PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION SUMMARY: This proposal will consist of treating ~7,394 acres. Overall, the total estimated cost/acre is ~$233/acre for this phase of implementation. An estimated 15 acres of wetland. And 1,783 acres of annual grass treatments across public, state, and private lands. In addition 258 acres will be surveyed for future treatment in 2026, this will be done through a State Contract working with Arie Leaflang of the UDWR. Culture Resource Survey work will allow for future treatment to take place within the Lost Creek/Boobe Hole Watershed. NEED FOR PROJECT: Continuing project treatments at an increased pace and scale of restoration in the Lost Creek area is needed to not only address the significant sagebrush/grass/forb decline in the area, but also to reduce the risk of fire to the numerous values in the area. The pinion/juniper (PJ) expansion and fading understory in this area is having negative impacts to Lost Creek, Sevier River tributaries water quality, Southern leatherside chub, along with numerous wildlife species (primarily Mule deer, which is a Fishlake National Forest Management Indicator Species) which are dependent upon this area and these ecosystems. Approximately 2,000 acres of PJ are in Phase II transitioning to Phase III. Approximately 3,500 acres of PJ are in Phase I transitioning to Phase II. On the ground surveys and site visits in these areas have allowed staffs from the Richfield Ranger District to see the lack of understory plants. Forage productivity has diminished greatly over the past century and the PJ expansion continues on a yearly basis into the more productive sage/grass/forb and mountain brush communities. This PJ expansion largely results from reduced occurrences of natural disturbance. As PJ has become dominant on the landscape and as the loss of understory vegetation increases, there will be continued increases in sediment transfer and TDS into Lost Creek and big game and small game animals will continue to experience a loss of foraging habitat. This area has a mule deer population which was verified by UDWR 2021 mule deer vehicle route inventory. Mule deer in the area are at historical low numbers. This expansion of more PJ and associated decreasing sage/grass/forb and mountain brush habitat has contributed to and will continue the overall decrease in Mule deer populations and other wildlife species in these areas such as the Greater sage grouse. This expansion factor also contributes to the issue of big game moving closer to higher elevation aspen and local agricultural crops in the valleys to find sustainable forage. Elk depredation issues have been a source of controversy with private landowners for several years. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Range Trend Studies #25A-4 and #25R-9 are active study sites and are found in the Lost Creek and Durfee Homestead areas. 2018 Range Trend data show that these two trend sights are in "poor-fair" and "poor" condition. Treatments in the immediate and surrounding area will have the opportunity to boost these trend conditions in a positive direction. For this reason, it is imperative that we affect as much transition and winter habitat by treating and seeding (if needed) to produce diversity across a landscape that is losing value for big game as well as a variety of small game and avian populations. Elk, mule deer, are wildlife species that have all been and continue to be studied on the Plateau/Fishlake/Thousand Lakes Elk Unit. The current elk plan (2023) outlines harvest objective for cows, spike elk, and mature bull elk for a 10 year period. The Lost Creek Collaborative project is part of this elk unit and is an important intermediate and winter range area for elk and deer. According to visual observations and telemetry data there is significant interchange of elk and deer between the Monroe Elk and Deer Units and the Plateau/Fishlake/Thousand Lakes Elk and Deer units. These mid 90's telemetry data (See Map in Images/Documents section) have provided much needed information on specific population dynamics that include: home range, seasonal range, migration routes, fawning and calving areas, mortality, body condition, pregnancy rates, birthing success, and other factors. During the years of 1991-1996 the US Forest Service (USFS) and Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) cooperated on an intensive elk telemetry study on the Fishlake Unit. A few hundred elk were collared along with several elk caves. After approximately four to five years of data recording elk use patterns were very well defined. Even today these use patterns by elk on the Plateau/Fishlake/Thousand Lakes elk unit are still very much the same. As large acres continue to be treated with current management practices "elk use" patterns will start to change to some degree. Elk being gregarious by nature and were found to utilize (for cover or forage) a large percentage of available acres on the unit and surrounding units. Collared deer and collared cougar have been documented traveling back and forth to the Monroe Mountain Unit. It is anticipated with added acres of treatment wildlife use patterns across units will become more common. Additionally, we ran a quick query in wildlife tracker for elk, mule deer, black bear, cougar, and pronghorn. Attached is a screenshot in the image section of the proposal. It shows our project area has heavy use for all species and there is a lot of interchange between management units with animals using areas treated in previous phases. The overall end state of this project is to: 1. Improve vegetative resilience by increasing abundance and diversity of native shrubs and perennial herbs (grasses, forbs and other herbaceous vegetation). 2. Reduce risk and associated negative impacts from uncharacteristic wildfire to the public, firefighters, structures, private property, and other high values at risk. 3. Improve wildlife habitat summer, transition and winter range (i.e., Mule deer). (See attached table in documents showing species listed and benefits associated with this project proposal). Due to an over accelerated advancement of pinyon juniper trees in the area much of the understory that supports a variety of wildlife has been lost or greatly diminished. Mule deer census done in late season show a population decrease over the last few decades. This project would help improve mule deer habitat by improving the understory while providing a mosaic of hiding and thermal cover. Populations should improve over time. 4. Improve and expand wildlife habitat for Greater sage grouse. A reduction of PJ encroachment into sagebrush communities in the Lost Creek area will also help enlarge habitat use opportunities for Greater sage grouse populations established in the area (approximately 2/3's portion of the project is within a PHMA). 5. Reduce sediment transfer and TDS into Lost Creek (TMDL for TDS) to improve water quality and improve and protect Southern leatherside chub habitat (Intermountain Region Sensitive Species). To accomplish this end state, the Richfield Ranger District of the Fishlake National Forest (USFS), Utah Forestry Fire and State Lands (UFFSLs) Color Country BLM, USFWS, and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) have determined there is a need to treat ~2809 acres of USFS, BLM SITLA. WETLAND AND WET MEADOWS Project work implementing wetland and wet meadow restoration will be occurring primarily on private lands. NO FUNDING IS BEING REQUESTED FROM WRI AND IS BEING FUNDED BY OTHER PARTNERS. USU will be completing extensive monitoring on these projects. Wetland work will be completed on two properties, one being a continuation of previously completed work and another being a new project. REJUVRA HERBICIDE TREATMENTS A goal of this collaborative watershed treatment is to maintain and positively increase the ecological impacts of previous vegetation restorations. Sagebrush restorations projects have occurred in this area for over a decade on public, SITLA, and private lands. Treatments have been primarily removal of pinyon and juniper in sagebrush steppe ecological sites through mechanical methods, seeding, with some seeding after wildfires. After several discussions and field visits together, we would like to complete a targeted herbicide treatment (rejuvra) for annual grass control. Rejuvra herbicide stops cheatgrass at the germination level and protects rangelands for up to four years so desirable forage can return. Trial applications in this area by SITLA have shown to be very successful in promoting existing perennial vegetation while reducing cheatgrass by nearly 100%. Areas selected for Rejuvra treatment are previously mechanically and seeded with a high diversity and establishment of perennial species.

