The purpose of this project is to improve Wyoming (Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis), Mountain (Artemisia tridentata ssp. vasseyena), and Black sagebrush (Artemisia nova) communities in the Bald Hills Greater Sage-Grouse PHMA and the Parowan Front mule deer winter range. Big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) is poorly adapted to fire, owing to its inability to resprout after top-kill in addition to short seed longevity and dispersal distances, and thus it often requires restoration intervention after fires (Young & Evans 1989; Wagstaff & Welch 1990). Reestablishing big sagebrush is considered a priority in the conservation and rehabilitation of sagebrush steppe ecosystems. Wyoming big sagebrush communities are typically found on warm dry sites and have low resilience and resistance to disturbance and management. This project aims to address Lowland Sagebrush habitat threats including Inappropriate Fire Frequency and Intensity (Very High), Invasive Plant Species -- Non-native (Very High), and Drought (High) by increasing sagebrush abundance. This project supports the strategy for management describe in the Utah WAP for developing new plant materials and restoration techniques suited to this habitat. Restoration of Wyoming big sagebrush is necessary to maintain ecosystem resilience and provide habitat for a large number of wildlife species including the imperiled greater sage-grouse. This project specifically addresses Greater Sage-grouse threats to Inappropriate Fire Frequency and Intensity (Very High), Invasive Plant Species -- Non-native (High), and Droughts (Medium), by increasing sagebrush within the area. Multiple wildfires have occurred on public lands managed by the Cedar City Field Office (CCFO) BLM which have decreased healthy sagebrush communities. Approximately 35,000 acres of sagebrush has burned in the past 15-years within the Bald Hills Greater Sage-Grouse PHMA. Adequate sagebrush cover is becoming a limiting factor to provide for health and viability of sage grouse in portions of the Bald Hills PHMA and wildfire has dramatically affected seasonal sage-grouse habitats throughout the Bald Hills PHMA. In addition to wildfire, 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. This project also specifically addresses mule deer threats to Invasive Plant Species -- Non-native (High) and Droughts (Medium) through increasing sagebrush cover. This project will address the Pygmy Rabbit threats from Inappropriate Fire Frequency and Intensity (Very High), Invasive Plant Species -- Non-native (High), and Brush Eradication / Vegetation Treatments (High). Replanting the sagebrush component to these areas will restore Pygmy Rabbit habitat to what it was prior to the wildfires.

The goal of this project is to improve the conditions of the Wyoming sagebrush communities by hand planting approximately 200,000 bare-root Wyoming big sagebrush seedlings, and approximately 115,000 container Mountain sagebrush/Black sagebrush. The project has several additional objectives including maintaining adequate habitat components to meet the needs of sage grouse nesting, brood-rearing and winter habitats in accordance with current guidelines and in coordination with UDWR and SWARM while providing for other wildlife values. Another objective is to create large, un-fragmented blocks of sagebrush habitat with a variety of seral stages, which would meet the seasonal needs of sage grouse and mule deer. Identification of planting areas would consider multiple variables including soils, perennial and invasive annual grass percent cover, ecological site descriptions including associated state and transition models, existing telemetry data (sage grouse and mule deer) that has been collected in the project area, and findings from other recent handplanting projects (Davidson BE, Germino MJ, Richardson B, Barnard DM (2019) Landscape and organismal factors affecting sagebrush-seedling transplant survival after megafire restoration. Restoration Ecology 27:1008-1020). Approximately 15,000 acres of habitat has been identified as possible site locations for the hand planting of sagebrush. In the coming months this will be narrowed down, so only 10% of the 15,000 acres will be planted. The original polygons will be reduced once the weather changes and more accurate locations can be identified in the field. The total estimated acres treated would be 1,656.

This project would be within and complimentary to WRI projects 6481 (Neck Drill Seeding/Plateau), 6793 (Neck Drill Seedling/Plateau), 5152 (2019 Neck Fire ESR), 2493 (Baboon Fire ESR), 5210 (Buckhorn Flat/Swayback Knoll), 6815 (Buckhorn Flat -- Chaining), and 6214 (Fremont -- Buck Horn North). The planting areas are currently in an early seral state (i.e. perennial grass/forb dominated) as a result of wildfire. The project would be expected to move the project area to a mid-seral state (i.e. perennial grass, forb and shrub dominated). The project would be expected to improve habitat conditions for sage grouse and mule deer. Fall planting is proposed because this would reduce the time bare-root sagebrush seedlings are lifted from the nursery to planting. Additionally, the fall may provide more time for seedlings to develop adequate root systems before drought stress. The Cedar City Field Office BLM has recognized this area for restoration and funding has become available through the BLM Greater Sage Grouse Restoration program as well as Inflation Reduction Act to restore and connect terrestrial wildlife habitat.

