The Yellowjacket (Sandstone Butte) phase 1 and (Oak Flat) phase 2 project areas are located in the boundaries of the 30,000 acre landscape level Yellowjacket Vegetation Enhancement Project. The need to rehabilitate vegetation communities within the Yellowjacket area has been recognized by numerous groups for many years. Plans including the Virgin River Watershed Management Plan (2006), Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Statewide Management Plan (2008), Southwest Support Area Fire Management Plan (2005) and the Kanab Resource Management Plan (2008) have all addressed resource and vegetation management needs with this area. Currently, the area is in a mid to late seral stage with a downward trend of herbaceous understory vegetation and healthy shrub component. There are two concerns within the project area 1) even-aged, decadent stands of sagebrush with no understory and 2) the expansion and infilling of pinyon and juniper trees into areas once dominated by shrubs and herbaceous vegetation, ponderosa pine, and mountain brush communities. (See attached photos and documents) Even-aged, decadent sagebrush stands with little to no perennial understory and the expansion and infilling of pinyon and juniper have negatively affected soil resources, water and nutrient cycles, fire regimes, fuel loading, plant community structure and composition, woodland health, forage production, water quality/quantity and wildlife habitat. The Sandstone Butte project falls within winter critical mule deer habitat with collar data showing the area as a medium to high use migration area for many deer. This project will provide critical seasonal resources for animals when harsh environmental conditions typically reduce survival rates. Collar data shows heavy use by mule deer in similar projects that are located in the area. An interdisciplinary team, composed of BLM, UDWR and other groups visited the area and have identified opportunities within the project area, which include: 1) reducing hazardous fuels and risk to life and property from catastrophic wildfire; 2) restoring and improving the sagebrush semidesert ecosystem; 3) increasing plant species and diversity and improving watershed conditions and water quality; 4) improving the health of both woodlands and sagebrush/grasslands by increasing vegetation diversity as well as age class structure; 5) decreasing the amount of pinyon/juniper expansion into areas historically dominated by shrubs, grass, and mountain brush, 6) enhancing important seasonal and year round habitat for several species of wildlife, in particular wintering mule deer(100% of project area is within the Division of Wildlife Resources mule deer focus area and crucial winter mule deer habitat). 7) open phase III canopy for use of hunting and foraging for California Condor and Bald Eagles. Previous phases of the project (Kinnickinnic, Cave Lakes, Farm Canyon, Harris Mountain, Chris Spring, Dixie Knoll, Coral Pink, Sethy's, Pine Springs, Rosy Canyon) and projects in similar areas, such as Muddy Creek and Fivemile have proven successful in restoring grass, forb, and shrub species to the site, decreasing erosion, improving species diversity and functional plant groups and improving winter mule deer habitat (see Attached Photos).

1) Maintain or improve vegetative diversity and age class structure. 2) Re-establish frequency of grasses to 20%, forbs to 10% and shrubs to 30%. 3) Restore percent canopy cover or grasses to 30%, forbs to 10% and shrubs to 25%. 4) Decrease hazardous fuels by removing 95% of standing pinyon and juniper. 5) Reduce pinyon and juniper density. 6) Reduce even-aged, decadent sagebrush to increase sagebrush age class diversity and herbaceous perennial understory 7) Reduce sedimentation through erosion in the East Fork Virgin River Upper Watershed(HUC10).

Even-aged, decadent sagebrush and the invasion of pinyon and juniper trees into areas once dominated by grasses, forbs, and shrubs increases the risk of losing key areas for wildlife (ie. mule deer, Bighorn Sheep) and the decline of riparian habitat within the project boundaries. Without this project, perennial grasses, forbs and healthy shrubs (sagebrush and bitterbrush) will decline and experience reduced productivity. Even-aged, decadent stands of sagebrush and the increase of pinyon and juniper also increases the risk of catastrophic wildfire in these habitats. The risk of cheatgrass and loss of sagebrush semidesert habitat after a wildfire could further impact habitat for wildlife. There is some cheatgrass present within the Phase II bullhog area that could continue to increase with the decreasing understory species as cheatgrass ability to outcompete native grasses and the reduced available nutrient resources from pinyon and juniper encroachment. Catastrophic wildfire also threatens nearby infrastructure and outlying residential properties of the Yellowjacket area. Adjacent projects identical to the proposed project have proved successful in meeting objectives (see Attached Photos). However, as with any surface disturbing activity in sagebrush ecosystems, there is a low potential for weed invasion. BLM will aggressively treat any noxious weeds in the area if found. Funding included in the proposal will help fund the treatment of noxious weeds if they occur within the project area. Opening phase III canopy will aid in the hunting and foraging for California Condor and Bald Eagles. Condors historically scavenged off of dead animal carcasses. These birds prefer those of large dead animals like deer, cattle and sheep. However, they are also known to eat smaller animals like rodents and rabbits. Opening the habitat in the area should allow for increased foraging and hunting opportunity for these species in the area. The Sandstone Butte project will aid in reestablishing habitat from phase II and phase III juniper to a more suitable habitat for Gambel's Quail. Gambel's Quail eat seeds of grasses, shrubs, forbs, trees and cactus. They also eat leaves and grass blades. Gambel's Quail also eat insects, especially in spring and through the peak of nesting season. Chicks eat only animal matter for the first few days after hatching, including beetles, small worms, moth caterpillars, and grasshoppers. Projects similar in adjacent areas have shown increase in insects due to vegetation change resulting from removal of phase III Juniper.