PROJECT GOALS: 1) With the numerous acres that have been treated adjacent to this project on both USFS and BLM Lands, the overall goal of this project is to continue to implement a collaborative landscape level ecosystem restoration project with an increased pace and scale of implementation across boundaries. 2) Promote treatment efforts onto private and state lands with a collaborative effort between the USFS, BLM, SITLA, UDWR, UFFSLs, USFWS and Private Landowners. 3) Minimize project costs by promoting cost effective treatments along with increased scale and size of treatments that will reduce overall cost per acre. 4) Manage forest cover types to provide variety in stand sizes shape, crown closure, edge contrast, age structure and interspersion. 5) Implement a landscape level ecosystem restoration project that will reduce risk of catastrophic fire. PROJECT OBJECTIVES: 1) Improve and/or maintain the quality of habitat on big game winter and transition habitat by thinning or removing PJ with prior seeding. Design forage to cover ratios to benefit a variety of wildlife species. 2) Improve and expand habitat for sensitive, threatened and endangered species such as Sage Grouse and other declining sagebrush obligate songbirds by increasing acres of shrub grassland ecological sites. 3) Improve or maintain quality of habitat for wild turkeys by increasing acres of grass and forb communities. 4) Reduce hazardous fuels while maintaining and improving fire resilient landscapes by improving the fire regime condition class to FRCC 1 and FRCC 2. 5) Increase overall forage production, habitat quality, and species diversity by treating in a mosaic pattern of 60% treated and 40% untreated that will create biodiversity across the landscape. 6) Minimize project costs by promoting cost effective treatments along with increased scale and size of treatments that will reduce overall cost per acre. 7) Enhance habitat on USFS, BLM, SITLA and private lands to promote increased utilization of big game animals and lessen the impact on private agricultural lands. 8) Enhance habitat for southern leatherside chub in riparian areas. 9) Reduce sedimentation through erosion into Sevier River drainage. 10) Habitat improvements will help provide habitat for sage grouse to return to the USFS, BLM, SITLA and private lands . 11) Reduce erosion and restore soil moisture in floodplain habitats along Lost Creek. 12) Install 1 wildlife guzzlers in Valley Mountain project area. WETLANDS: GOALS: Reduce erosion, restore seasonal wetlands, and restore soil hydrology in wet meadow habitats. OBJECTIVES: - Increase length of season soils are wetted in meadows by 30% - Increase total area of wetted soils by 40% - Increase total herbaceous vegetation production by 35% within restored wetted soils. REJUVRA: GOALS: Reduce occurence of cheat grass in established perennial vegetation. OBJECTIVES: - Reduce annual grasses by 95% in treated polygons.

Cost Prohibitive Ecological Threshold discussion: This multi-year project has many goals, objectives, and outcomes. While many of those are related to biology and ecology, several are related to to social and fiscal outcomes. As stated, this area is at a risk for severe fire impacts throughout the watershed. Conservation practices in past phases of this project and in this phase will mitigate and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire. Wildfire suppression is one of the most costly activities land management agencies undertake every year and depletes much of land management agency budgets. Additionally, fire scar rehabilitation is one of the most costly land restoration activities conservation practitioners can undertake. Given the high threat of fire in this watershed, implementing conservation practices as part of this project will prevent fire suppression and restoration activities that may become cost prohibitive across the entire landscape. The time to do this project is now, while we can be proactive rather than being reactive after a severe wildfire burns through. We are tiptoeing the line between proactive and reactive here. In the hand treatment areas the understory is still well intact and cost are very low and not cost prohibitive if we treat now. Social Threshold Discussion: Development threat is fairly high in this area on private land. This area has extremely high visitation for outdoor recreation. Plainly stated, development is an immediate threat to the ecology of this landscape. Helping ag producers remain profitable here is important to reduce the risk of landowners selling of grazing lands for development. Additionally, the high recreational visitation to this area provides local rural communities economic opportunities. A catastrophic wildfire will impact communities economically. The combination of all these projects is in effort to increase the pace and scale of implementation to help disperse browse pressure of both wild and domestic ungulates. Ground surveys and site visits have allowed us to see the lack of understory plants in the PJ complex in the Gooseberry Creek, Salina Creek and Lost Creek areas. Forage productivity has diminished greatly over the past century and the PJ encroachment continues on a yearly basis into the more productive sage/grass/forb communities. Some areas within the project have lost a majority of the understory sage/grasses/forbs, but other areas have not completely lost the understory. One of the biggest threats realized in this area is if left untreated these areas with some understory of sagebrush/grasses/forbs left will eventually be gone as well. This will continue to be "poor" habitat and range for ungulate animals. The area serves as transition range and winter range for big game and because it is in poor condition animals fail to remain in this zone for the season of use that should be normal. (~2,000 acres) of the PJ in the project is in phase II but is about to cross the threshold into phase III dominated PJ and lose the remaining understory. (~3,500) of this project is in phase I with portions about to cross the threshold into phase II. If left untreated these areas with productive sage/grass/forb communities will degrade in productivity and treatment costs in the future will go up dramatically. If left untreated these areas with productive sage/grass/forb communities will degrade in productivity and treatment costs in the future will go up dramatically. As PJ has become dominate on the landscape and the loss of understory vegetation increases, big game and small game animals are experiencing a loss of foraging habitat. This entire area is at risk of large catastrophic wildfires that could adversely affect entire watersheds. This project will reduce the ecological risk of: 1) Current sediment transfer and associated increasing TDS and 2) Potential catastrophic impacts of increased sediment transfer and degradation of Southern leatherside chub habitat and population in the event of a wildfire. As Lost Creek and its tributaries are improved and potential catastrophic ecological impacts in the event of a wildfire are reduced, sediment transfer into Lost Creek and subsequent Sevier River will likely be reduced as well. Restoring uplands will reduce impacts from future wildfires by reducing risk of future impairment. This project reduces the threat to sensitive riparian ecosystems located in Lost Creek and Little Lost Creek that hold the Southern leatherside chub fish species. Refer to the "Water Quality/Quantity" section for more detail. Although it was determined by the USFWS that listing under the ESA was not warranted for Greater sage grouse there is an impending review to see if further action or protection is needed. Continuing to do work as identified in the Statewide Sage Grouse Management Plan to