Invasive annual grasses such as downy brome (cheatgrass) are highly invasive. The invasive plant greens up and set seed earlier than most native species, giving it an advantage over the slower-growing native species. Annual grasses increase the amount and continuity of fine fuels and consequently wildland fires increase in size and frequency. Researchers and managers recognize the invasive annual grass-fire cycle as among the most urgent ecological problems facing western U.S. rangelands (e.g., Boyd, 2022; Coates et al., 2016; Davies et al., 2021). The proposed treatment areas have become invaded with introduced annual grasses and have caused increased fire frequency. This project specifically addresses Mojave Desert Tortoise threats to Invasive Plant Species -- Non-native (Very High) and Inappropriate Fire Frequency and Intensity (Very High) by reducing fine fuels and increasing desirable native vegetation. Wildfire frequency, extent, and intensity within the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area (NCA) has increased as a result of the increase and establishment of nonnative invasive plants, specifically red brome (Bromus rubens) and cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), as well as access by humans and subsequent activity that causes fires. After a fire, nonnative vegetation is likely to increase in density, causing further habitat degradation. Recurrent fires can alter habitat structure and plant species composition, thereby negatively impacting wildlife populations in the NCA. This project would be multi-part with first applying pre-emergent herbicide Plateau (Imazapic) to invasive annual grasses (e.g., red brome and cheatgrass) and seeding areas after herbicide treatment to improve habitat through reducing fine fuels and increasing desirable native vegetation. Additionally, handplanting of forbs and shrubs would also compliment this project. It is expected weed treatments and seeding/handplanting native plants species would provide long term benefits to wildlife by improving the quality of habitat and forage for general wildlife (e.g., Mule Deer, Gray Fox, Desert Cottontail, Gambel's Quail) and federally listed T&E and State/BLM Sensitive species (e.g., Mojave Desert Tortoise, Kit Fox, Burrowing Owl, Gila Monster, Desert Night Lizard, Western Threadsnake, Monarch butterfly, and Western bumble bee) in the NCA. Without management intervention to control brome grasses, the NCA will likely continue to experience frequent and catastrophic wildfires that negatively impact all native vegetation communities and the wildlife species that depend upon them for their survival. Wildfire frequency, extent, and intensity within the Red Cliffs NCA has increased exponentially during the last 20 years, largely because of the increase and establishment of invasive annual grasses. As a result, Mojave Desert Tortoise populations within the Red Cliffs NCA have declined up to 50% in some areas due primarily to mortality and habitat degradation. During the summer of 2020, three wildfires burned approximately 11,410 acres within the Red Cliffs NCA, including the 1,414-acre Cottonwood Trail Fire. Kellam et al. (2022) estimated that approximately 16.3% of the local adult tortoise population within a 618-acre portion of the Cottonwood Trail Fire died directly from fire. Additionally, the Mojave Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) is currently ranked as BLM Utah's highest priority terrestrial T&E species. As part of a national/interagency strategy, in 2022, the BLM (in partnership with USFWS) designated the Red Cliffs and Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Areas (NCA) as the desert tortoise recovery "Focus Areas" for the State of Utah. As per BLM/USFWS, Focal Areas are defined as "Delineated areas believed to be important to the long-term persistence of the Mojave Desert Tortoise across its ranged within which a) recovery resources can be concentrated such that threats can be meaningfully reduced or eliminated within five to ten years." Without management intervention to rehabilitate fire-affected desert tortoise critical habitat, and control and eradicate nonnative noxious and invasive plant species, tortoise populations in the Red Cliffs NCA will likely continue to decline which will negatively impact population resiliency and recovery efforts. Upward trending visitation has led to a variety of visitor use issues that adversely impact desert tortoise, critical habitat, and BLM sensitive species in the Red Cliffs NCA.

The project goal is to build wildfire resilience in the project area by treating invasive annual grasses and increasing desirable habitat for wildlife.

The Red Cliffs NCA is identified as Mojave Desert tortoise recover "Focus Areas" for the state of Utah. The BLM has recognized this area for restoration and funding has become available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act to restore terrestrial wildlife habitat.