This project is in conformance with the Kanab Field Office Record of Decision and Resource Management Plan (RMP), signed October 31, 2008. VEG-30, 32, 33, 35 by treating sagebrush steppe communities to restore natural disturbance processes and a healthy, diverse mosaic of different height and age structures with components of native grasses forbs and an appropriate pinyon-juniper component for a given ecological site. Mosaics will include stands of young and old sagebrush and pinyon and juniper. SOL-3. states to treat areas that are prioritized within the plan. Virgin River watershed is the second priority behind the Upper Sevier watershed which also has projects within the WRI. The proposed treatment is consistent with Fish and Wildlife Habitat Management Decision #FW-01, which states: 1) that BLM will manage suitable public land habitats for the recovery or re-establishment of native populations through collaborative planning with local, state, and federal agencies, user groups, and interested publics; and 2) that BLM will also seed to limit additional adverse impacts to crucial habitats on public lands from urbanization and encroachment to preserve the integrity of wildlife corridors and migration routes and access to key forage areas. This proposal has been planned by a multitude of interested parties (ie. BLM, UDWR, SITLA, SFW, MDF, etc. Numerous other management plans have identified the need for these projects, including: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Utah Mule Deer Statewide Management Plan. Improvement of important winter mule deer habitat within this proposal will address the threat of losing this habitat that is crucial for successful mule deer populations. Quality and quantity of forage available will also increase. The plan states that the encroachment of pinyon and juniper threatens to choke out understory forbs, grasses, and shrubs and increase catastrophic wildfire. The proposal will remove the encroaching pinyon and juniper and will restore the understory. The proposed project is consistent with the Southern Utah Support Area Fire Management Plan dated September 9, 2004, which states: Mechanically treat to convert pinyon and juniper invasion (condition class 3) into sagebrush/perennial grass (condition class 1 or 2) vegetation types. Utah Wildlife Conservation Strategy (2005). Of particular concern within this area are: Mule deer, and shrub steppe (key habitat). This proposal will specifically address restoring winter mule deer habitat and improving shrub steppe by removing pinyon and juniper allowing for a mosaic of "edge" grass, forb and shrub habitat. BLM's Final Programmatic Environmental Report: Vegetation Treatments on BLM Lands in 17 Western States Programmatic Environmental Report, June 2007. This Environmental report addresses the pinyon and juniper encroachment on semi desert shrub and sagebrush steppe habitat. The Fundamental of Rangeland Health (43 CFR 4180) and Utah's Standards and Guidelines for Rangeland Health which address watersheds, ecological condition, water quality and habitat for special status species, National Fire Plan (2000). This proposal will directly address the NFP by restoring FRCC to an acceptable and historical level. Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003 which state protecting forests, woodlands, shrub lands, and grasslands from unnaturally intensive and destructive fires. This proposal will reduce the impact of catastrophic wildfire in the area (see Fire/Fuels section below). Wildlife Action Plan (2015). This proposal specifically addresses treatments to improve the health of the Gamble Oak Terrestrial Key Habitat and Lowland Sage Key Habitat areas. Pinyon and juniper has encroaching into these key habitats. Action within the proposal will remove these species to allow for a more diverse, healthy understory of grasses, forbs and shrubs.

