This project includes another portion of the Cedar City Ranger District Sagebrush, Steppe, and Woodland restoration project, which was designed to maintain and improve wildlife habitat, while reducing the risk of uncharacteristically high severity fire (see attached Environmental Assessment and Decision Notice in Documents section). Previous phases have been completed to the north of this project (see UWRI project 6514 and 6862). This project directly abuts the 2017 Brian Head Fire and associated restoration work (UWRI 4358) and is less than 2.5 miles southeast of three of the Parowan Front mule deer habitat improvement projects (UWRI 1496, 5758, and 5948). During implementation planning for Bowery Creek on the Forest, adjacent landowners (BLM, City of Parowan, Iron County, State of Utah, private landowners) were contacted and expressed similar concerns that existing conditions on their properties along Parowan and Bowery Creeks were also negatively impacting wildlife habitat and increasing the risk of uncharacteristically high severity fire. Planning for the CCRD's Sagebrush Steppe and Woodland Restoration project used remote sensing data from the Forest Service's Vegetation Classification Mapping and Quantitative Inventory (VCMQ, USDA 2016 -- see Documents) validated by Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) ground truthing and CCRD ground truthing efforts (see Monitoring section) to identify areas of sagebrush, mountain brush, and bitterbush that were being overtaken by pinyon, juniper, and other conifer succession. In First Left Hand Canyon and Yankee Meadows we found of sagebrush, mountain brush, bitterbrush, and riparian areas in various stages of pinyon and juniper (PJ) succession. Additionally, we found areas of mixed conifer succession into aspen, subalpine and white fir succession into riparian areas and ponderosa pine stands, and high stand densities in ponderosa pine stands (see Images). Ground truthing during project planning validated these conditions and identified degradation of riparian and big game habitat, upland vegetation encroachment onto the floodplain Bowery Creek, and an elevated risk of uncharacteristically high severity wildfire. BLM identified similar issues on Bowery Creek and across the Cedar City Field Office using land fire data, soil survey, Ecological Site Descriptions, and historic imagery. Ground truthing found these preliminary findings to be accurate with further encroachment into the riparian from pinyon and juniper causing sedimentation and erosion. These riparian issues extend downstream onto state (WMA and SITLA) and City owned land along Parowan Creek. This project would benefit wildlife and fish habitat, reduce fuel loading and protect critical infrastructure in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI), protect and improve a valuable recreation site and access to other recreation sites, and maintain and improve water quality and watershed health. With the exception of benefits to wildlife the project benefits will be established in the supporting sections of the project details below. Bowery Creek and Parowan Creek, across all land ownerships, were impacted by flooding and ash flows following the Brian Head Fire, which eliminated the trout population and substantially damaged instream habitat. In September 2023 aquatics personnel from UDWR and the Forest Service visited Parowan Creek, Bowery Creek, and other sites impacted by the Brian Head Fire to identify potential restoration techniques and develop a tentative restoration schedule. Given the current condition of Bowery Creek and infrastructure adjacent and downstream, aquatics personnel determined that riparian conifer removal would be the most cost-effective way to try to maintain and elevate the water table, trap sediment, expand hydric species, and improve fish habitat. These techniques are proposed in this project. Prior to the Brian Head Fire, Bowery Creek and Parowan Creek contained a small population of rainbow trout. While visual estimates indicate standing crop was probably low and variable, rainbow trout were distributed throughout the proposed project area in both creeks. Throughout the project area Bowery and Parowan Creek are located within a historic incision that ranges from 10-30 feet deep. While the stream has developed a new floodplain within the incision, that new floodplain experienced extensive damage in some places following the Brian Head Fire. Currently, pinyon and juniper trees are prevalent on stream terraces throughout the majority of the project area and have moved into the floodplain in some spots choking out river birch, willows, and other woody species in some areas and increasing ladder fuels into legacy cottonwood galleries throughout most of the project area. Project lop and scatter treatments would remove ladder fuels and increase the area available for riparian trees and shrubs to colonize, which should increase bank stability. Additionally, targeted riparian plantings in the 5 Mile Picnic Area and targeted plantings and along the BLM portions of Bowery Creek should further increase bank stability, elevate the water table, trap sediment, expand hydric species, and improve fish habitat. There is a known peregrine falcon eyrie less than 1 mile from project treatments. Portions of the proposed project fall within the 1-mile nest buffer of this falcon eyrie. This nest site is one for the nine documented eyries that occur on the Cedar City Ranger District. Approximately 80% of all foraging occurs within one mile of nest sites, and peregrines prefer foraging along marshes, streams and lakes. The UDWR lists the greatest current threat to this species as alteration of habitat (https://fieldguide.wildlife.utah.gov/?species=falco%20peregrinus). The Utah WAP lists Fire and Fire Suppression as a high-level threat to Peregrine falcon. Sagebrush-rabbitbrush, Gambel's oak, and riparian woodland (Fremont cottonwood, narrowleaf cottonwood, arroyo willow, black willow, sandbar willow, and Goodding willow) communities are known to be important habitats for peregrine falcon in the Great Basin (Ohmart et al. 1982). The Bowery Creek treatments are designed to reduce the risk of uncharacteristically high severity fire to the riparian, oak, and sagebrush communities, and improve the quality and diversity of shrubs following treatment. Streamside vegetation provides important habitat for passerine birds that make up a large portion