conserve sage grouse will support a continued "not warranted" status. The threat of development is at an all time high in this area as the private land would be ideal for high value cabin or camper lots. This area has extremely high visitation for outdoor recreation. Every Thursday night through Sunday night the two lane highway to the fishlake forest is packed with people coming to recreate for weekend in the area. Plainly stated, development is an immediate threat to the ecology of this landscape. Helping private land ag producers remain profitable as a livestock operation and from outdoor recreation (primarily hunting) here is important to reduce the risk of landowners selling the lands for development. This project focuses on juniper removal as a means to mitigate threats to critical Mule deer summer/winter range, elk winter range. Sagebrush habitat is at risk of being lost due to excessive pinyon and juniper, wildfire, and high potential for invasive vegetation. High severity wildfire could lead to an Increase in cheatgrass and loss of perennial native species. This project will decrease the risk of high severity wildfire by reducing fuel loading and promoting the growth of perennial understory species which are critical to maintaining ecosystem resilience. This project will increase the availability of a diverse suite of vegetational communities. As stated earlier the dominant vegetational state is pinyon and juniper woodland. A healthy landscape has a diversity of vegetational states. A diverse landscape benefits a larger community of wildlife and people. A diverse landscape is also more resistance and resilient to disturbance. By allowing this landscape to continue to move further into a dominant PJ woodland it increases the risk of its resistance to disturbance and its resilience to bounce back and heal after a disturbance. Numerous projects have been implemented in the area with more planned to be implemented in the near future. The combination of all these projects is in effort to increase the pace and scale of implementation to help disperse browse pressure for both wild and domestic ungulates. Much of the project area has been identified as priority for restoration of CRUCIAL mule deer habitat under the Statewide Mule Deer Management Plan. "Crucial" means the areas habitat is necessary to sustain the areas mule deer herd. Allowing the area to move into phase 2 and 3 pinyon and juniper encroachment will mean less quality habitat to meet mule deer objectives. Elk and Mule Deer: The Red canyon and Bald Knoll areas of the Valley Mountain range is very important for mule deer and elk. From higher to lower elevations elk and deer depend on the habitat with its available forage and cover to complete their life cycle requirements. This project will greatly improve available forage for elk and deer populations. Treatments patterns will play an important role within the treatment implementation. One of the primary objectives of this project is to improve habitat for elk and deer. Winter range improvements from this project will benefit elk and deer populations for decades to come. Future monitoring and maintenance of the project will be essential to prolong the integrity of the treatment and health of big game populations. It has been said by land managers, biologist, and researchers familiar with the project area that this area is very important because Mule Deer are space limited here, meaning available habitat and water seem to be the limiting factor for population growth. As habitat is made available by doing this project, we are addressing an immediate threat to one of the primary limiting factors for this population. Ferruginous Hawk: Decreasing populations are commonly attributed to loss of habitat, and lack of secondary prey species. Ferruginous hawk is closely associated with open landscapes offering good visibility and prey resources In Utah, these conditions are often provided by lowland sagebrush, mountain sagebrush, and desert grassland habitats (UDWR 2015). Drought conditions over the past two decades have contributed to sagebrush die-offs, increased fire intensity and frequency, and increased invasive plants. These in turn lead to habitat fragmentation, decreased plant community vitality and decreased prey populations. This project will offer good visibility for foraging and nesting with a mosaic pattern and limit the risk of high intensity wildfire with increased invasive plants. The project will open foraging opportunities for prey such as lagomorphs, ground squirrels, birds and reptiles. Breeding success and population status have been tied to prey abundance and cycling. Wild Turkey: 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. The project area also provides important recreational hunting for the local communities and people travel from all over the state (and from other states) to hunt here for elk, and mule deer. The highly sought-after hunting opportunities within the project areas provide a financial boost to local economies in several ways. Continuing to do work to maintain the habitat in this area will help to perpetuate the recreational and economic benefits. Financial thresholds need consideration when funding habitat conservation. The type of pro-active work we are proposing reduces future cost from becoming prohibitive. Why here--As in the Last Chance area on the Fremont River Ranger District a comparison mapping was completed with old black and white flight images from 1939 and 2018 Google earth imaging. The older flight line images were digitized and moved into a GIS database at the same resolution to compare "old and new" with Google Earth capabilities. The comparison of "old and new" show a 48% increase in pinyon juniper expansion in approximately 80 years. Similar expansion of PJ has occurred across many of our landscapes at a rapid but almost undetectable pace and scale. Along with this expansion vegetative understories have suffer a loss that requires approximately $100.00 an acre to restore productivity for wildlife and livestock. Sage ecosystems in these same areas suffer from old decadent sage which also creates a crowding of interspatial vegetation important to support wildlife. Often sage treatments should be combined with PJ treatment to bring the acres back into production for wild and domestic animals. Seeding combined with chaining or mastication is required to bring these ecosystems back into proper functioning condition. The areas proposed with this proposal consist of a similar habitat situation. Why now--if we allow these habitat types to further their expansion and vegetative-water competition it will cost more in future years to bring these acres back into proper functioning condition. Now is the time to treat them. Why here? The expansion of PJ, loss of vegetative understory in the PJ and sagebrush, have occurred here at a similar rate. Deer and elk populations along with sage grouse and other wildlife species suffer from the current habitat situation. WETLAND AREAS Today, less than 1% of Utah's total land is wetlands. Seventy-five percent of these remaining wetlands are part of the Greater Great Salt Lake Ecosystem. In Southern Utah not only are wetlands rare, they are ultra-rare, making up an extremely small portion of the landscape. Having said this wetlands are disproportionally important on the landscape. Habitats near water -- streamsides, wet meadows and wetlands -- support the greatest variety of animal and plant life, and attract wildlife during their daily and seasonal movements. In a water-scarce landscape like Utah, these lush habitats are also where people have naturally settled. As stated, wetland habitat is the rarest type of habitat in Utah, yet the role of wetland habitat on the landscape