Within the project area there is fuel loading build up and an alteration in fuel types. Future management goals in the area include prescribed burning in the event the vegetation is returned to a historical state. Current vegetation conditions in the area have altered conditions for prescribed fire making desired results difficult to accomplish. Pinyon and juniper trees and even aged, decadent sagebrush, once held to lower densities by more frequent fires, have expanded in range and moved into areas once dominated by shrubs, forbs, and grasses. Without this project, fuel conditions are such that an unexpected wildfire may be difficult to contain, leading to an increased risk to firefighter and public safety, suppression effectiveness and natural resource degradation such as loss of critical winter mule deer habitat. Fire Regime Condition Class (FRCC) within the project area is predominately FRCC 3 which is where fire regimes have been extensively altered and risk of losing key ecosystem components from fire is high. This projects design lends to reduce fire risk to life safety, property, watersheds, and natural resources by restoring resilience and sustainability to a fire dependent ecosystem through the proposed activities. Treatments identified within this proposal (mulching) would help reduce hazardous fuel loads, create fuel breaks, and reduce the overall threat of a catastrophic wildfire which could impact outlying residential properties and infrastructure of the Yellowjacket area, Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, as well as firefighter and public safety. Treatments in and around the sagebrush semi-desert habitat would break up continuous fuels and reduce the risk of wildfire entering these sensitive areas. Removing pinyon and juniper and decadent sagebrush in a mosaic pattern would also break up continuous fuels and reduce the risk of a high intensity wildfire. Because there is a greater risk of conversion of shrublands to annual grasslands under a high intensity fire, managed, pro-active treatments proposed would reduce the likelihood of cheatgrass invasion and help perennial grasses and forbs persist long-term. The treatment proposed would help to effectively return this area to more resilient landscape by placing the fire regime closer to the historical range (FRCC1), where fire plays a role in the ecosystem.

The Sandstone Butte project is located within the Upper Virgin Watershed. The area is surrounded by deep canyons and steep cliffs which make the area vulnerable to high amounts of runoff and flash flooding. The Kanab Watershed, immediately to the east of this project, is an important part of the municipal watershed for Fredonia and Kane Beds, AZ and includes multiple well locations in areas adjacent to this project. Reducing the hazardous fuel loads in this area helps protect the Fredonia Municipal Watershed from impacts caused by large or severe wildfires. The roughly 2,064 acres of the project area is dominated by Phase II and Phase III juniper expansion with Phase I expansion found in areas of the interior project area. Reduced plant community composition, and structural diversity has caused a high proportion of bare ground which is susceptible to accelerated runoff and erosion. With the removal of Phase II and III PJ encroachment and the increase of herbaceous perennial species, water quality and quantity should improve. Studies have shown that an additional 45 day increase of soil moisture can occur when pinyon and juniper is removed and a perennial herbaceous understory is established. Runoff will decrease and less sediment will be moved out of the watershed due to an increase of herbaceous understory. Previous phases of this project have proven successful in reducing erosion as soils have stabilized once seeding is established. Within the project area multiple riparian areas can be found and the project aims to set the stage to allow natural ecological processes to occur and to continue once the riparian habitat is reestablished. Pinion and Juniper expansion and encroachment on these areas, traditional engineering practices, coupled with increases in dispersed recreation use, are cumulatively producing a range of effects from damaging to devastating on many riparian ecosystems in the area.

Phase 1 archaeological clearances have been completed prior to this proposal. Archaeological clearances for phase 2 will be completed prior to the 2026 Fiscal Year. Funds for out year cultural clearances for phase 1 were requested in the Yellowjacket Harris Flat (WRI #6901) project. Phase 2 cultural clearance funds are being requested within this proposal. Wildlife clearances will be completed prior to the 2026 Fiscal Year. NEPA for the Yellowjacket Vegetation Enhancement Project was signed December, 2012.

Pinyon and juniper, which currently occupy and are encroaching upon the site will be removed through mechanical mulching (approx. 1,245 acres in phase 1) and (approx. 2,424 acres in phase 2). Islands and corridors of pinyon and juniper would remain untreated throughout the unit. Before mechanical implementation, treated areas would be broadcast seeded with a mix of native and non-native shrubs, grasses and forbs important for improving winter mule deer range, other wildlife habitat, and stabilization of soils. Rabbit Brush will be mowed and sprayed over 73 total acres within this proposal in year one. Granular Plateau will be applied in fall 2025 (FY2026) within a portion of the Phase II bullhog polygon to set back cheatgrass seed bank for 1 year within the project area prior to treatment. Areas treated with Granular Plateau will be rested for one season and treated the following year in phase 2 of the project.