of the peregrine falcon prey base. While the success of conifer removal projects at increasing passerine bird densities has been mixed, conifer removal projects designed to retain shrub cover and structure have been successful at increasing densities of multiple species (Holmes et al. 2017). Treatments are expected to maintain a consider amount of passerine bird nesting habitat, while reducing the risk of high severity fire which could negatively impact bird densities for a variable time period after the fire. This project is 100% contained within the Panguitch Lake Unit for both mule deer and elk. The mule deer population on the Panguitch Lake Unit is in a slightly downward trend with an estimated population of 10,000 deer and an objective of 11,000. The elk herd on the Panguitch Lake unit is at the lower end of objectives with and estimated population of 1,000 and an objective of 1,000-1,500. The proposed treatments fall within both crucial winter (bulk of riparian treatments and some of the private land mastication) and summer substantial habitat (bulk of mastication, lop, prune and pile, and non-riparian lop and scatter treatments) for mule deer and summer substantial/calving (bulk of mastication, lop, prune and pile, and non-riparian lop and scatter treatments) for elk. Reducing pinyon and juniper from sagebrush and mountain brush habitats can help protect and encourage additional browse species in the project area that are important as year-round forage for deer, such as sagebrush, bitterbrush, mountain mahogany, cliffrose, oak, and serviceberry. Monaco and Gunnell (2020) showed that hand cutting and mastication treatments in Mountain Big Sagebrush can be effective at preserving existing perennial grasses and forbs and increasing sagebrush cover. The proposed treatments would provide an increase in available habitat that can be utilized for foraging for big game. The project will also help improve elk winter substantial range and crucial mule deer winter range by discouraging and reducing the encroachment of pinyon and juniper into riparian and sagebrush habitats, which is recommended in the elk herd and deer herd management plans for the Panguitch Lake Unit. Similarly removing conifer from aspen stands can increase aspen recruitment, improving summer habitat for deer and elk and is a treatment specifically identified in the elk herd plan for this unit. Wildlife Tracker shows that collared mule deer use appears high in the Yankee Meadows area, east of Second Left Hand Canyon, in between Second Left Hand Canyon and Parowan Canyon area, and in between Dry Canyon and Water Canyon on one of the private mastication and seeding areas (see Documents section). The data also show mule deer have migration corridors the overlap or are adjacent to the treatment areas. The corridors between Second and First Left Hand Canyons, crossing SR 143 southeast of Second Left Hand Canyon, and heading north from the top of Dry Canyon overlap portions of the treatment area. All corridors that overlap, or are adjacent to project treatments, connect to treatments previously funded by UWRI on the Parowan Front. Providing additional food resources in through proposed treatments could offer alternative movement routes for deer, or expand habitat use into these areas. Treatments overlapped by existing routes should improve food resources, as well as riparian vegetation cover. Wildlife Tracker data shows that collared elk use is primarily on the eastern edge of the project area (see Documents section). The aspen treatments in elk summer range may expand elk use westward. The entire project is within mapped occupied wild turkey habitat (https://utahdnr.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/basic/index.html?appid=f8c20ff4ea524789bf57fe5ff55b38d5). Portions of the lop and scatter treatments occur in the Gambel's oak cover type along and Bowery Creek and Parowan Creek. Additionally, the majority of the riparian treatment areas have a mixed willow, river, birch and narrowleaf cottonwood community. Pinyon and juniper trees are moving into and in some cases dominating these stands. Both these habitat types are important for turkeys (Frey and Ortego 2016). Herbaceous vegetation, protection and regeneration of roost trees, and increased production from oak stands are probable outcomes of the thinning treatments proposed in the project. By increasing herbaceous vegetation production and oak density (mast) next to roost trees this project should improve year-round turkey habitat along Bowery and Parowan creeks. Representatives from the National Wild Turkey Federation and UDWR expressed that proposed treatments in these habitats would benefit wild turkey during field tours. According to the local UDWR biologist, it is common for deer and turkey to come down from Bowery and Parowan Creeks into Parowan and cause yard and crop damage. Project treatments would provide additional food and holdover resources that may prevent some damage and depredation costs. While other species may benefit from the proposed treatments, we believe the species addressed above are the ones most likely to have direct, or substantial indirect, benefits from completion of the proposed treatments.

The overarching purpose of the project is to maintain or improve vegetative community diversity and resilience, improve wildlife habitat, and reduce the risk of high intensity and high severity wildfires to public and firefighters. Specific objectives of the Parowan/Bowery Creek project include: 1. In sagebrush/mountain brush areas with Phase II PJ succession reduce conifer cover to <5% within in treatment polygons. This should improve wildlife habitat for deer and elk and will move areas in FRCC 2 and 3 towards FRCC 1. 2. In sagebrush/mountain brush areas with Phase I succession reduce conifer cover to < 1%. This will maintain and improve lekking habitat for sage grouse and maintain a FRCC of 1 in these areas. 3. In ponderosa pine habitats reduce fuel loads through thinning operations followed by prescribed fire to create a healthy fire resilient stand of ponderosa pine. 4. In aspen reduce conifer cover to <5% and increase aspen recruitment. 5. Maintain available forage. 6. Increase woody species and shading and improve bank cover and bank stability removing riparian conifers. This should also help to maintain and improve water temperature. 7. Maintain and improve the recreation experience at the 5 Mile Picnic area.

