Pariette cactus and Uinta Basin hookless cactus (both Federally threatened) occur only in the Uinta Basin desert of northeastern Utah and were originally listed in 1979 due to threats from collection and oil, gas, and mineral development (USFWS 2009). At present, the primary threats to these species are mineral development, livestock grazing, invasive species, drought, climate change, and a lack of regulatory mechanisms to address these threats (USFWS 2023a,b,c). The proposed project comprises recovery actions for which there is immediate need based on the results of: a) thirteen years of range wide monitoring data and demographic analyses; b) results of recent seed bank studies; c) and observations of declining habitat conditions across both species' ranges. We expect the results of the FY2025 Sclerocactus Pollinator Limitation Study (project #7218) to further demonstrate declines in population performance and the effects of pervasive ongoing threats on these species. Distributionally important and genetically distinct local populations of both species are in rapid decline, with most populations demonstrating low survival, growth, and fecundity and low or no viable seed outputs (Bonanza, Upper Green, Nine Mile, and Lower Pariette core conservation areas). All populations of both species at extremes of range (north, south, east, west) are in decline or have been extirpated (Myton, Draw Creek). Only central populations of S. wetlandicus (Middle Green) are currently stable to increasing, which is attributable to fenced exclosures and/or naturally occurring protective rock cover in the habitat. The final recovery plan for Pariette cactus and Uinta Basin hookless cactus was published on October 3, 2023 (USFWS 2023c). The plan lists five recovery criteria with specific thresholds for each species: 1) average population growth rates (lambda) greater than 0.950 over ten or more years and greater than 95% probability of long-term survival over a 100-year period; 2) the population contains individuals in all size classes with stasis rates of the largest individuals from 0.850 to 0.900; 3) genetic diversity is maintained across the range such that there is a 95% probability of population persistence; 4) disturbance does not exceed established tolerance thresholds; and 5) protected areas will be formally established for at least one genetically important population and at least one connectivity corridor (USFS 2023c). Demographic analyses of Uinta Basin Sclerocactus populations from 2012-2024 have indicated that the Bonanza, Nine Mile, Upper Green, and Upper Pariette core populations are in decline, with average population growth rates below the stable range (lambda 0.950-1.050; recovery criteria 1). Further, stochastic projections of population trajectories indicate these populations have a high probability of going extinct within 25-100 years (recovery criteria 1). None of the recovery criteria are currently being met and will not be achieved without immediate interventions. Development of species-specific Sclerocactus recovery criteria was based on analyses of current and potential future conditions in core 2 conservation areas based on eight years of range wide monitoring data (Hornbeck 2018, 2022). The four core 2 conservation areas for S. brevispinus are Duchesne West (Core 2a), Lower Pariette (Core 2b), Upper Pariette (Core 2c), and Myton (Core 2d; USFWS, 2013 and 2023a). Two subpopulation monitoring sites occur on BLM-administered lands in the Vernal Field Office (VFO): Pariette East and West Pariette, both within the Upper Pariette (Core 2c) conservation area. Two monitoring sites on Tribal lands: Newfield (Lower Pariette) and Pariette West Tribal (Upper Pariette) were visited from 2012 to 2019 but the status of these subpopulations is unknown. The monitoring site at Myton (northernmost distribution for the species) was abandoned in 2019 due to the loss of over 90% of the study individuals. The eight core 2 conservation areas for S. wetlandicus are Duchesne West (Pariette Core 2a), Duchesne East (Core 2a), Upper Green River (Core 2b), Bonanza (Core 2c), White River (Core 2d), Lower Green (Core 2e), Nine Mile (Core 2f), and Middle Green (Core 2g; USFWS, 2013 and 2023a). Six subpopulation monitoring sites occur on BLM-administered lands in the VFO: Bonanza (Core 2c), Gasco North and Gasco South (Core 2g), and Nine Mile East and Nine Mile West (Core 2f). In addition, the Refuge (Core 2b) monitoring subpopulation is at the USFWS Ouray National Wildlife Refuge. There are two monitoring sites on Tribal lands: Anadarko (Core 2d) and Refuge Tribal (Core 2b) that were monitored from 2012-2019 but the status of these subpopulations is unknown. There are currently no monitoring sites in the Core 2a (Duchesne East and West) or Core 2e conservation areas. The monitoring site in Draw