diminished greatly over the past century and the PJ expansion continues on a yearly basis into the more productive sage/grass/forb communities. Some areas within the project have lost a majority of the understory sage/grasses/forbs, but other areas have not completely lost the understory. This entire area is at risk of large catastrophic wildfires that could adversely affect entire watersheds. North Horn soils also exist within and adjacent to the project area within these watersheds. This fragile soil type is prone to erosion if impacted by catastrophic wildfire. Completed treatments along with planned and future treatments reduce the risk/threat of fire at a landscape level to multiple watersheds and reduce the ecological threat that is present due to the existence of North Horn soils within the Salina Creek area all while promoting resilient landscapes. Refer to the "Fire/Fuels" Section for more detail. Wildfire suppression costs can be extremely high when suppressing fires in similar fuel types. By treating this area now, under our terms we can drastically reduce the economic cost compared to when a wildfire occurs. When wildfires occur, this could result in damage to private property and numerous structures, potential negative smoke and fire impacts to the SUFCO mine, increased erosion, greater opportunities for noxious weed establishment, impacts to available short-term forage, stream sedimentation, and possible mud slides/flooding events. Soil movement is especially susceptible in the North Horn soil type that is present. This project reduces the threat to sensitive riparian ecosystems located in the Salina Creek area such as Salina Creek and Beaver Creek that hold both Bonneville cutthroat trout and Southern leatherside chub fish species. Refer to the "Water Quality/Quantity" section for more detail. Social Threshold/Threat Risk Discussion Development is fairly high in this area on private land. This area has extremely high visitation for outdoor recreation. Plainly stated, development is an immediate threat to the ecology of this landscape. Helping ag producers remain profitable here is important to reduce the risk of landowners selling of grazing lands for development. Just recently the private land was purchased by the current landowner. Luckily he wanted the property for agricultural purposed and wildlife rather than developing cabin lots. Additionally, the high recreational visitation to this area provides local rural communities economic opportunities. A catastrophic wildfire will impact communities economically. Other Threats and Risks The greatest risk to this project's success is the possibility of cheat grass invasive species post treatment. This risk is somewhat elevational dependent on this project. The lowest elevations near valley floor pose the greatest risk. As treatments occur further up slope and/ or on northern slopes, the risk decreases. Seeding will occur on the project to promote grasses and forbs in the effort to outcompete the cheat grass. Ungulate browse pressure also poses a risk/threat on project success. Numerous projects have been implemented and more are planned to be implemented in the near future in this area. The combination of all these projects is in effort to increase the pace and scale of implementation to help disperse browse pressure of both wild and domestic ungulates. Ground surveys and site visits have allowed us to see the lack of understory plants in the PJ complex in the Gooseberry Creek, Salina Creek and Lost Creek areas. Forage productivity has diminished greatly over the past century and the PJ encroachment continues on a yearly basis into the more productive sage/grass/forb communities. Some areas within the project have lost a majority of the understory sage/grasses/forbs, but other areas have not completely lost the understory. One of the biggest threats realized in this area is if left untreated these areas with some understory of sagebrush/grasses/forbs left will eventually be gone as well. This will continue to be "poor" habitat and range for ungulate animals. The area serves as transition range and winter range for big game and because it is in poor condition animals fail to remain in this zone for the season of use that should be normal. ~800 acres) of the PJ in the project is in phase II but is about to cross the threshold into phase III dominated PJ and lose the remaining understory. The other portion (~1,700 acres) of this project is in phase I with portions about to cross the threshold into phase II. If left untreated these areas with productive sage/grass/forb communities will degrade in productivity and treatment costs in the future will go up dramatically. As PJ has become dominate on the landscape and the loss of understory vegetation increases, big game and small game animals are experiencing a loss of foraging habitat. This project will increase and maintain the availability of a diverse suite of vegetational communities. A healthy landscape has a diversity of vegetational states within an ecological site. A diverse landscape benefits a larger community of wildlife species and people. A diverse landscape is also more resistance and resilient to disturbance. By allowing this landscape to continue to move further into a dominant PJ woodland it increases the risk of losing the sites ability for resistance to disturbance and its resilience to bounce back and heal after a disturbance. Another large threat is if left untreated, the areas with some understory of sagebrush/grasses/forbs remaining will continue to decrease. This will continue to be "poor" habitat and range for ungulate animals. Poor habitat condition overtime would also diminish diversity of flora and fauna in the local ecosystem. Big game and small game animals are experiencing a loss of foraging habitat. This expansion of more PJ and reduced sage/grass/forb habitat has contributed to the decrease in Mule deer populations, other wildlife species, and Greater sage grouse habitat in the area. This expansion factor also contributes to the problem of big game moving closer to higher elevation aspen and local agricultural crops in the valleys to find sustainable forage. If acres of National Forest System lands and private/CWMU lands are returned to properly functioning condition it is possible that big game animals will spend more time on these lands and not as much on agricultural lands. The USFS, UFFSLs and private property owners expects that long-term cumulative effects from this project will be positive.