Location: As mentioned previously, this project expands work to the north completed by the partnering project proponents and also is within mule deer winter range work conducted on the Parowan Front (see UWRI projects 1468, 3070, 3435, 4544, 5758, 5948, 6721). The importance of this kind of habitat connectivity to ungulates and other wildlife is well documented. All of the proposed treatments are in mapped occupied turkey habitat. The proposed treatments would directly improve year-round turkey habitat. The turkey management plan identifies "Human-wild turkey conflicts in urban and agricultural settings" and "Insufficient winter habitat" as High Priority Issues. This project would improve winter habitat and improve turkey foraging habitat on public lands adjacent to agricultural properties in Parowan, potentially reducing depredation issues. As discussed in the Project Need ground truthed Forest Service remote sensing data (VCMQ -- USDA 2016, see Documents section and Environmental Assessment in Documents Section) was used in project planning on the Forest acres of this project. Treatments were identified and analyzed based on cover type, and successional stage identified in the VCMQ data and ground verified by Forest personnel. Similar methods were used to identify areas for vegetation community enhancement within BLM lands by using a combination of Landfire data, soil survey, and then ground truthing by BLM personnel. Private lands treatments were identified with visual observations and ground truthing As documented in other portions of this proposal there are several recreation sites (Brian Head Resort, 5 Mile Picnic Area, Yankee Medows Reservoir, Hidden Haven trail) that fall within the footprint of the project or depend on transportation and/or utility corridors in and adjacent to the project. These corridors at risk of damage from potential fire and post-fire effects, especially in some of the highly erosional portions of the project area. This is evidenced by flooding and damage to the 5-mile picnic area, SR143 and irrigation infrastructure that occurred after the Brian Head fire and off highly erosive areas adjacent to the Brian Head Fire in 2017 and 2018. Of particular concern is the 5 Mile picnic area, which is within the treatment along Bowery Creek on Forest Service lands. Iron County took over management of the 5 Mile picnic area under a special use permit from the Forest following the Brian Head Fire. At the time damage from post-fire flooding was so extensive the Forest was hesitant to issue another permit because of the investment it would take to repair the site and potential public safety issues; however, Iron County was adamant that this site was culturally important to the community. They took over the site and invested significant funds (see Project Location and Future Management sections) and effort to restore it. Completing treatments that would reduce fuel loading and ladder fuels in the riparian area of Bowery Creek, as well as further upstream on the Forest would lessen the risk of a high severity wildfire and subsequent flooding to damage the new infrastructure in the picnic area. During the post-fire flooding Bowery Creek completely came out of its channel throughout the picnic area, so in addition to replacing infrastructure, the County relocated the channel back to its original location. This generated a lot of spoil that was used to reconstruct the floodplain and steam bank but was not actively revegetated. Currently, most of that area is bare ground, or infested with weeds (see Images). At some point in the past a previous permit holder, or the public, planted Russian olive along the roadside of the picnic area and possibly in a few other locations. Since then, Russian olive has spread throughout the picnic area and prior efforts to remove it look like they did not use herbicide on the cut stump, and were therefore ineffective. At present it looks like Russian olive is fairly contained to the 5 Mile picnic area on the Forest, but it poses a threat to the riparian areas both upstream and downstream of it. Also discussed in the project need is that Parowan Creek and Bowery Creek sustained significant negative impacts from the Brian Head Fire. UDWR Southern Region Aquatics and Forest Service personnel identified Bowery Creek and Parowan Creek throughout the project area as an area where riparian habitat improvement could benefit fisheries. Regional UDWR personnel have identified this project as part of a five-year implementation plan to improve Brian Head Fire affected streams. The Utah Wildfire Risk Explorer shows Wildfire Hazard Potential mostly high to very high with a relatively high burn probability throughout the project area (see Documents section). Almost half of the area has a high to very high Damage Potential, with 75% of the area having a high to extreme Structure Exposure Score. Over half the acres in the project have a moderate to very high score on the Suppression Difficulty Index. Given these conditions and the infrastructure present (residential structures, SR 143, Center Creek Hydroelectric Plant, Forest roads and bridges, aforementioned recreation sites, utility lines, groundwater protection zones -- see Fire and Fuels section for more detail) in and adjacent to the project area, any treatments that would reduce fuel loading and lessen extreme fire behavior should be completed as soon as possible. Timing: There are several reasons why this project should be implemented sooner rather than later. The biggest reason centers around the current level of cooperation and collaboration on the project. Two federal agencies, two state agencies, the City of Parowan, and three private landowners are all working together to complete work across ownership boundaries. These entities and several other partners have managed to provide half the project cost between actual and in-kind funding. Not completing the project now risks the loss of matching funds and the momentum of the partnering groups. Second, is the relatively high risk that a wildfire ignited under the current fuel conditions could burn at uncharacteristically high severity resulting in negative outcomes for the infrastructure discussed under the Project Location section. The sooner fuel reduction treatment can occur the sooner the risk to that infrastructure is lowered. Third, Iron County's goal is to reopen the 5 Mile picnic area to the public in late spring/early summer 2026. Once the site is open to the public it will be more difficult to complete the proposed vegetation management work. Also, waiting to remove the Russian olive in the picnic area and reseed and plant the exposed bare bank could lead to a larger invasive, non-desirable plant expansion outside of the picnic area. Fourth, implementing this project now will help maximize the habitat connectivity benefits identified above in this section and in the Project Need. The sooner habitat restoration work from adjacent UWRI projects can be tied together the better the chance that wildlife will exploit them before successional changes to vegetation begin again. Many other projects have shown the need for lop and scatter maintenance treatments within 10-15 years of PJ removal implementation. Finally, waiting to treat vegetation in the project area risks complete type conversion, loss to high severity fire, and/or will increase the future cost of treatment. On approximately 493 of the proposed treatment acres pinyon-juniper succession currently varies from early Phase 2 through Phase 3. A considerable amount of the Phase 2 is transitioning to Phase III and some of the Phase 3 still has some residual understory of shrubs. Waiting to treat these areas of late Phase 2 risks them completely converting to Phase 3 and increasing the cost of treatment, as well as decreasing treatment effectiveness as residual shrubs are lost. The amount of pinyon-juniper woodland succession into sagebrush steppe ecosystems in Phase 2 and Phase 3 areas has had a substantial negative impact on herbaceous understory and shrub ecosystems. Without fire, mechanical, or another disturbance for 40 to 50 years the shrub and sagebrush areas could be completely converted to woodlands. In the 139 acres of lop prune and pile treatments aspen stands are not regenerating and are being overtaken by conifer. Similarly, ponderosa pine stands are being overtaken by PJ, white fire, and subalpine fir. Both types of stands have lost productivity and are at risk of complete conversion or loss through wildfire. The same could be said for the riparian area treatments throughout the project, especially the potential to lose the large legacy cottonwoods throughout the project area.