Creek, which is not included in a core 2 conservation area, was abandoned after 2019 due to the loss of all but three of the original study individuals. This population represented the south central extreme of range for the species. In addition, two new monitoring sites were established in 2021 as part of the Energy Gateway South (GWS) Sclerocactus mitigation project: Four Mile Canyon (Core 2g) and Wrinkles Road (Core 2f), and the Gasco South (Core 2g) subpopulation was fenced. Of the seventeen subpopulations for which long-term monitoring data are available, thirteen (76.5%) have declined in size and population performance since 2012, and six (35.3%) subpopulations are currently trending towards extinction if not already effectively extinct (BLM VFO 2024). Analyses of the 2012-2019 range wide monitoring data (Hornbeck 2018, 2022), 2021-2024 GWS monitoring data (Pacificorp 2025, draft), and 2022-2024 BLM VFO monitoring data (BLM VFO 2024) have demonstrated several features of Sclerocactus life history that guided the development of recovery criteria and recovery actions. Stasis (year-to-year survival) of the largest reproductive individuals is the primary driver of population growth. Large cactus stems effectively store the reproductive potential for the population and possess the resources to survive periods of extreme drought and to take advantage of rare optimal climate years with huge reproductive outputs. As such, protection of the largest plants in the population is an essential conservation tool. Rare recruitment events and slow growth into larger size classes is also essential, but recruitment events cannot occur without the presence of viable seeds in the seed bank produced by reproductive adults. Further, protective rock cover (river cobble or channery) with interspaces filled with water- and nutrient-holding biological soils crusts provide sites for seed germination and seedling establishment. Removal or burial of rock cover due to trampling and erosion results in loss of seed and seed germination sites. Disturbed soils can quickly become infested with invasive annual plant species (cheatgrass, halogeton, Russian thistle) that readily outcompete Sclerocactus seedlings and associated native plant species. And finally, the species pollinators comprise native ground-nesting bees (Tepedino et al. 2010) that also rely on stable undisturbed soils and require diverse floral resources for their persistence. Results from the ESMF-funded Utah Cactus Seed Bank Studies (FY2023-FY2025) indicate large differences in seed viability between Sclerocactus populations -- with 96%-98% seed viability at Middle Green populations compared to 0%, 0%, 24%, and 29% seed viability at Bonanza, Nine Mile, Upper Green, and Upper Pariette, respectively. The observed loss of seed viability has many possible causes, including population bottlenecks, loss of pollinator services, and/or negative interactions between habitat alteration, invasive species, population isolation, and pollinator populations. Therefore, immediate conservation actions might include: 1) removing physical disturbances and invasive species; 2) protecting the population and surrounding habitat; 3) restoring rock cover and native habitat components; and 4) enhancing population genetic diversity using in situ (assisted pollination) and ex situ (plant salvage and seed line development) methods. These approaches parallel the recovery actions listed in the 2023 draft Sclerocactus Recovery Implementation Strategy (USFWS 2023c) and are further detailed in the Objectives and Methods sections. Also see the attached Recovery Actions and Associated Tasks and Timelines Table for the proposed project. We propose this Uinta Basin Sclerocactus recovery project to protect, restore, and enhance populations of S. brevispinus and S. wetlandicus. Proposed activities for FY2026 are: 1) coordinate with the interagency team and amend existing permits; 2) protect remaining individuals by installing exclosure fencing and performing weed treatments at two populations (Bonanza, Pariette East); 3) salvage a subset of individuals from each population for ex situ conservation; 4) define fine-scale habitat restoration methods and perform micro-scale restorations at both populations; and 5) monitor the effectiveness of recovery actions. Long term management tasks will comprise: 6) producing genetically diverse seed lines using stored seeds and ex situ individuals; 7) producing seedling cohorts for population reestablishment; 8) large scale habitat restorations; 9) exclosures and/or changes to land management in other core 2 populations; 10) surveys to identify extant and historic populations in need of recovery actions; 11) ongoing monitoring of recovery actions; and 12) analysis of monitoring data to quantify whether recovery criteria are being met.

