Wildlife fencing to facilitate mule deer migration through the corridor. Preserve open space and functionality of the corridor from development and recreation. Between now and 2030, 20+ miles of fence will be needed to accomplish the goal of preserving the corridor. Human development in Salt Lake and Utah counties now spans the entire valley bottoms between the Wasatch front and the Oquirrh Mountains/Lake Mountains. The impacts that this has had on wildlife is shown through multiple forms of evidence including; loss of native biodiversity, increased human-wildlife conflicts, and direct wildlife mortality on roads. The city of Eagle Mountain has begun expanding the development into the valley between the Lake Mountains and the southern end of the Oquirrh Mountains. Eagle Mountain is currently the 4th largest city in Utah in terms of area but is only ~22% developed as of 2022. The low proportion of developed space in the city and the desire of city leadership to preserve open space provides the opportunity to proactively plan to avoid impacts on wildlife in Eagle Mountain that have already occurred in the cities of Salt Lake and Utah Counties. If no space is preserved for a corridor in Eagle Mountain there will be a loss of genetic connectivity and the risk of increased human/wildlife conflicts in the area.

-Preserve open space and the functionality of the wildlife migration corridor. -Limit impacts of development and recreation in and adjacent to this migration corridor. -Place fencing in key areas to better assist with the funneling of wildlife into this corridor allowing them to move through the city with the least amount of human wildlife conflict. -Fence the entire migration corridor in key areas. -Continue to look for opportunities to improve habitat within the migration corridor and in open spaces adjacent to the corridor to provide necessary resources for wildlife to continue to use the corridor and reduce their need to move into developed areas for resources.

Increased and continued recreation use. Risk: discontinued migration Eagle Mountain City is currently only 20% developed but is rapidly growing. If no corridor is preserved in this area the existing route used by migrating deer and the space used by other species will be cut off by home, businesses, and roads. The loss of space and connectivity to habitats will results in the loss of native and genetic biodiversity, increased human-wildlife conflicts, and increased direct wildlife mortality on roads. Once this area is developed it would be extremely cost prohibitive to restore the historical migration paths of wildlife in the area.

Utah Mule Deer Statewide Management Plan- "To address deer/vehicle collisions, DWR and our partners have worked to identify deer migration routes and locations where deer are commonly hit on roadways. This information has allowed us to know where to place underpasses and fences to increase deer survival. These studies have also provided data on the types of underpasses and structures these animals will use (Cramer 2014). Although costly, these efforts are helping to prevent future collisions, increase public safety, and minimize deer mortalities." Additionally, they will "Conserve, improve, and restore mule deer habitat throughout the state with emphasis on crucial ranges." "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." Utah's Wildlife Migration Initiative -- specifically states that we are to "...identify and preserve wildlife migration corridors" DOI Secretarial Order 3362 - "... improve the quality of big-game winter range and migration corridor habitat on Federal lands under the management jurisdiction of this Department in a way that recognizes state authority to conserve and manage big-game species and respects private property rights. Utah Wildlife Action Plan (WAP) - The project area includes multiple key terrestrial habitats identified in the WAP including Lowland Sagebrush, Mountain Sagebrush, and Mountain Shrub. Sentential Landscape bill (2018) - there is further recognition from the state on the importance of open lands and the preservation of these open lands. See also Camp Williams INRMP, Private lands/conservation easements https://ut.ng.mil/Resources/Environmental-Resources-Management/Natural-Resources/. The Eagle Mountain City Plan- The city of Eagle mountain and its leadership has expressed great interest in preserving the natural setting of the area wherever possible. This project has been explicitly endorsed by the Mayor and City Planner of Eagle Mountain City. Eagle Mountain also passed city code 17.49 to specifically protect this migration corridor. See https://www.codepublishing.com/UT/EagleMountain/html/EagleMountain17/EagleMountain1749.html

green strips to act as a firebreak. Cheatgrass threatens homes and infrastructure in this area. Cheatgrass dries out earlier in the summer and is a continuous fuel load where fire can easily carry through quickly. This corridor can act as both a natural and enhanced fuel break. Eagle Mountain City is already planting a wildlife, 'green' friendly rangeland seed mix in these areas. This seed mix is designed to compete with non-native invasives such as Russian thistle and cheatgrass. These invasives threaten homes and infrastructure in this area. (EM City Seed mix, see attached) Additionally, Eagle Mountain works each year with Unified Fire Authority to reduce fuel loads in key areas in this corridor.

By reducing the threat of fire from cheatgrass we will be protecting the crucial water supply to the City of Eagle Mountain. Shrub/seed planting preventing mud slides and erosion from damaging homes and infrastructure. This project will also improve a drainage ditch with seasonal flow within the corridor used by wildlife, preventing erosion along the drainage ditch.