This project will work to address threats, work within focus areas and with focus species, help meet objectives and goals of the below listed plans. Under those plans are specific language from the plan describing threats, goals, strategies, and objectives this project will help meet. 1) Utah Mule Deer Statewide Plan (2025-2030) Habitat Objective 1: Maintain mule deer habitat throughout the state by protecting and enhancing existing crucial habitats and mitigating for losses due to natural and human impact "Work with local, state and federal land management agencies via land management plans and with private landowners to identify and actively manage and protect crucial mule deer habitats including summer (especially fawning), winter, and migration area as defined in Sawyer et al. 2009 " "Manage vegetation communities to be resistant" Habitat Objective 2: Improve the quality and quantity of vegetation for mule deer on a minimum of 600,000 acres of crucial range by 2030. "Utilize WRI as a tool to improve deer habitat with all partners across the state." "Work with land management agencies, conservation organizations, private landowners, and local leaders through the regional WRI teams working groups to identify and prioritize mule deer habitats that are in need of enhancement or restoration (Figure 6). Emphasis should be placed on crucial habitats which include summer range habitats such as improving aspen, winter ranges sagebrush habitats, and improving riparian areas." "Work with partners such as NRCS and university extension to increase landowner participation in the Watershed Restoration Initiative program." "Initiate broad scale vegetative treatment projects to improve and restore mule deer habitat with emphasis on drought or fire damaged sagebrush winter ranges, ranges that have been taken over by invasive annual grass species, and ranges being diminished by encroachment of conifers into sagebrush or aspen habitats, ensuring that seed mixes contain sufficient forbs and browse species " "Encourage land managers to manage portions of pinyon-juniper woodlands and aspen-conifer forests in early successional stages using various methods including timber harvest and managed fire." This project falls in the Crucial Mule Deer Habitat Priorities. 2) Panguitch Lake Deer Herd Unit #28 Management Plan (2020) Maintain mule deer habitat throughout the unit by protecting and enhancing existing crucial habitats and mitigating for losses due to natural and human impacts. Seek cooperative projects to improve the quality and quantity of deer habitat. Cooperate with federal land management agencies and private landowners in carrying out habitat improvement projects. Protect deer winter ranges from wildfire by reseeding burned areas, creating fuel breaks and reseed areas dominated by cheatgrass with desirable perennial vegetation. Reduce expansion of Pinion-Juniper woodlands into sagebrush habitats and improve habitats dominated by Pinion-Juniper woodlands by completing habitat restoration projects. Work with federal and state partners in fire rehabilitation and prevention on crucial deer habitat through the WRI process. Future habitat work should be concentrated on the following areas: Continue to reduce Pinyon and Juniper encroaching into shrubland, specifically in South Canyon, Five Mile Hollow, Buckskin Valley, Bear Valley and other areas within critical winter range. Seek opportunities to increase browse and perennial forbs in areas of critical winter range through mechanical treatment and reseeding. The project would address limiting winter habitat issues in crucial winter range by removing encroaching PJ riparian areas along Bowery Creek. Treatments should release browse species. 3) Elk Unit Management Plan -- Panguitch Lake Unit #28 (2023) Continue to be committed to the statewide goal of supporting habitat projects that increase forage for both big game and livestock. Maintain and/or enhance forage production through direct range improvements throughout the unit to achieve population management objectives. Work with private, state and federal agencies to maintain and protect crucial ranges. Continue projects with USFS, BLM, state and private entities to enhance habitat across the unit. Discourage the encroachment of pinyon and juniper (PJ) trees into sagebrush and other habitats. Work with land management agencies to improve calving habitat and minimize disturbance in these areas. Seek opportunities to improve aspen communities, and some sagebrush ranges where calving and foraging are occurring. As identified in the Project Need this project works across landownership boundaries to improve summer substantial and calving habitat for elk. 4) 2023 Utah Wild Turkey Management Plan Enhance wild turkey habitat -- quality and quantity -- by 100,000 acres statewide by 2029 with the following strategies: Conduct habitat improvement projects in limiting habitat(s) and maximize the benefits to turkeys within all WRI projects that incorporate turkey habitat. Increase outreach to our agency and non-agency partners, regional habitat biologists and wildlife biologists to increase number of and quality of WRI projects, as well as comments on those projects. As discussed under the Project Need the project would protect and improve year-round habitat and roosting habitat for turkeys. 5) Utah Wildlife Action Plan Aspen-Conifer, Gambel Oak, Mountain Sagebrush, Mountain Shrub, Aquatic Forested, Aquatic Scrub/Shrub, are all key habitats identified in the WAP that would be treated by the project. WAP identifies inappropriate fire frequency as a High or Very High threat to Aspen-conifer, Mountain sagebrush, Mountain Shrub habitat, and Gambel's Oak. This project will reduce future fire risk and act as a fire buffer to adjacent higher risk areas. Riverine, Aquatic Scrub/Shrub, and Aquatic Forested Habitats, are threatened by Channel Down Cutting, Invasive Plant Species -- Nonnative -, Sediment Transport Imbalance in and along Bowery Creek and Parowan Creek. 6) UTAH FIELD OFFICE GUIDELINES FOR RAPTOR PROTECTION FROM HUMAN AND LAND USE DISTURBANCES Minimize, to the extent feasible, loss of raptor habitats and avoid long-term habitat degradation. Mitigate for unavoidable losses of high-valued raptor habitats, including (but not limited to) nesting, winter roosting, and foraging areas. 7) Utah Partners in Flight Avian Conservation Strategy Version 2.0 Mountain Riparian and ShrubSteppe habitats are both listed as priority habitats for avian conservation in this plan. Strategies to maintain Mountain Riparian habitat for priority bird species include: Produce landscape scale mosaics of altered and unaltered habitat. Provide some open patches adjacent to or within wooded areas. Create openings and maintain wildflower density in the landscape Create forest openings and maintain Gambel oak in the landscape. Strategies to maintain ShrubSteppe habitat for priority bird species include: Prevent habitat loss and fragmentation. The objectives of this project outlined in the Project Need fulfill these strategies and improve these habitats. 8) National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy Two of the three national goals of the Cohesive Strategy supported by this project are to (1) create fire-adapted communities and (2) restore and maintain fire resilient landscapes. Additionally, one of the core values in the Cohesive Strategy is to reduce the risk to firefighters and the public. Management options to support these goals include use non-fire fuels treatments in non-forested areas and manage landscapes and fuels for fire regimes altered by climate change, fire and other concurrent, and cascading factors. 9) Wildfire Crisis Strategy Work with partners to treat up to an additional 20 million acres on National Forest System lands and treat up to an additional 30 million acres of other Federal, State, Tribal, and private lands. 10) Utah Catastrophic Wildfire Reduction Strategy Landscapes across all jurisdictions are resilient to fire-related disturbances in accordance with management objectives. Human populations and infrastructure can withstand a wildfire without loss of life and property. 