The near-term goal of the proposed project is to recover the Bonanza (Core 2c) and Pariette East (Core 2a) Sclerocactus populations. The long-term goal is to recover cactus populations in all monitored core 2 conservation areas. Specific objectives are to: 1) facilitate interagency coordination on the implementation of recovery actions for the species; 2) install physical protections for remaining individuals and associated habitats at the Bonanza and Pariette East populations, including NEPA and effectiveness monitoring; 3) maintain and enhance existing genetic diversity by salvaging a portion of the population for ex situ expansion of seed lines; 4) quantify the physical structure of intact habitats and define habitat restoration targets; 5) restore disturbed habitats and quantify population response over time; 6) restore a genetically diverse population using ex situ seed lines; and 7) quantify the effectiveness of recovery actions (population trend, population structure, genetic diversity).

The proposed project will be performed at two geographically and genetically important Sclerocactus subpopulations that are in rapid decline (Bonanza, Pariette East) in the central Uinta Basin, Utah. Both populations have exhibited downward trends since 2012 with low survival and little or no growth or fecundity (Hornbeck 2018, 2022; SCMBC 2022-2024). Decades of energy development/production and livestock and feral horse have occurred at both populations. The proposed project needs to be implemented immediately. The rapidly declining Sclerocactus populations in question represent significant portions of the species' ranges and are genetically distinct (Porter et al. 2012; McGlaughlin et al. 2014, 2023; Naibauer et al. in review 2025). Recent demographic analyses indicate that the Bonanza population, which represents a uniquely self-compatible variety of Sclerocactus wetlandicus (S. wetlandicus var. 1; Dorde Woodruff unpublished data; Tepedino et al. 2010; Naibauer et al. in review 2025) is in rapid decline and has a greater than 40% probability of going effectively extinct within 50 years (Hornbeck 2018, 2020; SCMBC 2023). The recently obtained evidence of seed inviability at Bonanza and Pariette East compounds concerns about the already documented decline in aboveground individuals and raises alarm that there are potentially no viable seed remaining in these populations. The persistence of both populations is in question. Further, populations are in decline in all but one of the five core conservation areas for which data are currently available (Bonanza, Upper Green, Nine Mile, Lower Pariette) for which future conservation actions will be needed. It is essential to the species' recovery and long-term persistence that we implement recovery actions before more genetic diversity and habitats are lost. Neglecting the continuing decline of Sclerocactus populations in the Uinta Basin could have dire implications for the long-term conservation of these species. The activities proposed here will directly inform the current recovery status of these populations, demonstrate that recovery actions are being implemented, and possibly prevent the need for uplisting under the Endangered Species Act.

This project addresses current data gaps and conservation needs for two species of greatest conservation need in the 2023 Utah Wildlife Action Plan. The project will implement priority actions included in the 2023 Final Recovery Plan for Uinta Basin hookless cactus (Sclerocactus wetlandicus) and Pariette cactus (Sclerocactus brevispinus; USFWS 2023c) and 2023 Draft Recovery Implementation Strategy (USFWS 2023b). The activities proposed here will facilitate populations meeting published Recovery Criteria (USFWS 2023c) and implement priority recovery actions (USFWS 2023b) by directly protecting, enhancing, and restoring declining populations. This study will also address Recovery Criteria 3 through 5 (USFWS 2023c) by identifying populations with potential losses of genetic diversity (Recovery Criterion 3), quantifying disturbance thresholds as they relate to pollinators and floral resources (Recovery Criterion 4) and identifying areas in greatest need of protection (Recovery Criterion 5). These activities will also directly address or inform Recovery Actions for the species (USFWS 2023b). The project results will directly address Recovery Action 2 by directing reducing impacts from livestock, feral horses, and other herbivores; Recovery Action 3 by using existing disturbance thresholds (Hornbeck 2022; USFWS 2023c) to develop and implement conservation measures; Recovery Action 4 by developing and implementing conservation measures; Recovery Action 5 by restoring habitat; Recovery Action 7 by evaluating and enhancing genetic diversity; Recovery Action; Recovery Action 9 by identifying and addressing causes and consequences of connectivity loss; Recovery Action 12 by developing genetically diverse seed lines and reestablishing individuals on restored sites; and Recovery Criteria 13 by potentially establishing permanently protected areas for these species. In total, the proposed project would inform or directly address all five Recovery Criteria and nine of fourteen Priority Recovery Actions for these species.

This project would result in small scale removal of invasive annual weeds and accumulated fuels (Russian thistle), and thereby fire risk, in and adjacent to Sclerocactus habitats in the near term (one to two years) and at larger scales in the long term (two to ten years).

Long-term species conservation efforts support better understanding and management of intact ecosystems that keep soils and soil water in place, protect water quality, and improve overall ecological functioning. Further, conservation and restoration of rare plant habitats also contributes to the maintenance of native wildlife populations.