is substantial. In Utah it is said as much as 80% of mesic habitat occurs on private lands. These private mesic lands are critically important to the health of wildlife populations across both public and private lands. If true wildlife conservation is to take place on a sustainable level, public wildlife managers must engage private landowners. It is important that we continue to work in these areas that are critically important to the landscape around them, and because these wet areas are mostly private it is extremely important to work with private landowners restoring these areas whenever possible. Wet habitat is the zipper that ties the ecology of the surrounding landscapes together. Not working in these wet areas puts adjacent habitat and wildlife at risk. Climate change has come to the forefront as a global threat to humans and wildlife alike. Although models vary on future impacts of global climate change one thing stands out is that water may become more scarce in the West. Preserving and restoring wet areas has been identified as a key way to mitigate impacts like drought, increasing temperatures, and other impacts that a changing climate will have on humans and wildlife. The project area is part of the Parker Sage Grouse Management Area. Wet meadow complexes are critically important for sage grouse with wet meadows being identified as a limiting factor for population growth in this management area. The area has also been identified as important habitat for rapidly declining sage sparrow, sage thrasher, and Brewer's sparrow. Within Utah, 66-75% of all bird species use mesic habitats during some portion of their life history. Typically, diversity and abundance of birds dramatically increases in western mesic habitat compared with other habitat types(Utah Partners in Flight Avian Conservation Strategy 2.0, 2002). Other research shows that 60--80% of wildlife are dependent on mesic habitats (e.g., wetlands and riparian areas; Thomas et al. 1979, Patten 1998, Belsky et al. 1999, Peck and Lovvorn 2001). USGS BIOME-SAGEBRUSH CORE HABITAT MODELING These data were compiled as a part of a landscape conservation design effort for the sagebrush biome, and are the result of applying a spatially explicit model that assessed geographic patterns in sagebrush ecological integrity and used these results to identify Core Sagebrush Areas (CSAs), Growth Opportunity Areas (GOAs), and Other Rangeland Areas (ORAs). This model is being used biome-wide to target core intact sagebrush habitat to focus sagebrush protection and restoration with the Department of the Interior. Using the prioritization tool, many portions of this project fall within CSAs and GOAs, meaning they are the best of the best sagebrush habitats needing protection and restoration. MAPPED AND IDENTIFIED CRUCIAL MULE DEER HABITAT As previously stated, but also relevant in the "why here why now" section, muhc of this project area is identified as "priority for restoration of crucial mule deer habitat" under the Utah Statewide Mule Deer Management Plan (Utah Statewide Mule Deer Management Plan, 2019-2024). "Crucial" is defined as "habitat necessary to sustain the areas mule deer herd". This project will specifically meet the objective of "working with local, state and federal land management agencies via land management plans and with private landowners to identify and properly manage crucial mule deer habitats, especially fawning, wintering and migration areas". Mule deer population numbers are at a many year low. The public as well as elected officials are placing a high priority in restoring mule deer numbers. Working in crucial habitat as this has been identified by wildlife professionals, has a higher likelihood of giving us an greater return on our investment for mule deer. TNC LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION FORCAST MODELING A search of WRI supported Landscape Forecasting was conducted and no data exist for this area. WILDLIFE TRACKER DATA Attached to the images/documents page is a screenshot of the project area and area directly adjacent to the project. Not much to say other than the project area and adjacent habitat get a ton of use from elk and deer. It also shows 3 bears and 2 mountain lions using previously completed work. The points show animals using previous mastication's, seedings, and wetland work. In addition to the above listed objectives the below goals/objectives are identified in the ELK STATEWIDE PLAN: B. Habitat Management Goal: Conserve and improve elk habitat throughout the state. Habitat Objective 1: Maintain sufficient habitat to support elk herds at population objectives and reduce competition for forage between elk and livestock. Strategies: C. Habitat Improvement - a. Utilize Habitat Council, Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative, Wildlife Conservation Permit funds, and other funding mechanisms to restore or improve crucial elk habitats. b. Increase forage production by annually treating a minimum of 40,000 acres of elk habitat. c. Coordinate with land management agencies, conservation organizations, private landowners, and local leaders through the regional Watershed Restoration Initiative working groups to identify and prioritize elk habitats that are in need of enhancement or restoration. i. Identify habitat projects on summer ranges (aspen communities) to improve calving habitat and summer forage. ii. Encourage land managers to manage portions of forests in early succession stages through the use of controlled burning, logging or other methods. Controlled burning in areas with invasive weed and/or safety concerns should be supported only when adequate planning and mitigation measures have been identified. iii. Promote Fire Use (let-burn) policies in appropriate areas that will benefit elk, and conduct reseeding efforts post wildlife. In addition to the above listed objectives the below goals/objectives are identified in the TURKEY MANAGEMENT PLAN: General Suitable habitat includes three key ingredients: trees, forbs and grass. Regardless of the type of environment, this combination must exist for turkeys to thrive. Trees provide food, daytime loafing and escape cover, and- --most importantly -- nighttime roost sites. Grasses and forbs provide food for adults and are especially important to poults as an environment in which they can efficiently forage for insects. Brood Rearing: During the first eight weeks after hatching, there are three essential components of brood rearing habitat. First - Poults need an environment that produces an abundance of insects. Second - Poults need habitat in which they can frequently and efficiently forage throughout the day. Third - Poults need an area that provides enough cover to hide, but allows the adult hen unobstructed vision for protection from predators. Therefore, the fundamental component of brood rearing habitat is herbaceous vegetation interspersed with trees. Herbaceous vegetation is key because it provides an ideal foraging environment for poults. Fall and Winter: Wild turkeys seek two imperative habitat ingredients in the fall and winter --food and roosting cover. Vegetation that turkeys utilize during the fall and winter is highly varied. Turkeys increase their use of forested cover during the fall and winter and decrease their use of open areas. Mast (pine nuts, acorns, berries) is the primary food source during fall and winter. Habitat value increases with higher proportions of mast-producing species in the forest and their degree of maturity. In mountainous environments, spring seeps are an important source of fall and winter food. Seeps provide invertebrates, mast and green vegetation. Because such water does not freeze, it provides a microclimate that allows foraging throughout the winter.