1) This action responds to the goals and objectives outlined in the Fishlake National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (1986) (LRMP). The purpose and need for this project are consistent with Fishlake National Forest goals and objectives found in Chapter IV of the Forest Plan. The proposed treatment units are within the following management areas: * 5A- Big Game Winter Range (majority of proposed acres) and * 4B - Habitat for Management Indicator Species. This proposal is consistent with and it responds to Fishlake Forest Plan direction for wildlife management in areas 5A and 4B. * Reduce hazardous fuels: consistent with forest and MA emphasis and direction (Utah Fire Amendment, pg. A-41) 2) Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Elk Management Plan: This project will help introduce species diversity back into the Salina Creek areas, supporting local elk populations and enhancing elk habitat. NF. 3) The Greater Plateau Elk Complex Elk Management Plan (2016) lists range improvements in the habitat objectives section. This project specifically addresses the components listed under range improvements in that it enhances forage production and habitat quality through direct range improvements on winter range within the unit. The Greater Plateau Elk Complex goes on to mention that "focus will be on high use areas especially where we can entice animals away from agricultural areas." 4) Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Mule Deer Management Plan: This project will help introduce species diversity back into the Salina Creek area. A mosaic design is part of the implementation strategy to create a pattern of treated and un-treated acres that will create an increase of biodiversity. Mule deer population numbers are low in the Salina Creek areas. Habitat improvement from this project will help provide quality habitat to improve the viability of local Mule deer populations. 5) Utah Wild Turkey Management Plan: Newly treated areas through fire or mechanical means will attract use by wild turkey. Insects and new growth will be readily available to support turkey populations. This project will provide more foraging opportunities for wild turkey as grasses and forbs provide insects and seed. 6) UDWR Wildlife Action Plan: This project is geared toward meeting the goals found within this plan for a variety of wildlife species from large too small. 7) National Cohesive Strategy: This project is in line with the strategy. By means of prescribed fire and mechanical thinning at a landscape scale, the resulting mosaic of early and late successional forests will work toward the goal of restoring and maintaining resilient landscapes. 8) State of Utah Catastrophic Wildfire Reduction Strategy: The Salina Creek Ecosystems Restoration Project aligns with the mission of the State of Utah's Catastrophic Wildfire Reduction Strategy. The project reduces the risk of a catastrophic wildfire occurrence negatively affecting property, air quality and water systems. 9) Grazing Allotment Plans: The amount of forage available to livestock within the affected allotments in the Salina Creek area is expected to increase significantly as a result of this project. With the removal of pinion/juniper, the amount of grasses and forbs in the sagebrush is also expected to increase significantly. With increased forage, ungulate distribution is expected to improve. 10) Bald Eagle Management Plan and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 668-668d) is a United States federal statute that protects two species of eagle. There are nesting golden eagles in the project area. They nest in the sandstone cliffs and canyons of the Old Woman Plateau. Bald eagles migrate to the area in late October and remain through late March. Treatments will attract wildlife species that are common prey to eagles and other raptors. Wintering Bald Eagles utilize the project area and treatments would improve life cycle opportunities for them. 11) Sevier County Resource Management Plan; This project is congruent with the policies and desired management practices found in Sevier County's Resource Management Plan. Policies (all from pages 6-7). 12) Central Utah Fire Management Plan (FMP): a. Greater use of vegetation management to meet resource management objectives b. Hazardous fuels treatments will be used to restore ecosystems; protect human, natural and cultural resources; and reduce the threat of wildfire to communities. 13) Accord Lakes CWPP Goal 1: Minimize the potential wildland fire threat to life safety. This project works to achieve Goal 1 Accord Lakes CWPP by reducing fuel loading and lowering the potential of wildland fire spread across the Salina Creek area. 14) Conservation Agreement and Strategy for Bonneville Cutthroat Trout. This project aligns with conservation actions listed in the Conservation Agreement and Strategy for Bonneville cutthroat trout. a. Southern Bonneville Management Unit management actions: "Fires and floods are a threat to small, isolated BCT populations. These threats are usually associated with fragmented habitat. Small populations potentially are subject to random events that threaten their existence. Such threats decrease with increasing populations, population size, habitat complexity and connectedness." Implementation of this project will reduce the threat of catastrophic fire and the associated negative impacts to Bonneville cutthroat trout in Salina Creek.