Installation of fencing or other exclosures will require interagency coordination and NEPA analyses. The project proponents will coordinate with USFWS and BLM VFO on preparation of fencing development plans, NEPA requirements, and any associated regulatory requirements. Habitat restoration activities, including weed treatments and rock and soil movement may also require NEPA analysis. The initial implementation of small-scale restoration treatments may preclude the need for NEPA but will be addressed with agency stakeholders to ensure that all project activities are in compliance with NEPA and ESA. Salvage and relocation of individual cacti will require amendment of Manzanita Botanical Consulting's existing recovery permit (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Recovery Permit Number ES41329C, J. Hope Hornbeck, Manzanita Botanical Consulting, Salt Lake City, Utah, valid through October 4, 2027). Seed collections and any other handling of plant materials are already covered under the existing permit. Plant materials and seeds will be housed at the Red Butte Garden Conservation Program, Red Butte Garden, Salt Lake City, Utah. An amended permit will be finalized before field work begins in Fall 2025. All project activities will be carried out in coordination with the BLM VFO and USFWS species lead.

We propose this Uinta Basin Sclerocactus recovery project to protect, restore, and enhance populations of S. brevispinus and S. wetlandicus. FY2026 activities are focused on recovery actions at the Bonanza and Pariette East subpopulations. This project will require multiple years to implement and long-term management. Follow-up tasks and additional recovery actions are addressed in the Future Management section. Proposed tasks for FY2026 are: 1) coordinate with the interagency team and amend the existing recovery permit; 2) protect remaining Sclerocactus individuals by installing exclosure fencing and performing weed treatments at two populations (Bonanza, Pariette East); 3) salvage a subset of individuals from each population for ex situ conservation; 4) define fine-scale habitat restoration methods and perform micro-scale restorations at both populations; and 5) monitor the effectiveness of recovery actions. Task 1. Interagency coordination and recovery permit. Manzanita Botanical Consulting will coordinate project activities with USFWS species leads and BLM VFO. Coordination will be required to determine regulatory requirements and NEPA analyses for fenced exclosures (Task 2), plant salvage, and restoration activities. Manzanita Botanical's recovery permit will be amended to allow for physical removal of up to 24 plants (total) from Bonanza and Pariette East and habitat restoration activities. The proposed budget for coordination comprises 12 hours labor (12 hours x $75.00 = $900.00). Total $900.00. Task 2. Protective fencing and weed treatments. Manzanita Botanical Consulting will work with the USFWS species leads and BLM VFO on the placement, NEPA analysis, and installation of approximately 9,000 linear feet of fencing (4,500 feet per subpopulation). The estimated cost for materials and installation is $8.18 per linear foot for the same fence type as was installed for the GWS Sclerocactus mitigation project. In addition, the interagency team will assess appropriate chemical or physical treatments for invasive annual weeds (Russian thistle, cheatgrass, Halogeton) at each subpopulation site. Costs for weed treatments would be covered by the managing agency or other agency partner. The proposed budget for this task comprises 9,000 feet of installed fencing ($73,620.00), approximately one day at each subpopulation for fencing placement other site assessments (24 hours x $75.00 = $1,800.00), reimbursement for vehicle mileage (600 miles at $0.70/mile = $420.00), lodging (2 nights x $250.00 per night = $500.00), expense reimbursement (2 days x $50.00 per day = $100.00), 40 hours of in-kind NEPA analysis by BLM VFO ($40,000), and 8 hours of in-kind labor contributed by Manzanita Botanical ($600.00), Total $117,040.00. Task 3. Sclerocactus plant salvage and ex situ conservation. Manzanita Botanical Consulting will partner with SWCA Environmental Consultants for Sclerocactus salvage and transport activities. The Red Butte Garden Conservation Program, the Center for Plant Conservation (CPC) repository for the Uinta Basin Sclerocactus species, will maintain the salvaged cacti. In 2021, Manzanita Botanical Consulting and SWCA Environmental Consultants developed a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management-approved, comprehensive mitigation and monitoring plan outlining salvage and transplant methodologies for over 1,000 Uinta Basin hookless cactus (Sclerocactus wetlandicus) individuals for a large transmission line project in the Uinta Basin. Transplantation methods will comprise known effective approaches for the excavation and transport of large Sclerocactus. Red Butte Garden will maintain the salvaged cacti at a cost of $1,000 per individual with the objective of returning the salvaged individuals to the population once the habitat has been restored. The proposed budget for this task comprises approximately two field days per subpopulation for plant salvage plus transport time for Manzanita Botanical (60 hours x $75.00 = $4,500.00) and two SWCA botanists (120 hours x $110.00 = $13,200.00), an SWCA field truck (5 days x $200.00 = $1,000.00), reimbursement for vehicle mileage (1,000 miles at $0.70/mile = $700.00), lodging (3 botanists x 4 nights x $250.00 per night = $3,000.00), and expense reimbursement (3 botanists x 5 days x $55.00 per day = $825.00). In addition, Red Butte Garden conservation fees for 24 large cacti and up to 3,000 seeds total $24,500. In kind field assistance from USFWS (3 days x $1,500 per field day = $4,500) and BLM VFO (3 days x $1,500 per field day = $4,500), and 8 hours of in-kind labor from Manzanita Botanical ($600.00), Total $57,325.00. Task 4. Micro-scale restoration. Restoration of the Uinta Basin's unique desert habitats presents many challenges. Sclerocactus habitats in the Uinta Basin comprise ancient alluvial cobbles and pavements that are difficult to replace once lost. The Bonanza subpopulation occupies knoll tops that historically possessed dense river cobble