Wetted habitat in Utah is the rarest habitat type in the state and disportianately important to surrounding upland landscapes, people, livestock, and wildlife. Whenever the opportunity arises to restore and enhance mesic habitat, we need to immediately act. In the sagebrush biome, mesic habitats comprise less than two percent of the landscape, yet 80 percent of wildlife depend upon them to complete their life cycle. Additionally, researchers found 85 percent of sage grouse lek sites were located within six miles of wet habitats, providing hens and their chicks access to nutrient-rich forbs and insects located in wet habitats during critical brood-rearing stages (Donnelly et al. 2016). Furthermore, other sagebrush dependent songbirds such as the sage sparrow, sage thrasher, and Brewer's sparrow are drastically declining in numbers. Research has found these species also depend on nearby meadow and water resources for nesting and brood-rearing. Some of the most forb diverse habitats are those around water and in soils of higher moisture content such as mesic meadows. By improving these habitat types we are improving pollinator habitat. Furthermore, conservationists are coming to realize the importance of late season forb vegetation for migrating monarch butterflies, a USFWS candidate species and also a species we have listed as benefitting on our proposal. Late season food sources are necessary to get them through migration and to winter habitats in Mexico and California. Mesic habitats have those late season nectar sources. Description of Habitat Improvement Project and Objectives: This project is to occur near the Sevier and Piute County line. The area is a sagebrush landscape bounded by mountains on the east and west. The area is a focus of the Partners Program, and this project will enhance the many other projects completed on both private and public lands. The area consists of contiguous sagebrush steppe habitat with meadows in the valley bottom. Primary use of the area is agriculture, more specifically, livestock grazing, and recreation. This project will enhance and restore valuable meadow habitat within sagebrush steppe landscape. Additionally, partners will be working in nearby uplands to remove conifer from sagebrush steppe habitat as part of a larger landscape project. The area is within a designated Sage Grouse Management Area, also known as a SGMA and is important habitat for sagebrush dependent species such as sage grouse, sage sparrow, sage thrasher, and brewer's sparrow. Site Description: The project area is a mesic meadow. While mesic meadows make up a small part of the landscape they are disproportionately important to the surrounding landscape. Much of the areas big game, birds, pollinators, bats, amphibians, livestock, and people depend on these important micro-habitats. There is NO perennial water. Water flows across these meadows intermittently during spring runoff or possibly a large rain event. The area is dominated by sagebrush steppe with intermittent meadows and a grassy valley bottom. The area is important for the local agricultural community and economy and completing projects like this benefit wildlife and local ag producers. The project is also a continuation of previous sagebrush steppe restoration accomplished on both private and public lands and is part of a larger project currently being implemented across all landownership types. The project area is also important habitat for big game species (elk and mule deer). Undertaking and Methods: Contractors will be hired to build erosion control rock structures known as Zeedyk structures. These structures are low impact, low-tech structures using local rock and wood. Structures will be no higher than a few inches and a few feet across. Structures will be mostly hand built using hand-tools. Some small equipment may be needed to move rock and place rock. Rock will come from a local quarry. USU and USFWS will provide contractor oversight. The entire mesic meadow project area is approximately 1.3 miles in length and 50 acres of meadow. USU and USFWS will work with the contractor to prioritize areas within this project area to work in and types of structures to be built. Species Benefits: Greater Sage grouse, Sage sparrow, Brewer's sparrow, Sage thrasher, Mule deer, Elk, Monarch, pollinators

Goals 1) Increase water soil infiltration. 2) Increase herbaceous plant species while decreasing shrub species in meadow habitat. 3) Maintain and increase available forage for wildlife and livestock.

The preservation of mesic meadows for wildlife including sage grouse and mule deer through low-tech process based restoration practices such as Zeedyk structures are a low cost conservation practice, however, they have to be installed prior to large erosive events occurring. The soils in the Carbon Sage grouse management area area are highly erosive and these structures need to be installed to protect these crucial limiting habitats.

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 Lost 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 Lost 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 Lost 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. a. Threat - Inappropriate Fire Frequency and Intensity: i. Objective #1 for Inappropriate Fire Frequency and Intensity 1. Fire is excluded from habitats in which potential burns now would be frequent, large, and destructive to soils and native vegetation; the habitats are being actively managed (treated) to reduce components or factors that promote risk of catastrophic fire, such as cheat grass, excessive conifer encroachment, or unnaturally large stands of mature Gamble oak. 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 Lost Creek Collaborative 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 Lost 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. 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) a. Support the removal of conifers and manage land to promote the establishment of aspen cover and attendant grass, brush, and forbs. 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. Sagebrush steppe communities will be a high priority for ESR and fuel reduction to avoid catastrophic fires in these areas. Hand treatments of pinyon and juniper in riparian areas in Lost and Little Lost Creeks supports objectives to enhance habitat for southern leatherside chub as indicated in the Southern Leatherside Conservation Agreement and Strategy (included as attachment). Treatments fulfill the strategy's objective B. to enhance and /or restore habitat conditions in designated areas throughout the historical range of southern leatherside by 2. restoring habitat where possible, creating habitat complexity... for southern leatherside and by 3. implementing habitat enhancements that may include... enhancement of native vegetation.

