Bullhog/Mastication The TomPatterson area of the book cliffs is utilized by bison, elk, mule deer, wild horses, and livestock. Available forage appears to be a limiting factor for all of these, particularly on dry years. The Book Cliffs working group has identified implementing vegetation treatments to improve forage as a high priority. This project will help provide additional forage resources in an area where there is high demand. This project will leave larger trees (over ~12 in diameter) standing to maintain some cover and value to species that prefer wooded areas. It is anticipated that collar data post-treatment will show higher utilization from wildlife in these treatment areas. GPS collar data on mule deer show that this area is in a migration corridor and summer use. By removing trees and seeding diverse grasses and forbs, migrating deer may linger in the treatment area for longer. Providing additional high-quality forage for migrating deer.

Reduce conifer cover on the project site (3,651 acres) to allow existing grasses, forbs, and shrubs to increase. This will be a phases approach over the next 3-5 years. The first 1,000 acres (Phase 1) will be implemented FY 25-26.

As cover of pinyon and juniper trees increases, a corresponding reduction of cover is seen in grasses, forbs, and browse species. If left untreated, conifer cover will continue to increase, thereby reducing the amount of available forage for big game and livestock. Currently, the project area does have some sagebrush, bitterbrush, and other desirable forage species. Treating the project at a later date would require a greater investment in resources as the trees to be removed would be larger and the understory vegetation would be lessened, requiring the addition of seed to the project. Dense pinyon and juniper canopy cover creates a high risk of stand-replacing wildfire. Removing pinyon and juniper trees in this area will provide a valuable fire-break that could slow or stop the spread of a wildfire in this area. This project includes areas that are crucial elk winter habitat as well as crucial elk summer habitat. The project is in critical mule deer summer range. The book cliffs deer and elk herds are summer range limited, and on dry years, Mule Deer in the Book Cliffs unit often have poor body condition moving into the winter. By removing conifers and allowing understory plants to increase, this project should help improve summer range conditions and could help with improving deer health. The following threats have been identified in the Utah Wildlife Action Plan: --Inappropriate Fire Frequency and Intensity: if left untreated this area will be more prone to a large-scale catastrophic fire event that would seriously impact the plant community and the species that live there, as well as soil and water resources. --Problematic Plant Species-Native Upland: The problematic plant species in question are pinyon pine and juniper species. While this is a pinyon-juniper ecological site, there are many shrub species within the area. The tree density has grown to the point that cover of shrub species is being or will soon be lost. This project will mimic the natural disturbance of a fire, allowing for new growth of shrub species while creating fire-breaks that will help protect surrounding pinyon and juniper areas. --Livestock Farming and Ranching: This threat was Identified for American Bison. There have been conflicts between bison and cattle in the Book Cliffs, primarily over forage resources and water availability. This project can help mitigate those conflicts by creating additional forage opportunities for both. There is a risk of weed infestation, particularly in areas of the project where trees are more dense. Contractors will be required to wash equipment before entering the project to minimize introduction of other weeds. DWR and BLM personnel will monitor the area for weeds and treat as necessary. A maintenance project a year or two after implementation may be considered to combat any weeds before they become a problem.

The Utah Elk Statewide Management Plan has the following applicable objectives and strategies: Habitat Objective 2, strategy d -- Initiate broad scale vegetative treatment projects to improve elk habitat with emphasis on calving habitat and winter ranges. Habitat Objective 2, strategy h -- Emphasize improvement of upper elevation winter ranges to encourage elk to winter at higher elevation than mule deer. The Utah Mule Deer Statewide Management Plan has the following applicable objectives and strategies: Habitat Objective 2, strategy d -- Initiate broad scale vegetative treatment projects to improve mule deer habitat with emphasis on... ranges being diminished by encroachment of conifers.... The Vernal RMP ROD directs that vegetation should be managed to attain an ecological stage that will benefit wildlife, livestock grazing, livestock use, and ensure high species diversity. The Vernal BLM Fire Management Plan for the Upper Book Cliffs aims to achieve a desired mix of seral stages for all major vegetative types. This project will help create diversity of vegetative types in the area. The Utah DWR Deer Herd Management plan for the Book Cliffs has objectives to maintain and/or enhance forage production through range improvements and vegetative manipulation techniques. The Utah DWR Bison Herd Management plan for the Book Cliffs addresses concerns of competition between bison and livestock. This project will help mitigate conflict between bison and livestock by providing improved grazing opportunities for both. The Utah Black Bear Management Plan describes the importance of "thick understory vegetation and abundant sources of food" as important parts of black bear habitat. Spring and summer bear diets include lots of grasses and forbs, increasing to fruits and nuts as the season progresses. This project should increase grasses, forbs, and fruit-bearing shrubs as well as Gambel oak. Leaving larger conifers will help preserve the pine-nuts that would also be important food sources. The plan also states that "mountain shrub communities containing oak, chokecherry and other mast-producing species should be managed to avoid successional shifts to pinyon-juniper monocultures." The Utah Wild Turkey Management Plan describes suitable turkey habitat as having three key ingredients: trees, forbs, and grass. This project will help increase the forbs and grass while maintaining important tree cover. The Utah Wildlife Action Plan identifies Mountain Shrub as a key habitat type as well as several threats to species that will benefit from this project. See the Threats/Risks section for details on how this project relates to the WAP. The Utah State Resource Management Plan has several applicable objectives and policies & guidelines: -- The State promotes fuel breaks, thinning, chaining, prescribed fire and the selection of fire-resistant vegetation in green-stripping and burned areas. -- The State will pursue opportunities to conduct and assist other partners with fuel reduction work including mechanical treatments and prescribed fire. --Support the use of mechanical or chemical means or fire to alter or perpetuate forests and increase herbaceous yield where timber harvest is impractical or demand does not exist." --Improve vegetative health on public and private lands through range improvements, prescribed fire, vegetation treatments, and active management of invasive plants and noxious weeds. --Actively remove pinyon-juniper encroachment in other ecological sites due to its substantial consumption of water and its detrimental effect on sagebrush, other vegetation, and wildlife. --Protect existing wildlife habitat and improve 500,000 acres of critical habitats and watersheds throughout the state by 2025. The Uintah County Resource Management Plan has the following applicable objectives: 7.4.2 - Encourage management of forest resources to reduce the risk of catastrophic fires Book Cliffs Working Group Action Plan has the following applicable objectives: -- Cattle Distribution and Usage: Develop actions to address roadblocks preventing optimal grazing systems. -- Vegetation Treatments a. Identify additional areas to complete vegetation management projects with emphasis on projects with the potential of increasing forage on or near summer range. b. Complete a 10 year plan for vegetation improvements. c. Propose at least two vegetation improvement projects annually to the Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative and Grazing Improvement Program. -- Bison 1. Distribution b. Complete vegetation and water developments to further distribute bison use.