Enhancing the habitat in these areas will result in reducing hazardous fuel accumulations and breaking up the continuous fuel bed of PJ and mountain brush that currently exist in the Salina Creek and Old Woman Plateau areas. This treatment will promote a fire resilient environment that reduces the risk for large scale, intense wildland fires, with less risk to public and firefighter safety. Fire risk would be reduced to multiple watersheds, and the communities of Accord lakes and Salina Creek. This also results in lower risk to sensitive wildlife species (i.e. Greater sage grouse, Bonneville cutthroat trout and Southern leatherside chub which are located within and/or directly adjacent to the planned treatment areas. This project will reduce the risk for large scale, intense wildland fires along with potential smoke impacts to the SUFCO Mine, Interstate 70 and the high voltage powerlines that run through the project area. The communities in Accord lakes and Salina Creek, consisting of numerous structures, are all located directly adjacent the project boundaries. The SUFCO coal mine is located in close proximity to this phase of the project. Existing wildfire risk index in the project area ranges mostly from moderate-high. The dominant southwest wind flow in conjunction with associated fire behavior expected from the PJ, mountain shrub, and mixed conifer/aspen fuel types pose significant wildland fire risk to these areas and values. A majority of the planned prescribed burn treatments will be occurring on the southwest side of these values that will create a large, treated buffer that will significantly reduce the risk of fire to these values. This low to mid-level project compliments completed and future planned treatments that will be occurring on the Old Woman Plateau within the Ponderosa pine ecosystems. It also directly compliments a completed fuel break along the Accord Lakes subdivision private property treatment that is located along portions of the private property boundary near both communities. All these projects combined reduce the risk of fire at a landscape level to multiple communities and watersheds in the Salina Creek area while promoting resilient landscapes. Treatments on this project will be occurring in mixed conifer/aspen, sagebrush and mountain mixed brush ecological communities. Restoring uplands within all of these ecological communities will reduce impacts from future wildfires along with reducing risks of future impairment to the watersheds that contain North Horn soils. North Horn soils are present directly adjacent to, and within portions of the project. This project will help reduce the risk to this soil type with increased erosion potential by reducing the risk of catastrophic wildland fire from negatively impacting areas with the North Horn soil. ~1,500-2,000 acres of project is within fire regime II -- 35-100+ year frequency and mixed severity (less than 75% of the dominant overstory vegetation replaced); The Fire Regime Condition Class (FRCC) is estimated to be both moderate (FRCC 2) and high (FRCC 3) departure from the central tendency of the natural (historical) regime. The central tendency is a composite estimate of vegetation characteristics (species composition, structural stages, stand age, canopy closure, and mosaic pattern); fuel composition; fire frequency, severity, and pattern; and other associated natural disturbances. The majority of this project (5,000 acres) would be in FRCC 2 and FRCC 1. This project will improve or maintain the fire regime condition class to FRCC 1 from FRCC 2.

