Fivemile Pasture Wildlife Habitat Improvement and Fuels Reduction Project
Region: Southern
ID: 7366

Project Status: Current

Project Details

The U.S. Forest Service, Cedar City Ranger District (CCRD) identified over 86,000 acres of sagebrush, mountain brush, bitterbrush, pinyon and juniper woodland and riparian communities where vegetation management could maintain and improve wildlife habitat, while reducing the risk of uncharacteristically high severity fire in our Sagebrush Steppe and Woodland Restoration (USFS) see attachments for (Environmental Analysis/FONSI/Decision Notice). The proposed project area was selected because it is contiguous with the cross-boundary efforts of BLM and other partners (see UWRI projects 189, 901, 1206, 5266 and Partners section), has benefits to multiple high priority terrestrial wildlife species, and will facilitate future treatment to the south of SR143.

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 Attachments) 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 and juniper succession. In the Fivemile pasture we found of sagebrush, mountain brush, bitterbrush, and riparian areas in various stages of pinyon and juniper (PJ) succession. During project planning we also found areas of livestock overuse, degradation of sage grouse and big game habitat, and an elevated risk of uncharacteristically high severity wildfire.

Additionally, during treatments on an adjacent private land parcel (6204 and 6504) dense areas of homogenous rabbitbrush were identified within the Panguitch Priority Habitat Management Area (PHMA) for sage grouse and less than a mile from two active sage grouse leks. This private property is also a popular Walk In Access area for fishing. The fence surrounding part of the parcel is not wildlife friendly and is in disrepair. The poor condition of the fence allows for unauthorized use by livestock from neighboring land ownerships and the landowner has reported many wildlife injuries and deaths from animals caught up in the barbed wire.

This project will work to address all these issues and, with the exception of wildlife species and habitat, issues will be addressed in subsequent sections of this proposal. Need and benefits to specific wildlife species are addressed below.

The entire project is within a Sage Grouse Management Area. About 20% of the project area falls with the Panguitch PHMA Area including 124 acres of the lop and scatter treatment in Phase I PJ Succession, 537 acres of the mastication and seeding treatments in a mixture of late Phase II and Phase III PJ succession, the majority of the proposed rabbitbrush treatments, and most of the walk in access area. The remainder of the project area is surrounded by the PHMA and there are four leks within about 5 miles of the project area (Haycock Creek, Sage Hen Hollow, Butler Creek and Pole Hollow Ridge). Pole Hollow Ridge is the closest lek and is less than a mile from the proposed lop and scatter treatments. The Butler Creek lek is about 2.3 miles from lop and scatter treatments.  Both the Pole Hollow Ridge and Butler Creek leks are less than a mile from the rabbitbrush treatments.

In the years leading up to 2021 multiple soft and hard triggers for management of sage grouse were reached in this SGMA because of lek count declines and declines in the number of males per lek. While lek counts in the SGMA doubled between 2021 and 2022. Lek counts in 2023 saw a slight decline.  This decline could be attributed to the limited accessibility of leks caused by the above average snowpack in 2023. Compared to historical counts numbers still remain low. According to the local UDWR biologist, large numbers of grouse have been observed using the northern border of the project area and the leks close to the proposed project area are seeing an increase in use by sage-grouse. Wildlife Tracker does not show any collared sage-grouse in or near the project area, but sage-grouse have been observed using the area, so it is anticipated that treatments could expand almost all habitat types for sage grouse, including lekking and brood rearing, and increase connectivity between the Sage Hen Hollow lek and the leks to the west of the project area.

Sage grouse are an Intermountain Region Sensitive species and a State of Utah Species of Greatest Conservation Need. Currently sagebrush habitat throughout the project area has various stages of pinyon and juniper succession which decreases habitat effectiveness near leks and can reduce food and habitat quality in brood rearing and wintering habitat, as well. Project activities support actions in state and federal conservation plans, as well as published science, that indicate tree removal within 4 miles of a lek, should improve lekking habitat. The seed mix chosen for this portion of the project emphasizes increasing plant diversity and, in particular, forbs for providing high quality food during brood rearing.

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. All of the lop and scatter treatments, the vast majority of the mastication and seeding treatments, and more than half of the rabbitbrush mowing treatments are in summer substantial habitat for mule deer, with small acreages of the mastication, the remaining rabbitbrush treatments, and the bulk of the fencing being in year-long and crucial winter mule deer habitat. Depending on the precipitation year, much of this area can receive year-round use from mule deer.