pavements. Ongoing disturbance has resulted in cobbles being mixed into underlying soils or rolling downhill. The loss of river cobble cover at this site has exposed cactus stems and roots to increased risk of trampling and erosion and greatly reduced seed germination and establishment sites. At the Pariette East subpopulation, the soil surface is covered with dense channery pavements that have been less impacted by chronic trampling, but that are increasingly being lost to erosion. At both sites we propose to use local materials to physically restore rock cover around existing plants and surrounding habitats. These activities will be performed at the micro-scale (approximately a 2x2 meter, or 4 square meter area) to exclude the need for heavy equipment in the habitat, create regularly spaced 'resource islands', and to facilitate natural development of soil crusts and native species assemblages (sensu Bainbridge 2007). First year restoration efforts would focus on restoring rock cover and soils around extant adult plants and creating potential seedling establishment sites around these individuals. The proposed budget for this task comprises approximately two field days per subpopulation for micro-scale soil and rock restorations for Manzanita Botanical (60 hours x $75.00 = $4,500.00) and two SWCA botanists (120 hours x $110.00 = $13,200.00), an SWCA field truck (5 days x $200.00 = $1,000.00), reimbursement for vehicle mileage (1,000 miles at $0.70/mile = $700.00), lodging (3 botanists x 4 nights x $250.00 per night = $3,000.00), and expense reimbursement (3 botanists x 5 days x $55.00 per day = $825.00). In kind field assistance from USFWS (2 days x $1,500 per field day = $3,000) and BLM VFO (2 days x $1,500 per field day = $3,000), and 8 hours of in-kind labor from Manzanita Botanical ($600.00), Total $29,825.00. Task 5. Recovery actions effectiveness monitoring. This task would occur in early 2026 and would comprise quantitative assessments of Sclerocactus population condition, and habitat structure and composition at Bonanza and Pariette East. Monitoring methods would follow existing methods used from 2012-2024 (Hornbeck 2018) to allow pre- and post-treatment comparisons. The proposed budget for this task comprises one day at each population (24 hours x $75.00 = $1,800.00), reimbursement for vehicle mileage (600 miles at $0.70/mile = $420.00), lodging (2 nights x $250.00 per night = $500.00), expense reimbursement (2 days x $55.00 per day = $110.00), in kind field assistance from BLM VFO (1 day x $1,500 per field day), and 4 hours of in-kind labor contributed by Manzanita Botanical ($300.00), total $4,630.00. All tasks will be completed no later than June 30, 2026, with project activities and analysis results summarized for USFWS species leads and agency stakeholders. Recovery action effectiveness monitoring results can potentially be incorporated into stochastic demographic models to allow analysis of ecological conditions (habitat composition and structure) on population trajectories. Literature Cited: Bainbridge, D.A. 2007. A guide for desert and dryland restoration: New hope for arid lands. Society for Ecological Restoration International. Island Press. 391 pages. Hornbeck, J.H. 2018. Sclerocactus wetlandicus (Uinta Basin Hookless Cactus) and Sclerocactus brevispinus (Pariette Cactus) range-wide demographic and habitat monitoring: years 1--5 (2012--2016) Final Report. Prepared for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Utah Ecological Services Field Office, Salt Lake City, Utah. Hornbeck, J.H. 2022. Utah cactus quantitative recovery criteria development - revised. Report prepared by Manzanita Botanical Consulting, Salt Lake City, Utah for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Utah Field Office, West Valley City Utah. 112 pages + appendices. McGlaughlin, M., J. Neale, and A. Hubbard. 2014. Examining Sclerocactus brevispinus and Sclerocactus wetlandicus Genetic Structure and Diversity in Uinta Basin, Utah. US Fish and Wildlife Service Final Report, Surveys and Genetic Diversity Assessments. FWS Agreement No. F09AC00281 (formerly 601819J312). McGlaughlin, M., and S. Naibauer. 2023. Conservation genetics of Sclerocactus in Colorado: the importance of accurate taxonomy to conservation. Frontiers in Conservation Science. 4:1310985. doi: 10.3389/fcosc.2023.1310985. McGlaughlin, M., and S. Naibauer. In review 2025. Genetics of Sclerocactus in Utah. Pacificorp. 2025. Gateway South Transmission Project Uinta Basin Hookless Cactus Transplant and Year 3 Monitoring Report -- DRAFT. Utah Serial Number: UTU-87237 and UTU-87237-01. Prepared by: PacifiCorp, Salt Lake City, Utah. Porter, J.M., J. Cruse-Sanders, L. Prince, and R. Lauri. 2012. Species status of Sclerocactus brevispinus, S. wetlandicus, and S. glaucus: inferences from morphology, chloroplast DNA sequences, and AFLP markers. Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany 30: Issue 2, Article 2. Sundance Consulting and Manzanita Botanical Consulting (SCMBC). 2023. Sclerocactus range-wide monitoring field data collection, analysis, and reporting: FY 2023 Report. Contract 47QRAA18D00AS. Prepared for the Bureau of Land Management, Vernal Field Office, Vernal, Utah. 46 pages. Sundance Consulting and Manzanita Botanical Consulting (SCMBC). 2024. Sclerocactus range-wide monitoring field data collection, analysis, and reporting: FY 2024 Report. Contract 47QRAA18D00AS. Prepared for the Bureau of Land Management, Vernal Field Office, Vernal, Utah. 40 pages. Tepedino, V.J., T.L. Griswold, and W.R. Bowlin. 2010. Reproductive biology, hybridization, and flower visitors of rare Sclerocactus taxa in Utah's Uinta Basin. Western North American Naturalist 70(3):377--386. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2023b. Draft recovery implementation strategy for Pariette cactus (Sclerocactus brevispinus) and Uinta Basin hookless cactus (Sclerocactus wetlandicus). June 2023 -- Version 1.0. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mountain-Prairie Region, Denver, Colorado. 12 pp. USFWS . 2023c. Recovery plan for Uinta Basin hookless cactus (Sclerocactus wetlandicus) and Pariette cactus (Sclerocactus brevispinus). September 2023. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mountain-Prairie Region, Denver, Colorado. 25 pp.