WATER QUALITY: This project is in the Salina Creek watershed and includes the following tributary streams to Salina Creek: Beaver Creek, Skutumpah Creek, and Meadow Creek. All the mentioned basins contain perennial water bodies and riparian systems. Salina Creek is listed as a 303d watershed for Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). Sources for TDS loading in Salina Creek are primarily from Land and Streambank Erosion/Natural Geology (98% contributor) and Irrigation return flows (2% contributor) (UDWQ). This project will improve ground cover and reduce sediment transfer, reducing TDS in Salina Creek. Project treatments may result in short to moderate term impacts to water quality, but project design features aim to improve water quality on a long-term scale. Project efforts in the Salina Creek watershed that improve ground cover will likely reduce sediment transfer into the lower watershed system, benefiting downstream water users and ecosystems. Water flows from Beaver Creek into Salina Creek which then flows into the Sevier River. The Sevier River is also listed as a 303d waterbody for Total Dissolved Solids, Sediment, Total Phosphorous, and Habitat Alteration (UDWQ). As Salina Creek and its tributaries are improved at a watershed scale through project efforts, sediment transfer into Salina Creek and subsequent Sevier River will likely be reduced. Restoring uplands will reduce the impacts future wildfires and reduce the risk of future impairment. Treatments will considerably lessen the risk of catastrophic large-scale high severity fires that could result in long-term watershed degradation, including habitat loss for Bonneville cutthroat trout and Southern leatherside chub. Refer to the "Fire/Fuels" section for more details. WATER QUANTITY: By maintaining watershed function, long-term water quality will be maintained or enhanced. By removing PJ, it is anticipated that water quantity will be enhanced (seeps, springs, bogs--improved) in the short and long term. Some research indicates that PJ removal in mountain sagebrush can increase soil water availability (Roundy et al. 2014). PJ removal activities should have a net positive effect on increasing water yield/availability as fewer conifer trees use water. Since the area suffers from a diminished understory of grass and forbs, the planned aerial seeding will be an important factor to establish future soil stability and reduce the risk of erosion. Seeding of rangelands with native and/or drought-tolerant vegetation in the Salina Creek watershed was recommended as a Best Management Practice to reduce TDS in Salina Creek (UDWQ). Improving ground cover, reducing catastrophic fire risk, and reseeding understory areas with grasses and forbs should reduce sedimentation and erosion in Salina Creek and thereby increase water quality. These benefits will translate to better habitat for Bonneville cutthroat trout and Southern leatherside chub. Both the potential increase in herbaceous vegetation and the masticated or chained tree material should help stabilize the soils by reducing erosion and protect the water quality throughout the watershed. By removing PJ this should allow for more precipitation to contact the soil and increase biomass on the ground. In areas where hand thinning will be used there should be adequate vegetation to avoid soil erosion, but this should increase the amount of water into the system instead of evaporating before it reaches the ground. Wet meadows and upland plants benefit by utilizing the increase soil moisture, providing for better resiliency during drought years. North Horn soils exist with the project area that are prone to movement and erosion after fires or disturbances. This project reduces risk to the North Horn soils that have potential to increase sedimentation into Salina Creek if impacted by catastrophic wildfire. This provides for an increase in water quantity for herbaceous plants on sites where PJ is removed. Sevier County: In Sevier County's Water Quality and Hydrology section under Desired Management Practices the statement below supports these types of projects. 3. Where water resources on public lands have diminished because grasses have succeeded to pinyon-juniper and other woody vegetation, a vigorous program of mechanical treatments should be applied to promptly remove this woody vegetation and biomass, stimulate the return of the grasses to historic levels, and thereby provide a watershed that maximizes water yield and water quality for livestock, wildlife, and human uses (pg. 24).

The Fishlake National Forest Pinyon and Juniper Project Decision Notice was signed on December 5th, 2019 which covers the USFS portion of this project. The Fishlake National Forest has begun consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office. Archaeological, wildlife, and plant surveys have been completed for this phase of implementation. The burn plans are reviewed, and each ignition is approved through the Utah State Smoke Management Plan, as described in Utah Rule 307-204. This decision will meet the Utah State Smoke Management Plan requirements and therefore comply with the Clean Air Act.