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. Rabbitbrush treatments are designed to increase more desirable brush species, as well. As discussed for sage grouse, the seed mix chosen for the project emphasizes diversification and has a focus on forbs which have been shown to be a critical spring and summer food item for mule deer. Monaco and Gunnell (2020) showed that mastication and seeding treatments in Mountain Big Sagebrush increased sagebrush, perennial grass, and perennial forb communities at treatment sites across Utah. Additionally, this study showed that hand cutting 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 forage and in increase in available habitat that can be utilized for foraging for big game. The project also designed hiding/security cover corridors through the mastication and seeding that were at least 150 feet wide and no more than 600 feet apart to benefit big game use and movement through the area. The Fivemile Hollow area is specifically called out by the deer herd unit management plan as an area in need of treatments like those proposed in this project. The fence replacement would reduce fence line mortality and allow for easier movement across the private parcel from surrounding land ownerships.

About 70% of the treatments are within yearlong substantial/calving habitat for elk, including all of the lop and scatter treatments and about 60% of the mastication and seeding treatments. A little less than 10% of the proposed mastication treatments, almost all the rabbitbrush treatments, and the fence reconstruction are within summer substantial/calving habitat. The remainder of project treatments are in winter substantial habitat on the eastern side of the project area. The proposed treatments will reduce PJ succession into sagebrush, proving and protect elk calving habitat as identified in the unit management plan. As for deer, elk should benefit from the hiding/security cover corridors that were left in the mastication and seeding treatments.

Wildlife Tracker shows that mule deer have migration corridors south and north of the proposed project area, but little demonstrated use of the project area itself (see Documents section). Providing additional food resources adjacent to hiding/security cover in this area could offer alternative movement routes for deer, or expand habitat use into these areas. All treatments may pull deer use of immediately adjacent agricultural fields around of Panguitch.
Wildlife Tracker data shows that collared elk use is heavy to the north and west of the mastication and seeding treatments with much less use in the areas proposed for that treatment (see Documents section). The treatments would open up additional areas of forage reducing potential depredation issues in Panguitch.

The entire project is within mapped occupied wild turkey habitat and the southeastern portion of the project area, adjacent to Panguitch Creek is a turkey release area (https://utahdnr.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/basic/index.html?appid=f8c20ff4ea524789bf57fe5ff55b38d5). Portions of the mastication and seeding treatments occur in the Gambel's oak cover type. 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) this project should improve year-round turkey habitat. Local UDWR and statewide NWTF biologists support Gambel's' oak treatments proposed in this project to benefit wild turkey.

In Utah the majority of pronghorn populations occur in shrub-steppe habitat, with large expanses of open, rolling or flat terrain. The project area will reset succession of areas that were likely historically sagebrush and shrub-steppe habitat. The Panguitch Lake unit biologist suggested this project should improve habitat for pronghorn; to help solidify that point during site visits a large herd or pronghorn was observed adjacent to the project area utilizing recent BLM treatments. Forbs make up a very large component for pronghorn survival in the spring and summer months, the seed mix chosen for this portion of the project emphasized increasing plant diversity, and in particular, forbs for providing a higher quality of food for pronghorn calves during the spring and summer months.

Panguitch Creek is immediately adjacent to the southern portion of the treatment area and contains a popular sport fishery of nonnative trout and Bonneville cutthroat trout. Additionally, Panguitch Creek contains a conservation population of Southern leatherside chub, as well as other native minnows and suckers. Southern leatherside chub are an Intermountain Regional Forester Sensitive Species and are managed under a Conservation Agreement and Strategy to which the Intermountain Region of the Forest Service is a signatory.

Two Riparian Level III Inventory monitoring sites adjacent to the project area along Panguitch Creek show riparian vegetation is meeting objectives at these sites, but Multiple Indicator Monitoring indicates that bank cover and bank stability are below objectives. Visual observations do not indicate overuse by livestock in these areas, so unbalanced flow volume and/or sediment transport may be the reasons for the bank stability and cover issues here. While releases from Panguitch Lake probably account for some of this, delivery of water and sediment from upslope may also be an issue. Additionally, the stream in this area has water quality issues related to E. Coli (see Water Quality and Quantity section). As further detailed in the Water Quality and Quantity section the proposed mastication and seeding treatments should help increase ground cover and better distribute livestock, which should improve water quality and bank stability for fish habitat for the sportfish community, as well as Southern leatherside chub. The fence repair around the private parcel should assist with better livestock management which could also help reduce E. coli and riparian and bank damage. It should also improve the user experience in this walk-in access area.

While other species may benefit from the proposed treatments (see photo of rare wildlife in images), we believe the species addressed above are the ones most likely to have direct, or substantial indirect, benefits from completion of the proposed treatments.

Provide evidence about the nature of the problem and the need to address it. Identify the significance of the problem using a variety of data sources. For example, if a habitat restoration project is being proposed to benefit greater sage-grouse, describe the existing plant community characteristics that limit habitat value for greater sage-grouse and identify the changes needed for habitat improvement.