The handplanting of sagebrush was authorized under the Shrub and Forb Planting Project Environmental Assessment (DOI-BLM-UT-C010-2021-0023-EA). BLM Utah Greater Sage-Grouse Approved Resource Management Plan 2015 A. The project is consistent with the SGARMP (2015) goals, objectives and Management Actions that were identified in the Special Status Species section as follows: Special Status Species Goal: Maintain and/or increase GRSG abundance and distribution by conserving, enhancing or restoring the sagebrush ecosystem upon which populations depend in collaboration with other conservation partners. Refer to the following Objectives and Management Actions in the SGRMPA (Objectives: SSS-3, SSS-4, SSS-5) and Management Actions (MA-SSS-4, MA-SSS-6, MA-SSS7). B. The project is also consistent with the SGARMP (2015) objectives and Management Actions that were identified in the Vegetation section as follows: Refer to the following Objectives and Management Actions in the SGRMPA (MA-VEG-1, MA-VEG-2, MA-VEG-4, MA-VEG-5, MA-VEG-6, MA-VEG-8, MA-VEG-9, MA-VEG-10, MA-VEG-12 and MA-VEG-14). C. The project is also consistent with the SGARMP (2015) Management Actions that were identified in the Fire and Fuels Management section as follows: Refer to the following Management Actions in the SGRMPA (MA-FIRE-1 and MA-FIRE-3) D. The project is also consistent with the SGARMP (2015) Management Actions that were identified in the Livestock Grazing/Range Management section as follows: Refer to the following Management Actions in the SGRMPA (MA-LG-3, MA-LG-4, MA-LG-5, MA-LG-12, MALG- 13, MA-LG-16 and MA-LG-17). The Conservation Plan for Greater Sage-grouse in Utah was approved by the Governor in April 2013. The plan establishes incentive-based conservation programs for conservation of sage-grouse on private, local government, and School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration lands and regulatory programs on other state- and federally managed lands. The Conservation Plan also establishes sage-grouse management areas and implements specific management protocols in these areas. The Utah Greater Sage-grouse Management Plan in 2009 identified threats and issues affecting sage-grouse management in Utah as well as goals, objectives, and strategies intended to guide UDWR, local working groups, and land managers efforts to protect, maintain, and improve sage-grouse populations and habitats and balance their management with other resource uses. Southwest Desert Local Working Group Conservation Plan 2009. The local Working Group has developed a Conservation Plan detailing the natural history, threats, and mitigation measures for sage-grouse in each conservation plan area; and conservation guidelines for any activities occurring in the area. The Utah State Wildlife Action Plan 2015-2025 (Final) is a comprehensive management plan designed to conserve native species populations and habitats in Utah and prevent the need for additional federal listings. Please refer to attached excerpts from the Utah State Wildlife Action Plan 2015-2025 that identify Strategy for Management (Pg. 41 and Pg. 50). Cedar Beaver Garfield Antimony Resource Management Plan Resource Management Plan (1986). Although the Project Area was not specifically discussed in the RMP vegetation treatments were identified throughout the Field Office. Southwest Utah Support Area Fire Management Plan (May, 2006) The SUSAFMP identifies the Black Mountains as a priority for conversion of encroached pinyon and juniper dominated communities to a sagebrush community with a diverse component of perennial grasses, forbs and shrubs. This would be consistent with the vegetative monitoring data that has been collected within the Project Area to identify the Ecological Site Description. National Fire Plan (2000), BLM National Sage Grouse Habitat Conservation Strategy (2004) The project is also consistent with the NFP. The goals and objectives of the NFP is to manage BLM administered public land to maintain, enhance and restore sagebrush habitats while ensuring multiple use and sustained yield goals of FLPMA. Goals/Strategies identified in the NFP include the following: 1. Provide guidance to ensure integration of sage-grouse habitat conservation measures for actions provided through the management in land use planning process. 2. Issue mandatory guidance on management of sagebrush habitat for sage-grouse conservation. 3. Enhance knowledge of resource conditions and priorities in order to support habitat maintenance and restoration efforts. 4. Complete and maintain eco-regional assessments of sagebrush and sage-grouse habitats across the sagebrush biome. 5. Provide a consistent and scientifically based approach for collection and use of monitoring data for sagebrush habitats, sage-grouse and other components of the sagebrush community. 6. Identify, prioritize and facilitate needed research to develop relevant information for sage-grouse and sagebrush habitat conservation 7. Maintain, develop and expand partnerships to promote cooperation and support for all activities associated with sage-grouse and sagebrush conservation. 8. Effectively communicate throughout BLM and with current and prospective partners on steps BLM will take to conserve sage-grouse and sage-grouse and sagebrush habitats. 9. Facilitate the collection, transfer and sharing of information among all BLM partners and cooperators, as well as BLM program personnel. 10. Develop BLM state-level strategies and/or plans for sage-grouse and sagebrush conservation on BLM administered public lands. Southwest Desert Deer Herd Unit Management Plan - Bald Hills area the project will be consistent with the habitat management strategies identified in the Deer Herd Unit Management Plan for Deer Herd Unit #20 (Southwest Desert) (UDWR) which pertain to the Project Area are as follows: * Evaluate and implement potential habitat improvement projects on BLM, state, and private lands. * Evaluate opportunities to address problems created by closed canopy pinyon pine and juniper. Panguitch Lake Deer Herd Unit Management Plan Parowan Front area The project will 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: * Evaluate and implement potential habitat improvement projects on BLM, state, and private lands. * Evaluate opportunities to address problems created by closed canopy pinyon pine and juniper. Utah Pronghorn Statewide Management Plan (2009) Habitat Management Objective, under the Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative, design, implement, and monitor the effectiveness of habitat improvement projects to benefit pronghorn. Coordinated Implementation Plan for Bird Conservation in Utah (2005) The priority habitat identified for this area was shrub-steppe, which was identified as a Priority A (High threat, high opportunity, and high value to birds statewide) habitat. Priority birds identified within this area include sage grouse, ferruginous hawk, sage sparrow, and Brewer's sparrow. Sagebrush restoration was identified as an opportunity within this area to address concerns with sagebrush die-off and potential for cheatgrass invasion.