Both Bullhog and Chain Harrow mechanical and prescribed fire treatments would continue to be implemented within ~6,300-11,000 acres on USFS and private lands that are also part of the Old Woman Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit (CWMU). This project can be split into various phases/units of treatment based on available funding. Treatment methods include the following: 1) Aerial seeding followed by a mastication thinning contract treating ~1,394 acres (Fall or spring 2023). The District will seed with a mix of brush, grass and forbs. The seed mix design contains a variety of species to provide forage and seed for a variety of big game, small game, upland game and avian populations in the area. 2) Prescribed fire implementation on ~5,000-9,700 acres mixed with 300-500 acres of sage brush Chain Harrow treatments on USFS lands (Harrow work will be accomplished via 1 dozer rental and Chain Harrow operated by USFS employees), and prescribed fire only on private/CWMU lands utilizing USFS, UFFSLs, and local VFD resources with aerial ignition (Spring 2023/2024). 3) The USFS Seasonal wildlife, botany, and range crew is also needed to complete required wildlife, plant, range/weed control monitoring and surveys for future planned treatment phases. Surveys for this phase have been completed. Funding is being requested to complete these required surveys on future phases of this project. (Summer/Fall 2023). 4) Two Boss Tank Wildlife Guzzler Kits with surrounding fencing are proposed on the Old Woman Plateau. Guzzler sites will be constructed in areas out beyond natural water sources. Natural water sources are limited in the project area. Conservation groups and Dedicated hunters would assist in the installation of the guzzler kits and fencing. Added water from guzzlers will help distribute wildlife foraging across the landscape. Guzzler placement will be where water has never been available or long distance travel is required. Slopes over 40% and/or areas classified as Phase I PJ encroachment will be hand thinned utilizing chainsaws. Slopes under 40% and/or areas classified as Phase II and III PJ encroachment will be thinned utilizing mastication and chaining by machine. Prescribed fire will be utilized in the upper elevations of the project or northern slopes that are over 40% where cheatgrass invasion is less of a concern. Prescribed fire treatments will be implemented utilizing aerial and/or hand ignition techniques targeting PJ encroached mountain shrub areas with mosaic burn patterns and mixed burn severities. To maintain Fishlake Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP) compliance, a mosaic treatment pattern with travel corridors will be designed into the project to allow some hiding, thermal and migration cover for big game. This diversity will help create a mix of life cycle benefits for a variety of wildlife and insect species. Curl-leaf mahogany and other key brush species will be designed away from fire opportunities to maintain browse integrity. Where mastication treatments are applied a pattern design will also include leave trees of pinyon in a variety of age classes. This will help maintain PJ dependent avian species. Treatment design will be created on the ground to provide forage to cover ratios that will benefit a variety of flora and fauna. Chain Harrow treatments will focus on lower elevations consisting of primarily sagebrush with the objective of thinning decadent sage in areas that the prescribed fire treatments are planned to be avoided. A decent understory of grasses and forbs are present and no seeding of the area will be needed. Harrowing sagebrush will increase the grass-forb component and create more and suitable acres for ungulates to forage. Ungulate foraging in the harrowed areas has proven in the past to attract heavy use away from prescribed burn areas in aspen and mountain brush habitats.

Throughout implementation of this project, elk, deer, and other Management Indicator Species along with range conditions will continue to be monitored annually, following USFS wildlife and range protocols (vegetation monitoring cages and vegetation transects). Long-term avian surveys have been conducted in Salina Creek (from dam north) and the Old Woman Plateau areas. Electronic survey instruments to detect bats and birds were introduced in Salina Creek in 2019. These surveys will continue through the Richfield RD wildlife section. Deer counts in the Accord Lakes area will continue to be completed annually. We will continue to conduct this route to monitor deer and elk use within the treatment areas. Post-season deer numbers remain low in the area (not indicative of the unit as a whole) which would lead us to believe that vegetation projects on summer, transition and winter range are needed to help keep deer healthy as in other parts of the range. Treatment areas will be seeded and monitored post-implementation. Fuels treatment monitoring will take place involving multiple repeatable photo points. Fuels monitoring plots will be established within the project. Plots will be visited 1 year, 3 year, and 5-year post treatment to monitor vegetation response and ground cover. This will be accomplished by the Forest Service SCA Monitoring Crew. Bonneville cutthroat trout and Southern leatherside chub monitoring will occur to assess project impacts and ensure they are at levels conducive to population recovery. Monitoring will also provide information to improve design of future large-scale treatments to reduce aquatic impacts. UDWR and USFS fisheries personnel monitor Bonneville cutthroat trout on a seven-year rotation in the middle Sevier River Watershed. Salina Creek is included in this monitoring plan and will be next monitored in 2024. Southern leatherside chubs will also be accounted for in this monitoring effort. Population and condition factor changes will be analyzed, as well as limited aquatic habitat monitoring.