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 (2023) 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. Treatments of pinyon and juniper in upland areas that drain into Lost and Little Lost Creeks support 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. The treatments in this phase primarily would reduce the risk of catostrophic fire and improve grasses and forbs understory in the uplands which will help retain soil moisture and capture sediment during overland flow and runoff. This would help to improve water quality and reduce erosion/sedimentation in Southern Leatherside habitat. The project falls within the Central Mountains, Nebo unit management plan. Current winter range surveys show that mule deer winter range in this area is poor. This unit identifies habitat as a limiting factor and states that "P/J encroachment on traditional winter rangelands is decreasing diversity and vigor of browse plants." and then identifies as a habitat management objective: *Winter range restoration efforts must be completed for this deer herd to reach its population objectives. Pinyon and juniper reduction treatments and sagebrush restoration are necessary to stabilize winter range conditions and allow this herd to withstand heavy winters. *Continue to be committed to the statewide goal of supporting habitat projects that increase forage for both big game and livestock. Discourage the encroachment of Pinyon and Juniper (PJ) trees into sagebrush and other habitats. Seek opportunities to improve habitat through grazing practices and mechanical treatments to improve habitat where PJ encroachment is occurring. Sanpete County RMP *Support the removal of conifers and manage land to promote the establishment of attendant grass, brush, and forbs. *Sanpete county encourages federal and state agencies to adopt and maintain scientifically sound forest management policies based on high quality, recently acquired data, and to pursue multiple use of public forest resources to provide sustainable and continuous yield of timber, forage, firewood,wildlife, fisheries, recreation, and water. *Support managing forest cover types to perpetuate tree cover and provide healthy stands, high water quality, and wildlife and fish habitat. *Support agencies in providing for harvest of forest products when the activity would improve water production and does not adversely affect water quality. *Support the management of forests and woodlands for healthy conditions that contribute to healthy habitat for animal and plant species, proper watershed functioning conditions, and riparian restoration and enhancement. *Support agencies in prioritizing fuel reduction treatment in high value/high-risk areas. Implementation of fuels management actions should be prioritized using the following criteria: *Wildland-urban interface (WUI) areas. *Areas with fuel loading that could potentially result in the loss of ecosystem components following wildland fire. *Support the prioritization of using native seeds for fuels management treatment based on availability, adaptation (site potential), and probability of success. Where probability of success for native seed is low, desirable non-native seeds may be used to trend toward restoring the fire regime. When reseeding, use fire-resistant native and desirable non-native species, as appropriate, to provide for fire breaks. *Hazardous fuels reduction treatments should be used to restore ecosystems, protect human, natural, and cultural resources, and reduce the threat of wildfire to communities. *Support the reduction of fuel loading conditions in forests and woodlands.

Completed treatments along with planned and future treatments reduce the risk of fire at a landscape level while promoting resilient landscapes. Wildfire suppression costs are extremely high especially when suppressing fires in similar fuel types and loadings as present on this project. When wildfires occur, this could result in increased erosion, greater opportunities for noxious weed establishment, impacts to available short-term forage, stream sedimentation, and possible mud slides/flooding events. Enhancing the habitat in these areas will result in multiple benefits, which also include reducing hazardous fuel accumulations and breaking up the continuous fuel bed of PJ that currently exist in the Lost Creek area. This treatment will promote a fire resilient environment that reduces the risk for large scale, intense wildland fires, with less risk to public and firefighter safety. Fire risk would be reduced to multiple watersheds and communities located in the Lost Creek and also Gooseberry Creek areas with. The communities of existing wildfire risk index in the project area ranges from moderate-high to very-very low. It compliments completed BLM and USFS treatments located in the area. All these projects combined reduce the risk of fire at a landscape level to the communities and watersheds across the Lost Creek and Gooseberry Creek areas while promoting resilient landscapes. The dominant southwest wind flow in conjunction with associated fire behavior expected from the PJ and mountain shrub fuel types pose significant wildland fire risk to these areas and values. The large, treated areas will create buffers in and around values at risk and will significantly reduce the risk of fire to these values. About half this project is within fire regime III -- 35-100+ year frequency and mixed severity (less than 75% of the dominant overstory vegetation replaced); The Fire Regime Condition Class (FRCC) is estimated to be both moderate (FRCC 2) and high (FRCC 3) departure from the central tendency of the natural (historical) regime. The central tendency is a composite estimate of vegetation characteristics (species composition, structural stages, stand age, canopy closure, and mosaic pattern); fuel composition; fire frequency, severity, and pattern; and other associated natural disturbances. The other half of this project would be in FRCC 3. This project will improve the fire regime condition class to FRCC 1 and FRCC 2. The District has seen success (Dixie Harrow transects) in treatment areas, both fire and mechanical, on the Forest and BLM that have initially shown cheat-grass response, but after the re-seeding has time to establish, cheat-grass has decreased dramatically thus reducing this potential increased risk of fire. Today, practitioners are restoring the West's creeks, valley bottoms, and wet meadows by using "low-tech, process-based" mesic restoration practices to slow down water, allowing it to spread across the landscape where plants and wildlife can use it. In addition to improving habitat for wildlife and boosting productivity of riparian vegetation communities, these mesic habitats create important fire breaks and refuge for wildlife fleeing wildfire.

WATER QUALITY This project is located in the Lost Creek watershed including Lost Creek and Little Lost Creek which are perennial streams/riparian systems. Lost Creek and its tributaries are listed as impaired with a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). This project as it's proposed will improve ground cover and thereby reduce sediment transfer into the lower watershed system. The project proposed will reduce sediment transfer. Restoring uplands will reduce the impacts of future wildfires and reduce the risk of future impairment. Treatments will considerably lessen the risk of catastrophic large scale high severity fires that could result in long-term watershed degradation. By maintaining watershed function, long-term water quality will be maintained or enhanced. The Bald knoll and Red Canyon Units of project is located within the Sevier River 19 Water Quality Assessment Unit which includes west side Sevier River tributaries from Sevier Bridge Dam to Salina Creek Confluence. The condition of the assessment unit has not been determined because insufficient water quality data are available. The assessment unit drains into the Sevier River - 17 assessment unit which is listed as an impaired water due to violations for Total Phosphorus, Sedimentation, and Total Dissolved Solids. The Project would stabilize soils and reduce runoff and therefore would benefit the adjacent assessment unit. Completion of this project would reduce flooding and runoff from heavy rainstorms by depositing woody debris in the gullies to slow and hold back the water. Currently with the pinyon and Juniper on site there is a lot of bare ground available for erosion. By planting this treatment with a variety of grasses, forbs and shrubs the ground cover will be greatly increased, which will decrease the potential for erosion. Areas that become dominated by pinyon and juniper out compete understory herbaceous species and leave bare soil prone to erosion. This herbaceous vegetation is important to reducing overland flow and reducing soil loss. WATER QUANTITY Treatments will considerably lessen the risk of catastrophic large scale high severity fires that could result in long-term watershed degradation. By maintaining watershed function, long-term water quality will be maintained or enhanced. By removing PJ it is anticipated