Riparian areas need to be enhanced to create suitable fire breaks for any future fires in the area. Completion of this project would act as a fire break for nearby towns, cabins, and rural irrigation water supply as well as within the parker mountain sage grouse management area. There is strong research showing that mesic areas have been undervalued for fire risk protection.

The erosion control treatments are low impact/low risk/high reward type practices. In some of the small gullies and head-cutting need to be addressed. Stopping head-cuts and aggrading channelization can have exponential benefits to soil moisture, water loss, and maintain and increase rare meadow habitats. Practices will increase soil water infiltration in the meadow and increase mesic habitat. Such practices can have increases in available water lower in the watershed later in the hot part of the summer.

Will be completed by USFWS

Undertaking and Methods: Contractors will be hired to build erosion control rock structures known as Zeedyk structures. These structures are low impact, low-tech structures using local rock and wood. Structures will be no higher than a few inches and a few feet across. Structures will be mostly hand built using hand-tools. Some small equipment may be needed to move rock and place rock. Rock will come from a local quarry. USU and USFWS will provide contractor oversight. The entire mesic meadow project area is approximately 1.3 miles in length and 50 acres of meadow. USU and USFWS will work with the contractor to prioritize areas within this project area to work in and types of structures to be built.

Photo points, drone imagery.

Landowners, USU, DEQ, USFWS

This is a working ranch with grazing and wildlife being the primary land uses. As part of the USFWS funding the landowner will sign an agreement to maintain and work with USFWS for the duration of the agreement (10 years). During this time USFWS biologist will visit the site and communicate with the landowner and other partners.

Grazing, hunting, fishing.

09/04/2023

05/11/2024

2024

Undertaking and Methods: A very experienced and competent contractor who USFWS has work with extensively was hired to build erosion control rock structures known as Zeedyk structures. The structures are low impact, low-tech structures using local rock. Structure vary in height and length from a few inches high and a few feet across to several feet wide. Structures were mostly hand built using hand-tools. A skid steer and mini-ex were utilized to stage rock and place larger rock that could not be hand placed. Rock was purchased from a quarry 20 minutes away. USFWS Partners Program provided contractor oversight and worked with the landowner and contractor to prioritize where implementation would occur. Contractor started the project in September of 2023. We decided to hold some funding over until the following spring and finish up in May. This was extremely valuable and we were able to see what runnoff water was doing and build upon previously constructed structures as the water showed us what to do. I highly recommend doing these types of projects if possible in separate phases this way. We also reinforced an existing berm and built a spill over where erosion was occurring. Before, during, and after photos on the ground and with a drone. USU is flying a drone and is conducting pre and post monitoring that will be available at a later date. The shapefile represents re-wetted mesic/wetland habitat.

Before I get into the narrative I want to reiterate how smoothly this project went with. Utah State University has been a great partner and doing some important monitoring. Most importantly, the contractor, Terra Sophia is highly skilled and has many years of experience doing wetland projects and zeedyk type work. Not only is the work to the highest degree but they also are very considerate of the private land, the landowner, and clean up to the very last piece of gravel. Our goals have been achieved in a short amount of time and we have re-wetted several acres of wet meadow on this site, increasing wetland vegetation substantially. It is actually pretty incredible. Now to the narrative... Wetted habitat in Utah is the rarest habitat type in the state and disportianately important to surrounding upland landscapes, people, livestock, and wildlife. Whenever the opportunity arises to restore and enhance mesic habitat, we need to immediately act. Goals 1) Increase water soil infiltration. 2) Increase herbaceous plant species while decreasing shrub species in meadow habitat. 3) Maintain and increase available forage for wildlife and livestock. The preservation of mesic meadows for wildlife including sage grouse and mule deer through low-tech process based restoration practices such as Zeedyk structures are a low cost conservation practice, however, they have to be installed prior to large erosive events occurring. The soils in the Carbon Sage grouse management area area are highly erosive and these structures need to be installed to protect these crucial limiting habitats.

This is a working ranch with grazing and wildlife being the primary land uses. As part of the USFWS funding the landowner will sign an agreement to maintain and work with USFWS for the duration of the agreement (10 years). During this time USFWS biologist will visit the site and communicate with the landowner and other partners. The landowner grazes these meadows very well and leaves a lot of cover throughout the year. We have already completed an additional phase and are planning even more.