11) Dixie National Forest LRMP Goal 15 -- Maintain or enhance the terrestrial habitat for all wildlife species presently on the Forest (page IV-5). All the vegetation treatments proposed should increase browse and or forage for Forest MIS species, such as mule deer, elk and wild turkey. Goal 17 -- Managed Classified Species habitat to maintain or enhance their status through direct habitat improvement and agency cooperation (Page IV-6). Peregrine falcon is an Intermountain Region Sensitive species. Goal No, 48. Establish and maintain fuel mosaics which result in an acceptable hazard and spread potential of wildfire, allow an appropriate wildfire suppression, and coordination to other resource programs and objectives. Vegetative modification projects should be designed to break-up continuous fuel types and serve as fuel breaks. Utah Fire Amendment Goal - Ecosystems are restored and maintained, consistent with land uses and historic fire regimes, through wildland fire use and prescribed fire. Reduce hazardous fuels. The full range of fuel reduction methods is authorized, consistent with forest and management area emphasis and direction. As discussed under the Project Need this project would enhance habitat for Forest MIS and Regional Sensitive species. 12) Cedar Beaver Garfield Antimony Resource Management Plan Wildlife Objectives - Improve habitat in poor condition on crucial deer winter range. Soil/Water/Air Objectives - Improve watershed conditions on sensitive watershed areas (riparian areas.) Avoid deterioration of riparian/fisheries habitat currently in fair or good condition. 13) Iron County Resource Management Plan This project supports multiple goals and objectives in Iron County's RMP including but not limited to: Recognize all resources on federal lands as part of Iron County's custom and culture. Properly manage watersheds and other resources. Protect watersheds from threats of catastrophic wildfire. Use fuel reduction to prevent and minimize wildfire. Protect water resources and quality which are essential to short and long term economic, recreational, and cultural viability. Wildland urban interface, culinary watersheds, and backcountry lands be actively managed to maintain structure and tree species composition consistent with low severity fires, when these are secured, move. Properly manage culinary watersheds to minimize risk of catastrophic wildfires. Structural and non-structural improvements are made to degraded uplands to a) replace Class II and Class III pinyon/juniper woodlands with desirable historic vegetative communities, b) reduce runoff and c) reduce the amount of bare ground. The RMP can be found in the "Documents" section.

The entire project area on National Forest lands is in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI). The Dixie National Forest identifies WUI as; the area adjacent to an at-risk value (structure, community, critical infrastructure or municipal water shed) where wildland fuels and human development exist, creating a fire environment that poses a threat to life safety and/or property damage. Forest Service regulations provide for special attention to WUIs to reduce wildfire intensity, create defensible space around the WUI, and reduce risk to National Forest lands from unwanted fire. Firesheds are a way to delineate where fires ignite and are likely to, or not to, spread to communities and expose buildings. The entire project area is within the high priority Parowan, Utah fireshed, which is the 8th highest priority fireshed for fuels treatments in the state of Utah. (https://usfs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/mapviewer/index.html?webmap=8569a7197a0146f4a7fcfc79a70d0e76, https://research.fs.usda.gov/rmrs/projects/firesheds#:~:text=Information%20and%20History-,Firesheds%20are%20a%20way%20to%20delineate%20where%20fires%20ignite%20and,source%20of%20exposure%20to%20fire) Sagebrush stands in this area are classified as FRCC 2 in areas with phase 1 pinyon-juniper succession and FRCC 3 in areas with phase 2 and phase 3 pinyon-juniper succession. On private lands south of Second left Hand Canyon PJ succession into Mountain Big sagebrush is at Phase 3, while the private land north of Dry Canyon are Phase 2 and Phase 2 moving into Phase 3. On the Forest sagebrush steppe groups 1, 2, and 3 current fuel loading averaged 2 tons per acre. Pinyon-juniper cover type phases 1, 2, and 3 fuel loading ranged from 3 to 9 tons per acre with the average being around 4 tons per acre. Total fuel loads in encroached sagebrush ecosystems can be almost six times more than sagebrush ecosystems that have not been encroached, which causes significant changes in how fires burn (Putz and Restaino 2021). Most aspen and ponderosa pine stands within the project area would be classified as FRCC3. The current continuity and structure both the areas with Phase 2 and Phase 3 PJ succession and the aspen and ponderosa pine stands greatly limit the ability of firefighters to directly attack wildfires in high or extreme conditions because of the potential of very high rates of spread in the finer fuels coupled with high flame lengths. Thick live fuels also slow fire line construction due to more dense vegetation firefighters have to cut through to create and then hold a fire line. The goal of treatment is to improve health and vigor of stands by moving them toward a FRCC of 1 and away from 2 and 3, by reducing fuel loading and fuel continuity, which in turn reduces the risk of large-scale fires of uncharacteristically high severity. A high severity wildfire could also result in a degradation of watershed conditions. As discussed under Project Location and Timing, large, high severity wildfires can have dire consequences terrestrial and aquatic wildlife habitats. In addition to potential impacts to vegetation communities and species (noted in Project Location/Timing Justification), multiple residential structures exist on the private lands adjacent to project. The private lands treatments south of Second Left Hand Canyon overlap the only ingress/egress from a large residential structure and treatments on the WMA in Second Left Hand Canyon directly abut residential structures. A wildfire in the project area could threaten these structures. The entire treatment area on the Forest is considered WUI. WUI areas are a priority for fuels reduction treatments. FSR 30049 is the only access to the 5 Mile picnic area and the primary access to Yankee Meadows Reservoir. These are both popular recreation areas. 5 Mile picnic area is also part of the treatment area and has infrastructure (picnic tables, vault toilets, water system, fire rings, historic pavilion, etc.) that could be impacted by a wildfire. Any post-fire flooding and debris flows could also have a major impact on the road to Yankee Meadow (FSR30049) and State Route (SR) 143. Multiple culverts and bridges have been replaced along these routes following the Brian Head fire because of damage and/or the recognition that they were undersized. The Utah Department of Transportation has recently completed considerable erosion control work along Bowery Creek in response to the potential flood impacts to SR143. SR143 is the only access to Brian Head ski resort. Post-fire flooding could damage irrigation infrastructure and infrastructure and holding facilities for the Center Creek Hydroelectric plant in Parowan. The main forebay pond is situated near the confluence of Bowery and Parowan Creeks and has proposed treatments surrounding it. Treatments also overlap, or are adjacent to. two groundwater protections zones (See Water Quality/Quantity Section). The potential for post-fire flood damage to infrastructure in this area was realized following the Brian Head Fire in 2017. A wildfire over the more highly erosive soils of the project area could potentially result in worse flooding than was seen following the Brian Head Fire.