The proposed Red Cliffs NCA Invasive Annual Grass Restoration Project is in conformance with the management goals, objectives, and action decisions from the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area (NCA) Record of Decision and Resource Management Plan (approved on December 21, 2016; amended 2021), and the Integrated Weed Management Plan (IWMP) and Programmatic Environmental Assessment (EA) for the control and eradication of nonnative noxious and invasive plant species within critical habitat in the Red Cliffs NCA (DOI-BLM-UT-C030-2022-0018-EA; approved on Dec 15, 2022). Archaeological surveys have been completed for large-scale weed treatments in the fire-affected habitat within the project area. Prior to implementation, all monitoring plot sites involving surface disturbance would be reviewed by the NCA Archeologist, an Area of Potential Effect (APE) defined, and a literature review completed to determine if Class III level archeological inventories or re-inventories of the APE are needed. Field surveys would be conducted, as needed, and monitoring sites with cultural concerns would be relocated to avoid adverse effects

Researchers have recognized a distinct relationship between cheatgrass and fire. Invasive annual grasses (cheatgrass) alter fuel amounts, continuity, and moisture content. The potential for more extreme fires will intensify as invasive annual grasses increase. By reducing invasive annual grasses within the Red Cliffs NCA, the possibility of future larger-scale fire stand replacing fire events will be decreased. Without this project, fuel conditions are such that an unexpected wildfire may become increasingly difficult to contain, leading to increased risk to firefighter and public safety, suppression effectiveness and natural resources degradation such as loss of important Mojave Desert Tortoise habitat.

Cheatgrass competes strongly with native plants for shallow water resources during the spring, a crucial time in seedling establishment (Cline et al. 1977; Booth et al. 2003a). Reduced water availability negatively impacts the survival and growth of transplanted native species (Link et al. 1990). This project would increase water availability for native transplanted and seeded species by reducing the competitive cheatgrass.

Pre-emergent Plateau (Imazapic) herbicide will be applied according to the herbicide label and by a licensed contractor. The proposed Red Cliffs NCA Invasive Annual Grass Restoration Project is in conformance with the management goals, objectives, and action decisions from the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area (NCA) Record of Decision and Resource Management Plan (approved on December 21, 2016; amended 2021), and the Integrated Weed Management Plan (IWMP) and Programmatic Environmental Assessment (EA) for the control and eradication of nonnative noxious and invasive plant species within critical habitat in the Red Cliffs NCA (DOI-BLM-UT-C030-2022-0018-EA; approved on Dec 15, 2022). Archaeological surveys have been completed for large-scale weed treatments in the fire-affected habitat within the project area. Prior to implementation, all monitoring plot sites involving surface disturbance would be reviewed by the NCA Archeologist, an Area of Potential Effect (APE) defined, and a literature review completed to determine if Class III level archeological inventories or re-inventories of the APE are needed. Field surveys would be conducted, as needed, and monitoring sites with cultural concerns would be relocated to avoid adverse effects

Plateau herbicide (Imazapic) would be aerially applied during the late fall of 2024. Plateau would be applied as a pre-emergent herbicide in late fall since the herbicide needs moisture to bind in the soil to prevent seed germination. Aerial seeding and handplanting of native species would occur one year after plateau herbicide. The project would handplant and aerial seed native species such as desert globemallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua), desert marigold (Baileya multiradiata), brittlebush (Encelia farinosa), white bursage (Ambrosia dumosa), creosotebush (Larrea tridentata), and purple three-awn (Aristida purpurea).

Prior to treatment approximately one to two monitoring plots would be established within each treatment unit. An establish monitoring plot would consist of soil map unit component identified through digging a soil pit and texturing soils as well as verifying the associated ecological site. The monitoring would consist of quantitative collection of data by collecting line-point intercept transect data to determine the exact annual grass percent cover. One year post treatment monitoring would consist of rereading the line-point intercept transect to determine the exact percent cover reduction in annual grasses. Photo points would also be established to qualitatively monitor how the vegetation changes over time.

This project will be implemented by the Bureau of Land Management in cooperation with Utah Division of Wildlife and local government agencies (Washington County, City of St. George). By working collaboratively, we can build wildfire resilience and ultimately reduce potential wildfires in southwest Utah.

Adaptive management would be applied, and post monitoring would aid future management decisions. Second phase of this treatment would be applying native seeds aerially and handplanting native seedlings.

The Red Cliffs NCA include a myriad of recreational trails which are popular with rock climbers, hikers, mountain bikers, equestrian users, birdwatchers, wildlife watchers, and hunters. In 2022, over 625,000 people visited this area, with visitation expected to increase annually. Protecting habitat and reducing the potential for wildfires, will not only benefit wildlife but the recreational experience for thousands of visitors.