One of the main goals of this project is to promote treatment efforts on federal, state, and private lands located in the Salina Creek areas with a collaborative effort between USFS, UFFSLs, UDWR, Sevier County, and private landowners. Coordination meetings are taking place between USFS, UFFSLs, UDWR and private landowners to plan collaborative treatments that will mutually benefit all agencies along with promoting landscape-level restoration. This project will include prescribed fire and mechanical treatments on private and USFS managed lands located in Sevier County through cross boundary collaboration. There is an agreement between the USFS, UFFSLs and private landowners as part of an inter-agency burn plan. This agreement and inter-agency burn plan allows for prescribed fire treatments to occur on both USFS and private lands (which are also a CWMU). A Good Neighbor Agreement and a Supplemental Project Agreement (SPA) with UFFSLs are currently in place that will allow inter-agency coordination and ability to utilize and include local volunteer fire departments and state fire resources during prescribed fire planning and implementation of the prescribed fire using the prepared inter-agency burn plan. This project will compliment previously accomplished treatments on all these land jurisdictions with overall benefits being at a landscape scale. UFFSLs across boundary work has already been completed on private lands as part of this project that includes prescribed burning and mechanical treatments. UFFSLs are also planning on completing more treatment in the future on private property. The expansion factor of the PJ also contributes to the problem of big game moving closer to higher elevation aspen and local agricultural crops in the valleys to find sustainable forage. During project planning the local UDWR biologists offered suggestions that were incorporated and offered support for the project. The Sevier County Commissioners are supportive of this project. Local ranchers/livestock grazing permit holders are also supportive of this project. During project scoping, no opposition from the public was shared. The Grand Canyon Trust NGO is also in support of this project. Those in attendance during planning and the decision signing expressed their support for active management. Inter-agency agreements with the BLM are also in place. This will allow for an inter-agency effort during implementation of the prescribed fire along with utilizing BLM work force as needed during portions of the mechanical implementation. SUFCO Mine is a cooperating partner on this project. SUFCO Mine is very supportive of this project and active management around the mine. Multiple meetings have been held with mine staff discussing planned projects in the area along with implementation meetings during Phase 1 of this this project. Smoke and fire impacts to air intake systems of the mine infrastructure are a concern and therefore require close coordination during prescribed fire activities. This coordination with the SUFCO mine partners will need to continue to occur during this phase of the project. This project is also being implemented in collaboration with our partners from the Utah Department of Agriculture and Foods and the local livestock permit holders.