that water quantity will be enhanced (seeps, springs, bogs--improved) in the short and long term. Reducing the amount of pinyon/juniper has the potential to increase and prolong stream flows, while reducing erosion caused by bare soil, not a guarantee as some will claim but has the potential. Given the multiple phases and large amounts of acreage completed over the years, we feel this project does have potential for short and long term water quantity and quality effects. The species planted will help stabilize the soil and reduce erosion. Kormas et al (2017) in Rangeland Ecology found that drainage's dominated with juniper experience "snow water equivalent peaks higher, snow melts out earlier, and more water is lost to evapotranspiration in catchments when compared to sagebrush steppe vegetation". In a study from 2008, Deboodt, et. al (2008) mentions that juniper trees can use up to 30 gallons of water a day, when adequate moisture is present. It also states that Vegetative modeling has shown that 9 to 35 trees per acre can utilize all the precipitation delivered to a site in a 13-in annual precipitation zone. In their study researchers monitored two watersheds 12 years prior to treatment (cutting). After the treatment analysis indicated that juniper reduction significantly increased late season spring flow by 225%, increased days of recorded groundwater by an average of 41 days , and increased the relative availability of late season soil moisture to soil depths of .76 meters. It was also noted that managing vegetation for water yield may be obtainable at a much lower precipitation threshold than what was previously understood. Baker, et. al (1984) found a 157% increase in stream flows over a 147 ha pinyon and juniper treatment. Recent research Roundy, et. al. (2014) has shown that mechanical treatments to remove pinyon and juniper increase time that soil water is available. Even four years after treatment, treated areas showed from 8.6 days to-18 days additional water availability at high elevation sites. Roth, et. All (2017) stated snow pack is deeper and last longer in the open site at the low and mid sites (4-26 and 11-33 days, respectively). Additional research by Young, et. al. (2013) also showed a relationship between tree removal and soil climates and wet days on these sites, which while providing more available moisture for desired vegetation could also provide moisture for weeds. Numerous studies have shown that increased infiltration rates and less overland flow improve both water quality and quantity. Reducing pinyon and juniper trees, according the available research should increase snow pack, and time that snow pack is on the ground, increase spring flows, and increase soil moisture. It is expected that similar results will happen in this area after the treatment takes place. Risk of fire will be reduced within multiple watersheds. Since the area suffers from a diminished understory of grass and forbs, the planned aerial seeding will be an important factor to establish future soil stability and reduce the risk of erosion. By maintaining watershed function, long-term water quality will be maintained or enhanced. Both the potential increase in herbaceous vegetation and the masticated or chained tree material should help stabilize the soils by reducing erosion and protect the water quality throughout the watershed. By removing PJ this should allow for more precipitation to contact the soil and increase biomass on the ground. In areas where hand thinning will be used there should be adequate vegetation to avoid soil erosion but this should increase the amount of water into the system instead of evaporating before it reaches the ground. Wet meadows and upland plants benefit by utilizing the increase soil moisture, providing for better resiliency during drought years. This provides for an increase in water quantity for herbaceous plants on sites where PJ is removed. Treatments on this project will be occurring in sagebrush, mountain mixed brush, wetland, and spring ecological communities. Restoring uplands within all of these ecological communities will reduce impacts from future wildfires along with reducing risks of future impairment to the watersheds. Working to improve/protect wet meadows, create wetlands, restore soil moisture, and protect springs from damage will have a direct impact on both water quality and quantity. Sevier County: In Sevier County's Water Quality and Hydrology section under Desired Management Practices the statement below supports these types of projects. 3. Where water resources on public lands have diminished because grasses have succeeded to pinyon-juniper and other woody vegetation, a vigorous program of mechanical treatments should be applied to promptly remove this woody vegetation and biomass, stimulate the return of the grasses to historic levels, and thereby provide a watershed that maximizes water yield and water quality for livestock, wildlife, and human uses. (pg. 24). Riparian, wetlands, and stream habitat is extremely important for filtering heavy sediment, ash, and other compounds from post-fire areas in adjacent upland and up stream habitat. Protecting wetland and riparian habitat protects the watershed from off-site negative impacts to both rural communities and wildlife. This project will help directly with water quantity and storage. It is universal knowledge through many years of research that healthy, properly functioning wetland habitat has the capacity to store more water in the soil and below ground aquifer. This storage capacity becomes even more apparent during the driest parts of the season or during drought when these areas put more water back into the aquatic system because of the "sponge effect" they have the ability to store larger capacities of water. Wet meadows and upland plants benefit by utilizing the increase soil moisture, providing for better resiliency during drought years. This provides for an increase in water quantity for herbaceous plants on sites where PJ is removed. Treatments on this project will be occurring in sagebrush and mountain mixed brush ecological communities. Restoring uplands within all of these ecological communities will reduce impacts from future wildfires along with reducing risks of future impairment to the watersheds. Sevier County: In Sevier County's Water Quality and Hydrology section under Desired Management Practices the statement below supports these types of projects. 3. Where water resources on public lands have diminished because grasses have succeeded to pinyon-juniper and other woody vegetation, a vigorous program of mechanical treatments should be applied to promptly remove this woody vegetation and biomass, stimulate the return of the grasses to historic levels, and thereby provide a watershed that maximizes water yield and water quality for livestock, wildlife, and human uses. (pg. 24). Wildlife guzzler installation of 1 Boss Tanks guzzler kits will be placed in areas of the Valley Mountains where natural water sources are rare or non-existent. These 1,800-gallon fenced guzzler tanks will provide much needed water for all wildlife species found on the Valley Mountains. Wildlife distribution will be greatly enhanced and will help distribute animals. The wetland work we are completing has a DIRECT impact to onsite and downstream water quality and quantity. By protecting a restoring wet meadows and wetlands we are promoting their ability to increase groundwater levels and subsurface storage. These meadows increase the frequency and duration of floodplain saturation which helps to filter sediments and nutrients and improves water quality. They also lessen the erosive impact of peak spring runoff and increase the water flow in mid-summer. This project will help directly with water quantity and storage (see photos if you don't believe me). It is universal knowledge through many years of research that healthy, properly functioning wetland habitat has the capacity to store more water in the soil and below ground aquifer. This storage capacity becomes even more apparent during the driest parts of the season or during drought when these areas put more water back into the aquatic system because of the "sponge effect" they have the ability to store larger capacities of water.

USFS: The Fishlake National Forest Pinyon and Juniper Project Decision Notice was signed on December 5th, 2019 which covers the USFS portion of this project. The Fishlake National Forest has completed cultural surveys and consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office. BLM: Cedar Mountain Fuels Reduction and Habitat Improvement EA completed and signed January 2018, Valley Mountains EA DOI-BLM-UT-C0202012-0011-EA Signed November 12,2013. Arc and wildlife survey's will be completed before implementation. Arc clearance will be completed on all BLM managed lands inside the proposed project boundary prior to implementation. Red canyon portion of project had arc clearance completed in Lost Creek phase 2 which included 2532 acres of BLM and 279 acres of Sitla. Private lands work compliance will be completed by USFWS, no archeology support necessary.