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 Fivemile Pasture project include:

1) In areas of Phase II and Phase III succession reduce conifer cover to <5% within in treatment polygons while leaving intreated islands/corridors. This should improve habitat and movement corridors for sage grouse, deer, and elk and will move areas in FRCC 2 and 3 to FRCC 1.

2) In areas of Phase I succession reduce conifer cover to < 1%. This will maintain and improve lekking habitat for sage grouse and maintain FRCC1 in these areas.

3) Maintain and increase available forage by 20-30%.

4) Reduce rabbitbrush densities by 70% and increase desirable grasses and forbs, and shrub age class diversity in areas identified for wet mowing.

5) Improve bank stability and water quality in Panguitch Creek, by reducing water and sediment runoff from the project area and allowing for better control and distribution of livestock on the private parcel.

Provide an overall goal for the project and then provide clear, specific and measurable objectives (outcomes) to be accomplished by the proposed actions. If possible, tie to one or more of the public benefits UWRI is providing.

Location: Areas on BLM and other land ownerships immediately to the east of this project have received considerable attention int the past 20 years as part of the Upper Sevier River Management Plan and as a focus area for sage grouse habitat restoration (see projects 189, 901, 1206, 5266). Similarly, areas adjacent to the private lands proposed for treatment in this project have had project work completed (see projects 6204 and 6205). Completing this project would link all those projects. The importance of this kind of habitat connectivity to ungulates, sage grouse, and other wildlife is well documented. Given what is known about the use and migration patterns of deer, elk, and sage grouse in this area, the proposed treatments should go a long way to providing additional migration and holdover habitat for big game and assist with providing connectivity between four sage grouse leks while improving all habitat types for sage grouse (see Project Need discussion and Wildlife Tracker data in Documents section).

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.

The Relationship to Plans section shows that this project helps support the goals and objectives for multiple wildlife, water quality, fire and fuels, agency, and local government management plans. The potential to benefit four different sage grouse leks heavily supports direction in sage grouse and government resource management plans. The Panguitch Lake Herd Management Plan for mule deer specifically calls out the need to "reduce Pinyon and Juniper" in the "Fivemile Hollow" area. This project proposes PJ reduction across nearly 2,500 acres while leaving ample hiding cover for big game. Proposed treatments would provide transition zones, allowing deer to stay longer by expanding foraging habitat for winter, spring, and summer. Treatments may also prevent depredation issues in the Panguitch Valley. As mentioned in the project need, the local UDWR biologist supports this project as one that will greatly improve habitat along big game migration routes and improve sage grouse habitat connectivity.

The proposed treatments would also improve habitat for other wildlife including wild turkey. All of the proposed treatments are in mapped occupied turkey habitat and treatments along Panguitch Creek itself are within a turkey release area. 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 west of Panguitch, potentially reducing depredation issues.

Lek counts on the Panguitch SGMA are at some of their lowest points in many years even after the rise in 2012 and 2022. This could risk additional forced management actions by federal agencies without additional actions to improve habitat. When triggers were reached in this PHMA, a Causal Factor Analysis for Greater Sage-Grouse in the Panguitch Priority Habitat Management Area was completed. The analysis lists Proactive Habitat Improvement Projects, Existing Riparian and Mesic Meadow Development, and Perennial Forb Plantings as recommendations to aid in reducing further reductions to sage-grouse in the PHMA. Project activities implement these recommendations by expanding existing sage-grouse habitat through mastication and lop and scatter treatments, completing rabbit brush removal in mesic areas along Panguith Creek, and increasing perennial forbs through seeding the mastication treatments.

As further detailed in the Relationship to Plans Section the Upper Sevier Watershed Management Plan highlights "Enhancement or Protection of Deer/Elk Habitat," "Enhancement and Protection of Sage Grouse Habitat," "Pinyon/Juniper, Sagebrush/Grasslands -- ecosystem treatment for improvements to fuel conditions, vegetation composition and accelerated erosion areas," and "Enhancement and Protection of Riparian Habitat" as key issues in the Panguitch Creek watershed. The treatments outlined for this project address all these issues.

The Utah Wildfire Risk Explorer shows burn probability moderate to very high throughout the project area, with the majority of the area being high (see risk assessment in Documents). The biggest risk to structures in near the private parcels discussed in the Fire and Fuels section. As also discussed in the Fire and Fuels section, there is a major powerline corridor at risk in a WUI area within the project. Forest Service modelling suggests that the areas of Phase II and Phase III PJ succession on the eastern portion of the project would have a faster rate of spread, higher flame lengths, and be more difficult to contain than the UWRAP modelling. The Iron Peak Fire, which had similar vegetation and terrain to this project area, grew to 500 acres in several hours this past summer with average flame heights from 8-16 feet. Without a well-timed precipitation event that fire would have been extremely difficult to control with manual suppression.