Riparian treatments proposed in this project directly overlap portions of Bowery Creek, Parowan Creek, and Center Creek. All these streams are in the Parowan Creek Assessment Unit (UT16030006-004_00), which is currently shown as supporting all uses. Visual observations indicate periods of high turbidity and sediment loading. The Forest Service Watershed Condition Class Assessment lists the Center Creek-Parowan Creek watershed as Impaired, with poor scores for aquatic biota as well as water quality and quantity. The watershed had fair scores for Fire Effects/Fire Regime and aquatic habitat (https://usfs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=f4332e5b80c44874952b57e1db0b4407). Proposed treatments on City of Parowan property would overlap the Parowan City Water (11010WS002) ground water protection zone and treatments on the Forest directly abut the Yankee Meadows Campground (11072WS001) ground water protection zone. Pinyon-juniper removal projects have been shown to increase the ground cover of grasses and forbs, thereby reducing bare ground and erosion (Roundy & Vernon, 1999; Pierson, Bates, Svejcar, & Hardegree, 2007a; Peterson & Stringham, 2008; Stam et al. 2008; Pierson, et al., 2010; Cline, Pierson, Kormos, & Williams, 2010). Riparian conifer removal has been shown to improve hydric species and woody riparian species density and areal cover in other projects. This increase in riparian species cover increases the potential for trapping sediment and expanding the areal extent and diversity of hydric species in riparian areas. Increased ground cover and additional aggradation of the stream bed should help reduce fine sediment loading in the remainder of the stream and help contribute to reduced levels of sediment in Bowery Creek and Parowan Creek. The effects of pinyon-juniper removal on water yield are variable and inconsistent; however, some research indicates that pinyon-juniper removal in mountain sagebrush can increase soil water availability (Roundy et al. 2014). Similarly, the influence of ponderosa pine thinning on water yield is also variable and most studies show it is relatively short-lived (6-10 years), with the exception of clearcutting. This project proposes to remove pinyon and juniper from sagebrush grass lands and ponderosa pine stands (along with other small conifers) and improve the amount and diversity of riparian hydric and woody species. The combination of these activities should have a net positive effect on increasing water yield/availability. The results of research on the volume and longevity of water yield increase following conifer removal from aspen communities, such as those proposed in this project, has been variable with some studies showing fairly substantial, relative long-term increases (Gottfried 1991) and others show little increase, or only short-term increases (Troendle et al. 2010). Perhaps the most compelling local study shows that aspen stands had 34-44% higher snow water equivalents than adjacent conifer stands and a 42-83% greater potential water yield for runoff and groundwater recharge (LaMalfa and Ryle, 2008), indicating that removal of conifer and maintaining and improving aspen stands should result in higher water yield. Finally, the pinyon and juniper removal treatments proposed in this project will help to reduce fuel loading and fuel continuity along Bowery Creek, Parowan Creek, and channels that drain into these two streams. This will reduce the risk that fire behavior would cause a large, high severity wildfire and the negative water quality repercussions associated with ash flows and debris flows following wildfires. The treatments proposed in this Phase will connect with the fire scar of the Brian Head Fire which should help reduce the risk of future high severity fires causing risk of flooding and debris flows. The aftermath of this kind of flooding can result in lowering water tables through stream incision and cause short and long-term impacts to sediment and nutrient loading, negatively affecting water quality.

The Forest Service portion of this project was analyzed under the Cedar City Ranger District Sage Steppe and Woodland Restoration project. The Decision Notice was signed in February 2023 (see Documents section). Cultural resource surveys have been contracted with Forest Service funding through UWRI project 7089 and will be completed in summer 2025 prior to project implementation. The BLM portion of this project was analyzed in the Cedar City Field Office Riparian restoration and Wetland Enhancement project. The Decision Record was signed in October 2018 (see Documents section). Funding for cultural clearance on these acres is requested in this project. On private acres, cultural clearance is already contracted on 310 acres and the funding for the remaining 76 acres is requested in this proposal.

Note: A negative 1 m buffer was applied to the upland lop and scatter and lop/pile/prune polygons in order to get them uploaded into the database. 1) Phase 1, 2 and 3 Pinyon Juniper succession sites primarily in mountain sagebrush, mountain brush, aspen, and ponderosa pine (up to 805 acres): a. Contracted cultural resource surveys on 76 acres of private lands. b. Contracted mastication to remove all pinyon and juniper trees in these areas (up to 107 acres on Forest Service and 386 acres on private). c. Lop and scatter contract to remove all pinyon and all juniper in sage brush sites and all pinyon, all juniper, and other conifers 6 inches DBH and smaller in aspen and ponderosa pine sites (up to 312 acres on Forest Service) d. Contracted aerial seeding on 386 acres of private lands (see seed mix attached in Seed). 2) Conifer succession into aspen and ponderosa pine stands (up to 139 acres on Forest Service) a. Contracted lop, prune, and pile. Cut all pinyon, juniper, subalpine fir, and white fir in aspen and ponderosa pine stands. In ponderosa pine stands prune all branches up to up to six feet of the ground or half the crown height for trees smaller than 6 feet. Pile all material 8 inches and less, including dead material already on the ground. Scatter remaining larger material. b. Pile burning would be completed by Forest Service personnel. 3) Conifer succession into riparian areas outside 5 mile picnic area (up to 189 Acres) a. Contracted cultural resource surveys on 13 acres of BLM lands. b. Contract lop and scatter (UDWR 83 acres, Forest Service 60 acres, City of Parowan 25 acres, BLM 13 acres, and SITLA 8 acres). The target would be to remove all pinyon and juniper trees from these areas and subalpine and white fir 6 inches DBH and smaller. c. Willow and cottonwood planting would be completed on approximately 2 acres scattered throughout the BLM section using BLM employees. 4) 5 Mile picnic area improvements (up to 23 acres) a. Russian Olive removal (up to 23 acres) - Lop, apply herbicide, stage, machine pile, and pile burn -- American Conservation Experience crews would cut down all Russian olive within the 5-mile picnic area, spray the cut stumps with Garlon, and drag the material to an opening accessible to heavy equipment (see ACE cost estimate in attachments). Iron County will use a skid steer and dump trailer to transport materials to and appropriate burn site and pile it there. Utah FFSL will burn the piles. b. Riparian conifer removal (3.5 acres)-- Contract to lop and stage all pinyon and juniper from extent of riparian vegetation. Materials would be dragged from the riparian vegetation to an opening accessible to heavy equipment. Iron County will use a skid steer and dump trailer to transport materials to and appropriate burn site and pile it there. Utah FFSL will burn the piles. c. Riparian planting (up to 1 acre)-- Plant willows and cottonwoods along 0.3 miles of Bowery Creek where the channel had to be relocated after flooding following the Brian Head Fire. This would be completed by Forest Service employees and volunteers. d. Riparian/floodplain seeding (up to 2.5 acres) -- Apply native seed mix (see seed mix attachment under Seed) to disturbed area with a hand seeder. This would be completed by Forest Service employees and volunteers. e. Mastication of selected areas of pinyon juniper succession by Iron County on approximately 2 acres.