In phase 4 of the project, planned treatment will include ~7,394 total acres ( USFS ~2,023 ac, BLM ~ 4924 ac, SITLA ~409 ac Private ~ 38.) Treatment methods will include the following: USFS 1) aerial seeding followed by a chaining contract for approx. 889 acres. (fall/winter 2026). USFS Arch clearance has been completed already. USFS 2) Lop and Scatter Contract for ~1,134 acres (summer/fall 2025, spring 2026) BLM 1) Lop and Scatter Contract for ~ 2,647 acres (fall 2025-fall 2026) BLM 2) aerial seeding followed by a mastication contract for approx. 1,326 acres (Fall 2025, spring 2026). BLM 3) aerial application of Rejuvra for ~ 951 acres (Fall 2025). BLM 4) install 1 wildlife guzzler for big game/upland Game. (Fall 2025) SITLA 1) aerial application of Rejuvra for ~ 409 acres (Fall 2025). BLM acres had arc clearance completed in phase 2 of previous project and are ready to be implemented. Slopes under 40% or classified phase II or III PJ expansion will be thinned utilizing mastication methods by machine and chaining.. A mosaic treatment pattern combined with travel corridors will be designed into the project to allow some hiding, thermal and migration cover for big game. This diversity will help create a mix of life cycle benefits for a variety of wildlife and insect species. Curl-leaf mahogany and other key brush species will be designed away from fire opportunities to maintain browse integrity. The USFS, UDWR, UFFSLs and BLM will seed with a mix of brush, grass and forbs. WETLANDS 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. 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. REJUVRA Application will be aerial and according to label. No grazing rest is necessary. We will be working closely with David Collins from Envu on rate and mixture. This may vary slightly depending on application timing. Several project partners have experience applying Rejuvra and have a close working relationship with the above mentioned individual at Envu. Applications rates will be in the neighborhood of 5-7oz per acre. Private - Culture Resource Survey Work to be complete within the Boobe Hole CWMU estimated around 258 acres allowing for future acres to be mechanically treated in 2026. This will be contracted through State of Utah Purchasing Guidelines in conjunction with Arie Leaflang UDWR Archaeologist. In 2027, we plan to implement a mastication and reseeding effort on the private portion of this proposal.

USFS: Throughout implementation of this project elk, deer, and other Management Indicator Species along with range conditions will continue to be monitored annually, following USFS Wildlife and Range Protocols (vegetation monitoring cages and vegetation transects). Areas as needed would be temporarily rested from domestic ungulate use, for 2-3 growing seasons, to allow vegetation time to establish. Post season deer counts in 2021-2024 show historical low numbers of deer in the area. We will continue to conduct this route as well as the in conjunction with UDWR route to monitor deer and elk use within the treatment areas. If noxious and/or invasive weeds are detected, the District will take the appropriate actions to control spread and eliminate the noxious and/or invasive weeds from the treatment areas. The District has seen success (Dixie Harrow transects) in treatment areas, both fire and mechanical, on the Forest and BLM that have initially shown cheat-grass response, but after the re-seeding has time to establish, cheat-grass has decreased dramatically. Since the area suffers from a diminished understory of grass and forbs seeding will be an important factor to establish future soil stability and forage opportunities. Seed and mechanical treatment on Mormon Peak (Monroe Unit across to the West) proved to be very successful and preventative against domination of cheat grass. See data set in documents. Fuels treatment monitoring will take place involving multiple repeatable photo points. Plots will be visited post 1 year, 3 year, and 5 year, monitoring vegetation response and ground cover. This will be accomplished by the Forest Service SCA Monitoring Crew. Wildlife and aquatics monitoring data collected from this phase of treatment will be included in the documents section of the WRI database. BLM: Vegetation and ground cover data will be collected using the line-point intercept method and nested frequency. Photos will be taken and a qualitative site condition assessment completed. This area is also a designated mule deer route for BLM wildlife biologist and is monitored yearly. This year, each BLM Field office will have entire team devoted to the Assessment, Inventory and Monitoring program (AIM), and although the sample points are random, it is likely that some of these points will fall within the project area. This monitoring program uses standard core indicators and methods to provide a statistically valid sampling design across the landscape. Private Lands: When the original hand thinning project was done pre and post-treatment range assessment and woodland surveys were conducted by NRCS staff. Photo point will be established in the new treatment on private lands. Private landowners will sign an agreement with USFWS and as part of the USFWS landowner agreement USFWS biologist will visit the site at minimum once per year to assess needs, success, failures, and need for any follow-up treatments/maintenance for the duration of the 10 year Landowner Agreement. UDWR Annual aerial and ground mule deer and Elk counts and classifications. WETLAND MONITORING The Ecogeomorphology and Topographic Analysis Lab (ETAL) at Utah State University's Department of Watershed Sciences, working with the landowner and USFWS, will collect and process drone imagery and resulting maps and analysis for Phase II of the Wet Meadow/Wetland restoration on Upper Otter Creek, Utah. We will map a pre-restoration "snapshot" of the following features: 1. Valley Bottom 2. Valley Bottom Centerline 3. Floodplain (riparian/uplands) 4. Rock restoration structures 5. Active Channel 6. Inundation Types 7. Thalwegs 8. Confluences/Diffluences We will provide these outputs as a shapefile and as a map atlas with associated drone imagery and geomorphic mapping. See attached budget and scope of work in the document section.

One of the main goals for this project is to promote treatment efforts at a landscape level with a collaborative effort between the USFS, BLM, SITLA, USFWS, UFFSL's, UDWR and private landowners. Several coordination meetings have taken place and will continue to take place to collaboratively determine future treatments that will mutually benefit all agencies and private landowners along with promote landscape-level restoration. This multi-agency collaborative project is located in Sevier County and includes USFS, BLM, SITLA, USFWS, and several private lands. Some USFS/BLM/Private across boundary work has already been completed adjacent to this project. These treatments will compliment previously accomplished treatments and wildlife benefits from the numerous treatments that the USFS and BLM have already completed in the Lost Creek area. The USFS, BLM, SITLA, USFWS, UDWR, and UFFSLs, are not only collaborating on this project but are also consulting about future treatments in the area. Multiple meetings with private landowners have been held and future meetings with them are planned to discuss further details of this project. During project planning the local UDWR biologists offered suggestions that were incorporated and offered support for the project. The Sevier County Commission are supportive of this project. Local ranchers are also supportive of this project. During project scoping, no opposition from the public was shared. This year we've added 2 new partners to this proposal, a new private landowner and USU Wally McFarland who will be directly helping implement wetland projects and conducting monitoring. David Collins from Envu has a close working relationship with some partners and will be consulting on the Rejuvra portion of the project. Jeff Adams from Terra Sophia LLC is a highly capable and skilled wetland desing/builder and has visited wetland sites with USFWS biologist for design purposes.