FUTURE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT: By continually promoting a collaborative effort between USFS, UFFSLs, UDWR, and private landowners, it is anticipated that a long-term level of success will be obtained on all the current and future treatments in the Salina Creek area. Future maintenance of projects to protect investments made by USFS, UWRI, UFFSLs and Private landowner have been addressed and allowed through the project planning document (NEPA). Adaptive management has been allowed for in the NEPA documents. Many tools have been analyzed in the NEPA planning process to allow other methods in the future. As future PJ expansion occurs, maintenance/re-treatment of this project via additional entries of prescribed fire, hand thinning of new PJ growth/whips is expected to be implemented to maintain the integrity of this project and the anticipated continued PJ expansion. Increased pace and scale of restoration type projects in this area is currently underway. Multiple projects have been and are currently being implemented and more are being planned in this area. This project directly coordinates at a watershed and landscape level with the planned Ponderosa Pine Ecosystem Restoration Project that is currently in the planning stages. This ponderosa project will cover a majority of the Ponderosa pine ecosystems located in and around the Old Woman Plateau near the Salina Creek area. This Salina Creek Project along with the planned Ponderosa Pine Ecosystems Restoration Project will include landscape level treatments in the majority lower to mid-level areas in the Salina Creek area. These projects combined are in an effort to disperse browse pressure of both wild and domestic ungulates and improve watershed health across the entire area. The UFFSLs agreement with private landowners on the CWMU will also help facilitate future phases of prescribed burning that are planned on the Old Woman Plateau areas and the upcoming planned Ponderosa Pine Ecosystem Restoration Project. Collaborative efforts between USFS, UFFSLs, UDWR and private landowners is occurring to learn of future projects in the area that will help enlarge the footprint of USFS treatments by treating additional acres on private lands as well. This low to mid-level elevation phase of the project compliments completed and future planned treatments that will be occurring in the Salina Creek area. Thousands of acres are available for treatment in and around the Salina Creek and the Old Woman Plateau areas in the future through the Fishlake National Forest Pinyon and Juniper Project. This project will already directly compliment completed treatment on both private property and USFS land in the area. This phase along with future planned phases of this project have the potential to treat upwards of 30,000+ acres of USFS land in the Salina Creek and the Old Woman Plateau areas and will be establish an anchor point to continue with several thousand acres of future planned prescribed fires in the area. This planned landscape-scale project will also directly compliment planned future treatments on Accord Lakes and Salina Creek private properties. Treatment areas will be monitored post-implementation. If noxious and/or invasive weeds are detected, the District will take the appropriate actions to control spread and eliminate the noxious and/or invasive weeds from the treatment areas. Since the area suffers from a diminished understory of grass and forbs, seeding will be an important factor to establish future soil stability and forage opportunities. Implementation of this project will reduce the risk of catastrophic high severity wildland fire; thus, reducing the risk to the public and firefighters. This also reduces the risk to private property. Health and public safety are improved. To maintain these treatment areas, the desire is future naturally caused fires within or near the project area can be managed (if possible, not suppressed). With this reduced risk, future management of naturally caused fires may be possible to allow fire to play greatest feasible natural role in the environment, thus potentially further reducing risk to public and firefighters. FUTURE RANGE MANAGEMENT: As habitat is improved for ungulates (deer, elk, cattle, sheep) and additional forage becomes available, the USFS expects the flexibility and management of ungulates will improve, hopefully with less controversy. Maintaining healthy populations of wildlife, while also responding to the needs of livestock permittees, is expected to become easier. District will ensure the seeded areas are temporary rested from livestock use for 2-3 growing seasons. This information will be incorporated into Annual Operating Instructions. These actions will help ensure that permittees are in the communication loop and will give them enough time to plan for the resources they need to continue their operations. If needed, impacts to permittees will be minimized by the use of herding and temporary electric fences so that treatment areas can be temporarily rested while non-treatment areas can continue to be grazed.

