There are a myriad of habitat restoration and stewardship agreements for the benefit of wildlife that could be accomplished on private and public lands in Utah. In many cases, there is adequate funding under programs such as the Conservation Permit Program, USFS and BLM Keystone (IIJA/IRA) Stewardship Agreements, Watershed Restoration Initiative, Federal Farm Bill, USFWS Partners Program, Invasive Species Mitigation Fund, Grazing Improvement Fund, etc. A significant limiting factor for initiation, implementation and delivery of habitat development work is limited UDWR and partner staffing levels. There are many opportunities to improve private, state and federal lands for mule deer and other wildlife which are not being taken advantage of due to a shortage of personnel and existing staff already operating at full bandwidth. MDF has the organizational infrastructure and experience necessary to supplement statewide capacity through this and similar positions.

The Mule Deer Foundation will help fill the land and wildlife management agency staffing void by hiring and supervising habitat development and stewardship project specialists. MDF is uniquely suited to pursue this type of work because of the distinctive organizational structure that promotes local chapter investment of funding and volunteer efforts, it's recognition as a key conservation partner by USFS and BLM, and its status as a non-governmental 501(c)(3) that offers flexibility in pursuing contracts and agreements with a broad array of conservation partners and contractors. The MDF habitat specialists will focus primarily on stewardship agreements and resultant projects in cooperation with the USFS & BLM using science-based prioritization and frequent DWR input. Summer range improvement to benefit mule deer and other wildlife species will be key, as will using available data to design projects in the right places and scales. The MDF habitat specialists will also help secure funding and implement habitat projects on other state, federal, tribal and private lands.

Statewide, to assist partners in turning known resource needs and historic conservation funding opportunities into sustainable acres that will help conserve mule deer and other wildlife in Utah.

Statewide and Unit-specific Deer Management Plans

Statewide Elk, Moose & Pronghorn Management Plans

Utah State Wildlife Action Plan

USFS Forest Plans (Multiple forests)

BLM Resource Management Plans (Multiple districts)

Other conservation and land management plans as appropriate

Many projects will have a fuels component designed to protect life & property, proactively reduce the potential for catastrophic wildfire, improve wildlife habitat and restore natural fire cycles.

Many of the projects completed by these specialists serve to directly or indirectly maintain or improve water quality and increase water quantity available on the landscape.

All projects undertaken by this position will adhere to required compliance thresholds, as required by funding sources, and federal, state & tribal regulation.

Duties to be performed by the MDF habitat specialists will include, but are not limited to: contact with landowners; coordination with federal, state and tribal agencies; participation in WRI regional project ranking processes; project implementation such as site preparation, seeding, herbicide spraying, mowing, conifer thinning/mulching, coppice cutting, burning, aspen restoration, riparian & wet meadow restoration, tree and shrub planting, etc. The MDF habitat specialists will annually complete 3 or more habitat and/or stewardship projects throughout Utah designed to benefit wildlife, with some flexibility based on the scale and scope of projects. Each of these projects shall be entered into Utah's Watershed Initiative project database (wri.utah.gov). Whenever possible, projects should be reviewed and approved prior to implementation by the appropriate WRI regional team and reported on after completion according to WRI rules. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in termination of this cooperative agreement as outlined in the existing agreement.

Will be conducted as needed on a project-by-project basis to meet the needs of MDF and conservation partners associated with those projects.

MDF frequently partners with most federal and state land management agencies through multiyear stewardship and other agreements or contracts. Tribal agencies and private landowners statewide may also be partnered with on a project-by-project basis.

See individual projects submitted by the MDF Stewardship biologist or federal partners for details.

The majority of projects completed by these specialists will aim to improve quality and quantity of sustainable uses such as big game hunting, recreation, timber harvest, biomass utilization, grazing, etc. to meet land management agency standards and state wildlife management goals.