This project will reduce the amount and continuity of hazardous fuels in the area. Similar projects in the Book Cliffs area have helped prevent the spread of wildfires and have slowed fire growth so that firefighters could reach containment. This project, combined with similar projects nearby, will create a significant fire break that will help prevent the spread of wildfires.

As conifers are removed, more snow will be able to reach the ground. In addition, competition for water is reduced, freeing up resources for the remaining shrubs and forbs. An increase in soil moisture is also likely. This could potentially translate into more water downstream in nearby Bitter Creek. Removing trees could increase the solar and wind energy to the area, which could reduce the amount of water, but by leaving larger trees in place we hope to counteract this effect. Mulching operations will leave a large amount of woody debris scattered on the surface. This woody debris should reduce the impact on the soil from rain events, and can disrupt overland flow patterns, therefore reducing soil erosion and loss. By reducing the risk of large scale fire, which would result in soil erosion and impacts to water quality, this project will help protect water quality in nearby Bitter Creek and rivers downstream. The nearby Wolf den fire burned approximately 20,000 acres and resulted in increased sedimentation in the White River and had impacts on the native fish population there. Reducing fire risk here will help protect those species. Also, this project is apparently in the municipal watershed for the town of Green River, Utah. Protecting upland areas from fire, and improving infiltration and overland flow, should benefit this resource for that community.

The BLM Vernal Field office is conducting an archaeological survey for the entire project area, which should be complete in the fall of 2025, 1,000 acres has already been cleared for archaeological survey. The Nepa was completed in the spring of 2024. Only a small portion of the project is on SITLA surface, but Range Improvement Program form will be submitted. Approval from SITLA will be obtained before the project is implemented.

Trees will be removed using a bullhog-type machine and all mulch will be left in-place. This project will not remove all pinyon and juniper trees from the area. Rather, larger trees over 12 diameter will be left standing. Often, these larger trees are clumped in specific areas throughout the project. Leaving trees based on size will thin out but preserve wooded spots within the project area while opening up other areas more completely. This approach utilizes natural variation within the project area to create a diversity that is valuable to many species. Leaving larger trees in place preserves the inherent value of the trees for species that utilize these habitats, including woodpeckers, bluebirds, pinyon jays, Clark's nutcrackers, nuthatches and other bird species. Removing the smaller trees will reduce competition for light, water, and other resources allowing grasses and shrubs to remain within the woodland area, providing forage for a variety of species. Areas that are dominated by smaller trees also generally have more existing shrubs. Removal of trees in these locations will result in a more open area dominated by shrubs.

Photopoints will be established to document changes in vegetation. Photos will be uploaded to the WRI website as they are taken.

BLM biologists and fuels specialists coordinating with DWR biologist about the possibility of a project. The BLM fuels program paid for and conducted the archaeological clearance. BLM personnel completed the NEPA for the project area and DWR biologists will oversee implementation of the project.

Without seeding, the area will not require rest from grazing. Current management practices will be sufficient to ensure project success. Monitoring of the project area will determine the need for follow-up treatments or project maintenance, possibly to include lop and scatter of missed trees or weed spraying.

It is anticipated that this project will increase forage available to both cattle and livestock. In addition, the increased forage in this area will help to provide better distribution of animals across the landscape, helping reduce competition between wildlife and livestock. Improving habitat conditions and increasing forage for wildlife species will help maintain hunting opportunities in the Book Cliffs unit.