Fish -- The Forest Service has completed qualitative electrofishing throughout Bowery Creek on the FS portion of the project area twice in the last 10 years. This sampling will be repeated after treatment and will be documented in the Dixie National Forest Biennial Monitoring report. The Forest, BLM, and UDWR will work together to establish monitoring sites within Parowan Creek. Upland vegetation -- Within the project area the Dixie National Forest has established one upland vegetation trend study in the contract lop and scatter treatment in ponderosa pine. These studies are repeated every 5 years and are detailed in biennial monitoring reports by the Dixie National Forest and can be uploaded to the WRI web site (see Documents section). Riparian Vegetation -- Within the project area the DNF has two Riparian Level III Inventory locations one of which is established within the riparian treatments along Bowery Creek. The other two are comparative exclosure sites on Bowery Creek within the upland lop and scatter treatments. These studies are repeated every 5 years and are detailed in biennial monitoring reports by the Dixie National Forest and can be uploaded to the WRI web site (see Documents section). Multiple Indicator Monitoring - The DNF monitors the same site as the existing Riparian Level III Inventory site on Little Creek for bank stability, bank cover and greenline to greenline width within the proposed riparian treatments. The DNF will establish a second site within the riparian lop and scatter treatments prior to implementation. These sites are repeated every 5 years and are detailed in biennial monitoring reports by the Dixie National Forest and can be uploaded to the WRI web site (see Documents section). Wildlife monitoring UDWR flies the unit every 3 years for elk counts, they also use collars and look at post-season survival rates to determine mule deer population size and trends. UDWR uses harvest data to model turkey population size. Pinyon jay and pygmy rabbit monitoring has occurred prior to treatments with no nesting colonies or pygmy rabbits being located. Pinyon jay surveys will be conducted after the treatment as well to see if pinyon jays are utilizing the area. The peregrine falcon eyrie has been monitored annually in the past; however, recent private property issues have prevented monitoring. The Forest will work with FFSL and NRCS to reestablish access to this eyrie. Fuels monitoring -- During environmental planning for the Cedar City Sagebrush, Steppe, and Woodland restoration project 100 photo plots were set up throughout the whole project area. Two of those plots are in the proposed contract riparian lop and scatter treatments. In addition to photos, all trees were counted 1/10 acre circumference from plot center. These sites can be repeated following project treatments and the comparison posted to the project web site (see Documents section for original data). Photo points -- Multiple photo points have been/will be established on all ownerships within the project area to document conditions before and after the treatments are implemented.

Cross boundary and interagency/stakeholder coordination on the larger Cedar City Ranger District Sagebrush, Steppe, and Woodland Restoration project has been ongoing since 2019. Parowan Creek and Bowery Creek were visited with UDWR aquatics personnel in 2023 and were identified as areas that could benefit from riparian conifer thinning. The Forest Service brought this area up as a potential for near term future treatment in both the 2023 and 2024 annual Interagency meetings in Cedar City. Multiple field tours of the project were held in summer and autumn 2024 that included representatives from ACE, BLM, Forest Service, Iron County, MDF, NRCS, NWTF, UDWR, USFWS, and UTFFSL. Representatives from the City of Parowan have been looped in on the project, as well. Since that time ACE, BLM, FFSL, Forest Service, Iron County, and NRCS have been coordinating to develop a cross-boundary project addressing the common needs across ownerships. The project was presented to permittees on the Bowery allotment at an in-person Annual Operating meeting with the Forest Service and NRCS in April 2024, where permittees had an opportunity to comment on the project. All of the permittees attended the meeting were very supportive of completing work on the allotment but were not interested in signing up to use their Farm Bill dollars on the project. The portion of BLM land included in the project is not part of an active allotment. ACE, BLM, the City of Parowan, FFSL, Forest Service, Iron County, and NRCS, and three private landowners have been integral partners on this project and are providing about 50% of the costs for this project between actual and in-kind funding. NRCS and private landowners are providing over $220,000 in actual funding and $8,000 of in-kind funding. Iron County is providing $20,000 in actual funding and over $26,000 of in-kind funding. FFSL is providing $10,000 of actual funding and $10,000 of in-kind funding. The Forest Service, ACE, and BLM are providing over $60,000 in combined in-kind funding. The NWTF has also expressed interest in participating in this project. Other private landowners immediately adjacent to the project area have been contacted and are not interested in completing work at this time.