FUTURE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT: By continually promoting a collaborative effort between USFS, BLM, SITLA, UDWR, UFFSLs, USFWS, and Private Landowners, it is anticipated that a long term level of success will be obtained on all the current and future treatments. Future maintenance of projects to protect investments made by USFS, UWRI, BLM, SITLA, and Private landowner have been addressed and allowed through the project planning document (NEPA). Adaptive management has been allowed for in the NEPA documents. Many tools have been analyzed in the NEPA planning process to allow other methods in the future. USFS: Treatment areas will be monitored post-implementation. If noxious and/or invasive weeds are detected, the District will take the appropriate actions to control spread and eliminate the noxious and/or invasive weeds from the treatment areas. Implementation of this project will reduce the risk of catastrophic high severity wildland fire; thus reducing the risk to the public and firefighters. Health and public safety is improved. With this reduced risk, future management of naturally caused fires on USFS lands may be possible to allow fire to play greatest feasible natural role in the environment, thus potentially further reducing risk to public and firefighters. As habitat is improved for ungulates (deer, elk, cattle, sheep) and additional forage becomes available, the USFS expects the flexibility and management of ungulates will improve; hopefully with less controversy. Maintaining healthy populations of wildlife while also responding to the needs of livestock permittees is expected to become easier. As future PJ expansion occurs, maintenance/re-treatment of this project via hand thinning of new PJ growth/whips is expected to be implemented to maintain the integrity of this project and the anticipated continued PJ expansion. Increased pace and scale of restoration type projects in this area is currently underway. Multiple projects have been, and are currently being implemented and more are being planned in this area. With numerous projects and thousands of acres treated in the surrounding area, this project compliments this completed restoration work at a large landscape scale and will hopefully promote future restoration projects to landowners on more of the surrounding private property. Also this project is in a continued effort to disperse browse pressure of both wild and domestic ungulates and improve watershed health. FUTURE RANGE MANAGEMENT: USFS: Forest lands would be rested from any livestock use for a period of two growing seasons to help establish seeded treated and treated areas. The District will ensure a temporary resting of treatment areas (2 to 3 years) which will be incorporated into Annual Operating Instructions. These actions will help ensure that permittees are in the communication loop and will give them enough time to plan for the resources they need to continue their operations. Impacts to permittees will be minimized by the use of herding and temporary electric fences so that treatment areas can be temporarily rested while non-treatment areas can continue to be grazed. BLM: This project area is within two grazing allotment. All areas seeded will be rested for a minimum of two complete growing seasons or until the seedlings become established and set seed. Once seeding establishment has been confirmed, BLM may authorize grazing according the Utah's Fundamentals of Rangeland Health and Guidelines for Grazing Management (2007). Vegetation will continue to be monitored for utilization, cover and trend. Following the rest period, the current management plan will govern. If needed, grazing adjustments would be made in Grazing Allotment Plans and through the grazing permit renewal process. USFWS/Private: The private landowners will enter into a contract with USFWS if funded. As part of the landowner agreement with USFWS the landowner agrees to leave the habitat restored in place for a 10 year period and during that time will work with the USFWS biologist to monitor and access needs, success, and any needed adaptive management. Landowners have committed to resting seeded areas as needed for seeding establishment.

This area is one of the most heavily recreated areas in the region. Heavy use come not only from locals but from all over the state, country, and world. The list of uses could go on and on from fishing, camping, hunting, day tripping, scenic driving, wood cutting, trapping, etc. The visitation is also a major economic driver of nearby communities. This area is also a gateway to several national parks and state parks. PUBLIC and ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY The project areas are very popular for camping, hiking, sight-seeing, wildlife viewing, fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, and ATV trail riding. Miles of hiking and prominent ATV trails exists. Treatments will promote a renewed resilient beautiful sustainable forest that will be enjoyed by future generations. Multiple contracts are planned during this phase of treatment along with future planned phases. This project benefits the local communities by providing private companies work and associated economic benefits. Efforts are being made to promote commercial sale of Juniper fence posts from project areas. This project promotes sustaining hunting of big game such as elk and deer along with small game such as wild turkey. Treatments like this have potential to increase wildlife numbers and potential hunting opportunities to future generations. A main goal of these treatments is to enhance habitat at a landscape scale rather than at a jurisdictional level to promote increased utilization of big game animals and lessen the impact on private agricultural lands. Other sustainable uses towards this project will be the use of additional firewood that will be available, cutting of cedar post, access to additional hunting opportunities for big game such as mule deer and elk. Additional opportunities will be opened up for turkey hunting and upland game hunting as well. With the Sevier County ATV Jamboree each year, riders from across the country enjoy riding trails in this area and enjoy camping and recreating. FORAGE PRODUCTION or IMPROVED DISTRIBUTION Forage productivity has diminished greatly over the past century and the PJ expansion continues on a yearly basis into the more productive sage/grass/forb communities. As PJ is thinned, understory vegetation increases, wild and domestic ungulates will experience an increase in foraging habitat. Through the mechanical thinning, PJ expansion is addressed, and sagebrush, grasses, and forbs are promoted. This in return moves the sage/grass/forb ecosystems in the Lost Creek area on a trajectory toward improved forage conditions thus improving ecosystems for both wildlife and livestock. Portions of the project are currently not being grazed due to the lack of understory and PJ expansion. This project has the potential to improve distribution of domestic livestock into new areas. The amount of forage available to livestock and wildlife is expected to increase significantly as a result of this project. With the removal of PJ, the amount of usable grasses and forbs in the and sagebrush is expected to increase significantly. With increased forage, ungulate distribution is expected to improve. Many areas that are currently unproductive due to overgrowth will soon become desirable for future uses by ungulates. LOCAL ECONOMY As stated above this project will boost local rural economies by enhancing recreational and agricultural opportunities. Much of the local culture and identity is tied up in natural resources. This project is working across boundaries to boost and enhance local recreational opportunities and provide jobs. Additionally, it will boost the landowner's ability to remain sustainable and profitable keeping him on the landscape and avoiding the threat of selling the property and developing. A continued hunting and trapping scenario will be able to continue for furbearers, mountain lion and bear.