The amount of available crucial mule deer winter habitat along the Parowan Front has been greatly reduced by the construction of Interstate Highway 15 (I-15) as well as other human developments. Due to the spatial limitations from anthropogenic influences the shrub populations east of I-15 annually experience heavy browsing pressure from wintering mule deer. This project would complement previous projects nearby. This project specifically addresses mule deer threats to roads/transportation network (high), invasive plant species (high), and drought (med), by increasing the diversity of shrub species within the area. Elk would also benefit from this treatment as antelope bitterbrush is very palatable for elk. This project specifically addresses elk threats to invasive plant species (low) and drought (low). Additionally, the project aims to address mountain shrub habitat threats such as invasive plant species (med), historic grazing (low), and inappropriate fire frequency (low) by improving plant diversity and abundance. Planting native perennials such as antelope bitterbrush could reduce invasive plants and weeds because plants would compete with invasives and noxious weeds for space, nutrients, and other resources. Mule deer are prevalent within the proposed project area. Antelope bitterbrush is a very palatable, high-quality shrub for big game and livestock. It also provides cover for small animals and birds.

The objective of this project is to increase winter mule deer habitat by hand planting approximately 4,000 antelope bitterbrush seedlings.(2,000 on BLM and 2,000 on State WMA)

The Cottonwood Canyon in the Parowan Front is identified as crucial mule deer winter range with areas impacted from heavy browsing pressure due to anthropogenic influences. Antelope bitterbrush survives on rocky and arid sites due to its long taproot or taproots and nitrogen-fixing capacity. Much of this planting project occurs within Soil Map Unit 466- Rob Roy extremely cobbly loam, 15-50% slopes. The Rob Roy soil component is the major soil component of this unit and is associated with ecological site R028AY338UT -- Upland Stoney Loam. The provisional description of this ecological site lists Mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata var. vaseyana) and Antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata) as dominant shrub species. The Cedar City Field Office BLM has recognized this area for restoration and funding has become available through the Inflation Reduction Act to restore or connect terrestrial wildlife habitat.

The Antelope Bitterbrush handplanting was authorized under the Shrub and Forb Planting Project Environmental Assessment (DOI-BLM-UT-C010-2021-0023-EA). Cedar Beaver Garfield Antimony Resource Management Plan Resource Management Plan (1986) as amended. Although the Project Area was not specifically discussed in the RMP vegetation treatments were identified throughout the Field Office. The project would be consistent with the habitat management strategies identified in the Deer Herd Unit Management Plan for Deer Herd Unit #28 (Panguitch Lake) (UDWR) which pertain to the Project Area are as follows: 1. Maintain mule deer habitat throughout the unit by protecting and enhancing existing crucial habitats and mitigating for losses due to natural and human impacts. 2. Seek cooperative projects to improve the quality and quantity of deer habitat. 3. Provide improved habitat security and escapement opportunities for deer. This project is also specifically supported in the Iron County Deer Winter Range Resource Plan (April 2011).

Web Soil Survey classifies soils in these locations as moderately susceptible to fire damage (396.6 acres or 23.9%) or highly susceptible (1263.8 acres or 76.1%). Moderate and Severe ratings indicate that the area is not resilient to high severity fire and/or where an area has missed one or more fire return intervals. Antelope bitterbrush, however, is considered fire-dependent, given appropriate conditions. Light to moderate fires tend to enhance small stands of bitterbrush and in some cases opening up the canopy and repopulate naturally. Because bitterbrush is also susceptible to heavy browsing by mule deer and livestock, methods used in this project (reintroduction of bitterbrush seedlings, protected by caging) provides an opportunity to resist browsing while also restoring on-site seed sources. Refuges of natural vegetation could be used to re-introduce small prescribed fire, compete with undesired non-native species, such as cheatgrass, which increases long-term resiliency and more natural rangeland restoration Restoration of native vegetation, such as bitterbrush provides natural rangeland resiliency both in fire susceptible and fire-dependent areas.

It is expected through shrub establishment that improvements to water quality and quantity would occur. Establishing antelope bitterbrush may be important for watershed erosion control, improving water infiltration, and helping maintain snowpack through its long taproot. This project would reduce pollutants, nutrient and sediment loading in nearby drainages and riparian areas.

An Environmental Assessment has already been completed. The total project planting area is a little over 18 acres. Most of the planting areas would be within previous projects that required cultural clearances. So cultural clearance would have already occurred. It is not expected that cultural surveys would be need however, if they do become needed, they would be completed prior to planting.

Antelope bitterbrush seed would be obtained from the Great Basin Research Center and Seed Warehouse located in Ephraim UT to grow out approximately 4,000 antelope bitterbrush seedlings. The project would be flagged prior to implementation. The BLM would provide overall project oversite for treatment implementation on BLM land and UDWR would provide oversite on WMA land. BLM may assist if needed on WMA land. BLM would provide an ACE crew to plant seedlings and Dedicated Hunters could also be utilized in this project. Hand planting would occur in early spring 2025. Rigid seedling tubes would be individually placed around each antelope bitterbrush seedling to protect from browsing if seedlings do not come with vexlar tubes. These protection tubes would be placed for approximately 3-5 years and until seedlings are eight to ten inches tall. Agencies will continue to coordinate to identify the final polygon(s) that will be planted.

During the planting implementation approximately one monitoring plot would be established per unit. An established monitoring plot would be 1/5 of an acre. All planted seedlings within the established plot would be recorded at time of planting. In subsequent years, monitoring would occur at the established plot and data collected and counted, live, dead, or missing. Additional monitoring may consist of data collection on vegetation cover within a 1m2 quadrat around each seedling. Each 1m2 quadrat vegetation cover would estimate cover by functional group (all combinations of native or exotic, annual or perennial, grasses or forbs) in 5% increments up to 40% cover, and in 10% increments from 40-100% cover. Monitoring summaries and photos would be completed and uploaded to the WRI website for this project. Photo points would also be established to qualitatively monitor how the vegetation changes over time.

UDWR would support this project in addressing limited winter range habitat objectives identified in the Panguitch Lake Mule Deer Management Plan (#28). Additionally, sportsmen groups would likely support this project since this is a previously identified limiting factor for the Panguitch Lake mule deer herd. In the event the additional volunteers are needed to plant bitterbrush plants, BLM may coordinate with UDWR/SFW/MDF etc. to accomplish this project.

Adaptive management would be applied, and post planting monitoring would aid future management. Additionally, as already mentioned in the methods section, rigid seedling tubes would be individually placed and staked around each antelope bitterbrush seedling to protect from browsing. These protection tubes would be placed for approximately 3-5 years and until seedlings are eight to ten inches tall.

This project location is very popular among deer hunters and this project would support this recreational use by spreading out pressure of hunters in this area. Improving the habitat for hunting and wildlife viewing is important for the local community and Iron County. USGS noted that restoration actions also provide value-added income to rural communities (USGS 2016) by creating additional jobs and economic output.

01/30/2024

05/30/2025

2025

The project was not implemented. $28 was spent on seed and provided to the prison and they were ultimately unable to provide plants back.

The project was not implemented. $28 was spent on seed and provided to the prison and they were ultimately unable to provide plants back.

We hope to repropose this project in the future.