Forest permittees have met directly with agency personnel and verbally supported the proposed vegetation management treatments. The only plantings/seedings will be in the 5 Mile picnic area which is fenced and excludes livestock. The remainder of the project treatments on the Forest outside the 5 Mile picnic area will not be planted or seeded, have a functional understory, and will not be rested. This project will implement treatments in two of three pastures on the Bowery allotment. The majority of the third pasture was burned during the Brian Head Fire and/or has highly erosive soils, so these were the only treatments identified on the allotment during project development. The Cedar City Ranger District is planning for a range infrastructure improvement project for this and other allotments to enter the NEPA analysis stage in federal FY 2026, which should help maintain and improve the number and quality of water sources across the allotment. The Brian Head Fire has already created forage increases on two of the pastures which is helping to allow a portion of the herd to remaining on those pastures for longer and defray use on other pastures. The goal of vegetation treatments and infrastructure improvements is to have an allotment where timing, duration, and intensity can be better controlled because of more widespread distribution of grazing pressure. The BLM lands are not on an active livestock allotment. The larger of the three private parcels is grazed by approximately 20 cows over the summer. Private landowners will enter into a contract with NRCS. The mastication and seeding treatments will be rested for two growing seasons. The Parowan Canyon WMA, adjacent SITLA land, and City of Parowan property are not grazed. The WMA is managed for wildlife benefit and should maintain treatments to improve habitat like those proposed in this project. Similarly, the City and SITLA should be able to maintain treatments following the proposed project. On Forest Service lands this would be the third or fourth (see UWRI project 7366) major implementation area of an ~86,000-acre vegetation management project that authorizes treatments in adjacent allotment and watersheds. This proposal would complete treatments that extend north on private lands and nearly connect with project 6862 (completed in State FY 2025) on the Forest. The proposed project would complete all treatments in the Bowery creek allotment and allow for returning to continued treatments in the North and South Red Creek allotments north of the proposed project area in State FY2027 and 2028 (see UWRI project 6862). In the interim long-term vegetation trend monitoring and visual observations (see Monitoring section) will inform the need for adaptive management and maintenance on treatments and management in the Bowery Allotment. Once implementation proposed in this project is completed on these acres and the surrounding pastures/allotments and watersheds, the wildfire risk and habitat issues should be addressed enough to focus on maintenance of investments, which was included in the NEPA Decision. Iron County has invested over $200,000 in improvements in the 5 Mile picnic area since 2022. The Forest Service and the County are committed to working together to help protect investments in the special use permit area. Once treatments in the entire project area are completed the goal is to manage fire adapted ecosystems through a combination wildfire (managed for resource plan benefits) and low intensity prescribed fire. In terms of treatments overlapping riparian areas, and sagebrush treatments, monitoring will determine the success of original treatments and maintenance will be conducted as necessary to remove whips and missed trees.

On the Forest the project is 100% contained within the Bowery and Yankee Pastures of the Bowery Allotment. This allotment is authorized to run 160 cow/calf pairs. Currently this allotment is run on a 3-pasture deferred rotation. The Brian Head Fire negatively impacted the Yankee and Dark Hollow Pastures in the years immediately following the fire but fire effects have resulted in increased forage and opened access to greater distribution on these pastures in the long term. Completing these treatments will increase forage availability in the Bowery and Yankee pastures. It will also make the allotment more resilient to drought periods which are expected to be longer and more intense under some climate change scenarios. All of this should allow for livestock grazing to continue under a variety of annual weather conditions, while improving livestock weights and resource conditions. This is also true of the private land parcel where grazing is allowed. Lop and scatter treatments surrounding the project area have been very popular for personal firewood gathering. Most of the accessible bigger material from Parowan Front lop and scatter projects has been gathered. Given the proximity of this area to multiple communities Brian Head, Cedar City, Parowan, Paragonah, Summit) and the accessibility of the treatments, it is anticipated that much of the lopped and scattered wood will be collected for personal firewood use. The firewood program on the CCRD brings in around $15,000 annually, but collection could occur across all public ownerships. Recreation is another major use that could be impacted by the proposed project. During certain periods of the winter SR143 is the only access to Brian Head ski resort. The resort, and services supporting it are the cornerstone of the Town of Brian Head's economy, as well as providing substantial tourism and hospitality revenue to Parowan and Cedar City. While the ski season produces much of this economic impact, Brian Head's summer season also contributes to these economies. If SR143 were to be heavily damaged from post-fire flooding and debris flows, or closed due to fire danger, these economies would be negatively impacted. Similarly, Yankee Meadows Reservoir is a very popular recreational fishery. FSR 30043, which is the main road up Bowery Creek, is the most efficient access and sometimes the only access, to this Reservoir. As discussed in the Project Need and Future Management sections, the 5 Mile picnic area is an important area to the local community and has received a significant amount of day use in the past before it was damaged by flooding. With the improvements made by the County and work completed under this project, it is expected that visitation to this area will continue to increase. FSR 30043 is the main access to this facility, as well, so protecting the road infrastructure from fire effects will help maintain public access to several popular recreation areas. The Parowan Canyon WMA is popular for its Hidden Haven hiking trail which has use almost year-round for hikers and snowshoers. This trail was heavily damaged during the Brian Head Fire and treatments in, and around, Parowan Creek would help protect the trail system from further impacts, as well as improve the aesthetics of the riparian area in and around the trail. Hunting and wildlife viewing are also popular in the project area. The U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis data shows that in 2023 outdoor recreation created $9.5 billion in value-added for Utah, accounted for 3.4% of Utah's GDP, and provided 71,898 jobs. Winter sports continued to be the largest contributor to Utah's outdoor recreation economy, with $643 million in value-added in 2023. Hunting/shooting/trapping accounted for $331 million and boating and fishing for $537 million. The project area is close to multiple communities are sure to benefit from recreation generated dollars. Data from 2015 indicated that almost 20% of jobs in Iron County were from the recreation, leisure, and hospitality industry (see Documents section). Knowing how much visitor use in southern Utah has increased over the past decade, recreation and tourism generated revenue are surely higher proportion of the County's economy now. Protecting and maintaining popular recreation sites and access to those sites, as well as improving the hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing experience throughout the project area would contribute to this. As mentioned previously the Center Creek Hydroelectric plant in Parowan gets its water from Parowan Creek and has facilities immediately downstream from the proposed project area. This plant generates 1.5 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity annually, which comes to roughly $200,000 per year depending on the price of electricity. This could power approximately 150 homes. Infrastructure taking water to this plant would all be at risk from post-fire flooding impacts following a high severity fire in the project area.