Web Soil Survey classifies soils in these locations as high-to-moderately susceptible to fire damage (11,663 acres or 76%) and Slightly susceptible (3620 acres or 24%). 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. In this case, the area has experienced several burn/reburn cycles, and the high presence of invasive annual grasses, has resulted in fast-moving,subsequently larger fires - even in those areas that may have been originally considered less susceptible to fire. Both from a wildlife and habitat perspective, the re-establishment of shrub species (mid seral) incrementally increases both long-term resiliency to large-scale fire and also additional resistancy to invasive annual grasses.

It is expected that through sagebrush establishment that improvements to water quality and quantity would occur. Vegetative growth form is an important determination of infiltration and interrail erosion. Changes in plant community composition and distribution of species can influence the ability of a site to capture and store precipitation. The project is expected to improve the diversity of the vegetative community, which would reduce water runoff and decrease soil erosion while increasing infiltration. These improvements would provide for reductions in pollutants, nutrient and sediment loading in nearby drainages and riparian areas.

The project would be authorized under DOI-BLM-UT-C010-2021-0023-EA. Cultural clearances would be completed as determined necessary based on treatment method prior to project implementation.

The planting areas would be flagged prior to implementation. The BLM would provide overall project oversite for treatment implementation. Hand planting would occur in fall 2024. The 300,000 seedlings proposed for planting on BLM lands would be implemented by a contractor using hoedads or other hand tools. A power harrow will be used by the state for planting 15,000 seedlings in a WMA location. Agencies will continue to coordinate to identify the final polygon(s) that will be planted. The CCDO BLM has entered into an Interagency Agreement with the Lucky Peak Forest Service (FS) Nursery near Boise Idaho to grow approximately 200,000 bare-root Wyoming sagebrush seedlings. A contract through WRI would grow an additional 115,000 seedlings a combination of 100,000 Mountain sagebrush/Black sagebrush seedlings and 15,000 sagebrush species determined by the UDWR.

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. Photo points would also be established to qualitatively monitor how the vegetation changes over time. Additionally, in coordination with USU Extension a Modified-Whittaker Nested Vegetation Sampling Method (Stohlgren et. al. 1995) may be used to monitor the treatment area. Monitoring data may be collected for 3-5 years to determine treatment effectiveness. A monitoring report with data summaries and photos would be completed and uploaded to the WRI project website.

The project would be supported by the USU extension, UDWR, local SWARM sage grouse working group and livestock permittees. The Nature Conservancy has completed a Landscape Conservation Forecasting for the project area in November 2015 and a supplemental report in April 2018. Partners recognize the importance of optimizing the successful establishment of sagebrush within the Bald Hills and Parowan Front areas to provide suitable habitat for sage grouse and mule deer.

Adaptive management would be applied, and post planting monitoring would aid in future management. Post-planting monitoring can also provide valuable economic information such as cost per surviving seedling.

The project would provide for improved habitat conditions for sage grouse and mule deer. The project has the opportunity to enhance hunting opportunities for mule deer by providing improvements to crucial winter habitat in the Parowan Front area. Access to high quality winter range for pregnant does has been shown to improve early survival of fawns the following summer and improved nutrition of fawns during winter can increase over-winter survival rates Lastly, USGS noted that active restoration actions also provide value-added income to rural communities (USGS 2016) by creating additional jobs and local economic output.