All outcomes from the proposed tasks will be reported as part of project completion and available to the BLM Vernal Field Office and Utah USFWS Ecological Field Services Office. Manzanita Botanical Consulting will perform all field activities in coordination with the BLM VFO and USFWS species leads.

This project has been developed in coordination with the Utah Fish and Wildlife Service Ecological Field Services Office (Matt Lewis, USFWS species lead) and other agency stakeholders. These entities have agreed to provide some level of in-kind support in the form of coordination, guidance, and/or field support for the project. The Red Butte Garden Conservation Program has agreed to provide accession, storage, growing facilities, and restoration plant materials in support of this project for the amounts set for the in the task budgets.

Recovering Uinta Basin Sclerocactus populations will require long term management. The tasks outlined in this proposal represent initial activities that will require long-term monitoring and adaptive approaches to conservation. In addition to reimplementing the proposed tasks at additional Sclerocactus populations, long term management tasks will comprise: 6) producing genetically diverse seed lines using stored seeds and ex situ individuals; 7) producing seedling cohorts for population reestablishment; 8) large scale habitat restorations; 9) exclosures and/or changes to land management in other core 2 populations; 10) surveys to identify extant and historic populations in need of recovery actions; 11) ongoing monitoring of recovery actions; and 12) analysis of monitoring data to quantify whether recovery criteria are being met. Estimated budgets for these tasks are included in USFWS 2023c. Estimated budgets for the implementation of the published recovery actions (USFWS 2023c) are given in Table 4 of that document, with an estimated total cost of $2,800,000 for the first five years of recovery action implementation. Early and focused actions are needed to prevent further declines in population trends and associated recovery costs in the future.

Not applicable.