Cultural clearances will be conducted in-house with UDWR archaeologists prior to implementation. Any actions taken on federal and state lands will be assessed by appropriate agencies and completed before actions occur.

Installation of $120,000ish of 8' wildlife fence. Habitat improvement will be done by controlling non-native annual grasses through the use of aerial granular plateau application. ~5000 shrubs and seedlings with browsing cages will be planted within the corridor to provide cover and resources for migration wildlife.

Eagle Mountain City will conduct regular inspection of permanent fences is a part of an ongoing maintenance program that ensures proper function of the fence for the lifespan of the practice. To include the following: 1-conduct inspections of fences after storms and other disturbance events, 2-repair or replacement of loose or broken material, gates, and other forms of ingress and egress, 3-removal of trees or shrubs that are encroaching into the fence, 4-repair of eroded areas as necessary, 5-repair or replacement of markers or other safety and control features as required, 6-maintain fladry or signage as necessary. The migration routes in and around Eagle Mountain were identified by data gathered using GPS collars. The successful of this project would be able to continue to be monitored using the same collars and collars placed on additional individual deer and other species, such as pronghorn. The success of this project will also be able to monitored through analysis of roadkill data observed on the Utah Wildlife-vehicle Collision Reporter app.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has been working closely with leadership and city planners of the City of Eagle Mountain to plan a route to preserve. Also, collaborations with the BLM, Utah National Guard (Sentinel Landscapes), UDOT, Sportsman Groups, and other partners of the Utah Wildlife Migration Initiative. Eagle Mountain and UDWR representatives have met with landowners within the proposed corridor and signed a memorandum of understanding to work together to accomplish the goal of preserving a migration corridor through the city. Much of this work will be done and coordinated by the UDWR with support from the other partners that will provide sportsmen and public volunteers and technical advice throughout the process. UDWR will monitor the success of the fencing and habitat projects.

The preservation of this area is a multi-year project. Once the entire project is complete the corridor will be preserved for the benefit and use of wildlife. Maintenance of highway fencing will be UDOT's responsibility. Other management responsibility in the area will go to the city of Eagle Mountain with support from the UDWR.

The main purpose of this project is to protect the functionality of the wildlife migration corridor through Eagle Mountain by restricting development within the proposed corridor, keeping recreational impacts to a minimum, and ensure wildlife have a relatively safe passage through the city. The project will support wildlife populations indefinitely if the corridor is sustained. This project will also protect lands from development that can also be used for livestock grazing.

07/01/2023

06/30/2024

2024

The Eagle Mountain Wildlife Migration Corridor Preservation project is a long-term multi-phased project with partners working together to preserve a crucial mule deer migration corridor in Utah County. Approximately 9000 feet of wildlife exclusionary fence was installed in the fall of 2023. 1928 feet of wildlife exclusion fence was installed along the Camp Williams south boundary to tie into the corridor fence. Over 300 seedling shrubs were planted on 20 acres of the Eagle Mountain City designated Wildlife Migration Corridor with the help of Eagle Mountain City, citizen, and sportsman group volunteers. The disturbed area inside the corridor fence totaling approximately 20 acres was reseeded with a mule deer-focused seedmix.

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources worked with various partners including Eagle Mountain City, UDOT, MDF, UAA, NFWF, Camp Williams, and Eagle Mountain Nature and Wildlife Alliance, to identify, fund, and implement this project. Since the completion of the main portion of the fence on SR-73, there have been 24 collisions reported averaging 1.45/month or 17/year, most of which were concentrated at or near the at-grade crossing left to allow animals to migrate between winter and summer ranges. The five-year average for the same area was 28 reported collisions before the construction of the highway fence. We anticipate the number of wildlife collisions to be further reduced by the installation of the detection system. UDOT has hired a private researcher to study the effectiveness of the animal detection system and how driver behavior is affected. This is a multi-year study and we will continue coordination until its completion. A great working relationship has been created between the DWR, Eagle Mountain citizens, and city staff. Because of these efforts, Eagle Mountain created and hired a city staff wildlife biologist/city planner whose main duties include incorporating wildlife habitat needs into the city plans as it continues to grow.

UDOT will maintain the wildlife exclusion fence on SR73. Eagle Mountain City will maintain the wildlife detection system at the crossing location on SR73 and the wildlife exclusion fence outside of UDOT's right-of-way. If the detection system is ever removed and is no longer needed (installation of an under or overpass), the equipment will be donated to UDOT. Eagle Mountain City will provide data or summaries of the data collected to both UDWR and UDOT. DWR will facilitate monitoring.