Vegetation Monitoring Plans: Pre and post project implementation vegetation monitoring will occur within the project area and will include photo documentation. Wildlife Monitoring Plans: Currently, mule deer pellet counts occur each year. Mule deer pellet counts will continue on a yearly basis. Wildlife studies such as mule deer counts would continue with coordination with UDWR and local working groups. Utilizing wildlife tracking and collar data will allow for monitoring migration and movement patterns, wildlife stopover sites, and help establish additional locations that allow wildlife species to safely move from one large habitat area to another. This tracking data will continue to improve with the efforts of the Utah Wildlife Migration Initiative and support from partners.

There has been various partners throughout the previous phases of this project. They include: Bureau of Land Management, Division of Wildlife Resources, Forestry Fire and State Lands, Mule Deer Foundation, Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, Utah Bowman's Association, Safari Club, Friends of the Paunsaguant, and local livestock grazing permittees. Many partners have provided funds as well as ideas to the success of the project. The Upper Virgin River Watershed Plan which identifies the priorities and concerns within the project area was accomplished by many partners (Federal, State, and Private). Tours and visits with various groups have occurred multiple times on this project. We have looked at treated as well as non-treated areas. Discussions of methods, ideas, studies, seeded species, and overall what worked and didn't work took place on each of these visits and has been implemented into the project proposal.

The Sandstone Butte project area is within the Kane Springs 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 to the Utah 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. Future maintenance projects to protect investments made by UWRI/BLM have been addressed and allowed through the project planning documents (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 of treatment in the future.

Livestock use occurs between July 1 - December 30 annually. The acres of this allotment that are in late seral stages are sites that have been encroached and infilled by pinyon and juniper. Pinyon and juniper is out competing the shrub and herbaceous components thus reducing available forage for livestock and wildlife. Rangeland conditions are expected to improve(and have improved in previous treatments) following implementation of the proposed vegetation project. The health, vigor, recruitment and production of perennial grasses, forbs and shrubs would improve which would provide a more palatable and nutritional source of forage for both livestock and wildlife. Once vegetation is established, the allotments would be once again used in a pasture rotation. This will aid in rest and improved rangeland conditions throughout the allotments. Implementation of this project would eventually improve overall livestock performance (e.g. increased cow weights, increased calf crops, increased weaning weights, etc) and improve the economic stability of the permittee due to an increase in the quantity and quality of grasses and other herbaceous forage which are important to livestock grazing. Forage production has increased from 35 lbs/acre to over 3,000 lbs/ acres once treatment is completed and seeding is established on previous phases of this project. In addition to livestock grazing benefits, the area serves as critical wintering mule deer habitat for the famed Paunsagunt Mule Deer unit and a very popular mule deer hunting area within the Zion mule deer management unit. Big game would reap similar benefits as livestock in the area (increased forage, health, performance, etc.). This project will provide critical seasonal resources for animals when harsh environmental conditions typically reduce survival rates. The success of this project would lead to success of healthy mule deer populations and increased hunting opportunities. Currently hunting permits for the Zion unit number at approximately 1,056 permits which brings not only local hunters to the area, but hunters from other parts of the country to the area and has a significant positive economic impact on local communities. The Sandstone Butte project area is home to wintering grounds for Mule Deer from the famed Paunsaugunt hunting unit. This area is unique to the fact that it is one of only three hunting units in the state of Utah labeled as a Premium Mule Deer hunting unit. The Paunsaugunt deer unit along with the Zion Desert Sheep unit draws hunters each year from areas nationwide and brings in large amounts of dollars from the sale of conservation permits to hunters seeking the opportunity to hunt this area. These conservation dollars in turn can be used in the future for improving habitats and needed wildlife projects. This project will help in maintaining/improving the area for these opportunities, as well as improve the overall health of big game populations in the area. Multiple recreation opportunities can be found in the area and include but are not limited to hunting, ATV/UTV riding, mountain biking, climbing, camping, and wildlife watching. Located near and around multiple National Parks and Monuments, this area serves as a stopping point for those seeking these activities. This project will help to improve the areas visual effects as well as help mitigate large scale wildfires that could have a devastating effect on recreation opportunities for years to come. Non-use agreements have been signed by the permittee to allow rest for a minimum of two growing seasons or until it is determined that recovery efforts have met the objectives outlined for this project.