PUBLIC and ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY: The Salina Creek and Old Woman Plateau areas are very popular for camping, hiking, sight-seeing, wildlife viewing, fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, and ATV trail riding. Miles of hiking and prominent ATV trails exists. With the Sevier County ATV Jamboree each year, riders from across the country enjoy riding trails in this area and enjoy camping and recreating. Treatments will promote a renewed resilient beautiful sustainable forest that will be enjoyed by future generations. Multiple contracts are planned during this phase of treatment along with future planned phases. This project benefits Multiple contracts are planned during this phase of treatment along with future planned phases. This project benefits the local communities by providing private companies work and associated economic benefits. Efforts are being made to promote commercial sale of Juniper fence posts from project areas. the local communities by providing private companies work and associated economic benefits. The SUFCO coal mine is a high production coal mine with high economic value to the surrounding area. This project will reduce the risk for large scale, intense wildland fires and potential smoke impacts to the coal mine that will allow continued coal production and economic benefits the SUFCO mine provides to the county and local communities. This project will promote sustainability for a variety of sportsmen and sportswomen along with providing more hunting and fishing opportunities for future generations. Treatments are planned to occur on the Old Woman Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit (CWMU) in conjunction with treatments on USFS land. CWMUs provide public hunter access onto private property. This project will promote and benefit not only hunting on USFS land but also private land that is a CWMU as well. This project promotes sustaining hunting of big game such as elk and deer along with small game such as bear, cougar, bobcat, grouse and wild turkey in the Salina Creek and Old Woman Plateau areas. By providing better hunting opportunities this project economically supports the hunting and fishing private commercial industries. Treatments like this have potential to increase wildlife numbers and potential hunting opportunities to future generations. A main goal of these treatments is to enhance habitat on USFS and private lands (which are also a CWMU) to promote increased utilization of big game animals and lessen the impact on private agricultural lands. Salina Creek is a popular hunting area for big game, fishing (a variety of fish species), hunting, camping, wildlife viewing, site seeing, hiking, snowmobiling, ATV riding, private land ownership, wild turkeys and a variety of upland game and non-game species. Restoring uplands on this project will reduce the impacts future wildfires and reduce the risk of future impairment. Forest visitors use adjacent areas for firewood gathering and Christmas tree harvesting. Efforts are being made to promote commercial sale of Juniper fence posts from the project areas. FORAGE PRODUCTION or IMPROVED DISTRIBUTION: Forage productivity has diminished greatly over the past century and the PJ expansion continues on a yearly basis into the more productive sage/grass/forb communities. As PJ is thinned or areas are treated with prescribed fire, understory vegetation increases, wild and domestic ungulates will experience an increase in foraging habitat. Through the mechanical thinning, PJ expansion is addressed, and sagebrush, grasses, and forbs are promoted. This in return moves the sage/grass/forb ecosystems on a trajectory toward improved forage conditions thus improving ecosystems for both wildlife and livestock. Portions of the project are currently not being grazed due to the lack of understory and PJ expansion. This project has the potential to improve distribution of domestic livestock into new areas. The amount of forage available to livestock is expected to increase significantly as a result of this project. With the removal of PJ, the amount of usable grasses and forbs and sagebrush is expected to increase significantly. With increased forage, ungulate distribution is expected to improve. Many areas that are currently unproductive due to overgrowth will soon become desirable for future uses by ungulates. OTHER SUSTAINABLE USES of NATURAL RESOURCES: This project protects and enhances the Salina Creek watershed. Refer to the "Fire/Fuels" section for more details. Treatments will improve winter transition and summer ranges that will benefit wildlife along with improving water quality and reducing risk to necessary fish habitat and watersheds.

06/01/2023

06/30/2024

2024

1) Roughly 8,087 acres of prescribed fire was completed on both USFS (~6,831 acres) and Private Lands (~1,256 acres). Prescribed fire was treated both spring/fall 2023 and spring 2024. Pondersosa Pine, mixed conifer/aspen, oak, and pj fuel types were targeted throughout the area with the objective of burning 60% mosaic leaving 40% unburned. Prescribed fire was implemented by USFS firefighting resources along with State of Utah Division of Forestry Fire and State lands (FFSL) and Local Volunteer Fire Departments (VFD) Resources. Aerial ignition was completed by contract services through USFS Fire and Aviation. Within the prescribed fire are mapped there was also 703 acres of Dixie harrow sagebrush treatments intermixed throughout the prescribed burn treatments on USFS land. Completed Summer and Fall 2023 2)Seed was applied on approx. 1,396 acres prior to implementation of a mastication contract. Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) aerial seeding and mastication contracts were utilized. Seeding occurred Fall 2023 and mastication occurred both fall 2023 and spring/early summer 2024. 3) Two wildlife guzzlers were installed on the Old Woman Plateau in conjunction with volunteers with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation during summer 2023.

Working with local USFS,UFFSLs and landowners to complete needed treatments in the Salina Creek area. The purpose of the treatments are to enhance wildlife and habitat for numerous species including big game winter and transition range. This project also helps protect sensitive fish species located in Salina Creek. Interstate 70, private land with structures, and utility corridors are also being protected by reducing wildfire risk to the area. Project is complementing previous phases on both private and USFS lands in the area. This project includes private and USFS lands and is jointly being completed in collaboration with FFSL, private landowners and the USFS. This phase of the project was a continuation of the previous phases and focused on the prescribed fire treatments on both USFS and private lands. The mastication portion of this project also occurred and created a buffer between private lands and several homes locate in Salina Creek. This sets up for future prescribed burning planned in this area during planned upcoming phases. Wildlife, botany, and range surveys were completed for future phases of this project as well.

Planning to install two more guzzlers during phase 6 of the project along with extensive prescribed fire targeting the ponderosa pine and mixed conifer/aspen ecosystems. Working with private landowners, UFFSLs and livestock ranchers in preparation for prescribed fire implementation. Mastication/seeded areas will be rested 2-3 years from grazing.