Timing: There are several reasons why this project should be implemented sooner rather than later. Perhaps the most critical is that there is currently buy in from one of the Little Valleys allotment's permittees to use their Farm Bill dollars for work on this pasture in State FY 2027.  Additionally, the private landowner is also willing to use NRCS funding and provide work in kind to remove the fencing and complete rabbit brush removal treatments. There is also an opportunity to compete for additional outside funding with a grant well matched to this project in the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation "Western Big Game Seasonal Habitat and Migration Corridors Fund."  All these funding opportunities are the only way that a project of this scale can be completed in one year, while keeping the funding request from UWRI to a minimum. It is necessary to complete all the mastication and seeding in one year so that the pasture can be rested for two years.

Second, the Cedar City Sagebrush Steppe and Woodland Restoration Decision authorized vegetation treatments on over 86,000 acres, including nearly 22,000 acres immediately south of the project area between Mammoth Creek and SR 143. These treatments are primarily in sagebrush, mountain brush, pinyon-juniper, and ponderosa pine. Between 60% and 70% of these treatments involve some sort of prescribed fire. With the prevailing winds blowing out of the southwest, treating this area of dense fuels just north of SR143, and northeast of many of these treatments, is crucial to safely lighting prescribed fires on those remaining acres. In other words, completing the proposed project opens the door to safely treating another 22,000 acres.

Third, implementing this project now will also 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. Utah Wildlife Tracker data clearly shows the potential benefit this project has for big game habitat improvement and connectivity. Additionally, the proximity of the project between four sage grouse leks, along with documented sage grouse use on the margins of the project, indicate the potential for immediate connectivity and habitat benefits for this species.

Finally, waiting to treat these acres will require more investment to set back the successional stages as state in transition continues. On over 1,900 of the proposed treatment acres pinyon-juniper succession currently varies from early Phase II through Phase III. A considerable amount of the Phase II is transitioning to Phase III and much of the Phase III still has some residual understory of shrubs. Waiting to treat these areas of late Phase II risks them completely converting to Phase III 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 II and Phase III areas 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.

On the 570 acres of Phase I PJ succession to be treated, the risk of not treating the project now is that these sites advance into later Phase I or even Phase II PJ, some shrub and understory vegetation is lost, and the cost to treat these acres increases anywhere from 5-10-fold.

LOCATION: Justify the proposed location of this project over other areas, include publicly scrutinized planning/recovery documents that list this area as a priority, remote sensing modeling that show this area is a good candidate for restoration, wildlife migration information and other data that help justify this project's location.

TIMING: Justify why this project should be implemented at this time. For example, Is the project area at risk of crossing an ecological or other threshold wherein future restoration would become more difficult, cost prohibitive, or even impossible.

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) USFWS Partners for Fish and Wildlife Strategic Plan

Project aligns with the vision statement for the Great Basin EcoRegion to "restore habitat and increase ecosystem resiliency for wildlife and people through collaboration with private landowners and other partners."

Project addresses threats to two key species (Greater sage grouse and mule deer) in a Tier 1 priority habitat (Sagebrush Shrublands)

2) Utah Greater Sage Grouse Conservation Plan

Increase habitat by 50,000 acres per year and improve an average of 25,000 acres of habitat each year.

Portions of this project are within Sage Grouse Management Zone III (Southern Great Basin) and are part of the Panguitch sage grouse population.

The Conservation Plan for Greater Sage-grouse in Utah was approved by the Governor in April 2013. The plan establishes incentive-based conservation programs for conservation of sage-grouse on private, local government, and School and Institutional Trust Lands 
Administration lands and regulatory programs on other state- and federally managed lands.
 
The Conservation Plan also establishes sage-grouse management areas and implements specific management protocols in these areas.

The Utah Greater Sage-grouse Management Plan in 2009 identified threats and issues affecting sage-grouse management in Utah as well as goals, objectives, and strategies intended to guide UDWR, local working groups, and land managers efforts to protect, maintain, and improve sage-grouse populations and habitats and balance their management with other resource uses.

This project is designed to improve year-round habitat, including lekking and brood rearing, adjacent to four sage grouse leks and could potentially expand habitat availability and open better movement corridors between leks.

3) 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.

4) Panguitch Lake Deer Herd Unit #28 Management Plan

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.

This project is designed to reduce PJ succession into shrublands around Fivemile Hollow and should increase perennial browse and forbs as discussed under the Project Need.

5) 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 to improve year round and summer substantial calving habitat for elk.

6) 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.

7) Southern Leatherside chub CAS --
 
Conservation Elements

B3) Implement habitat enhancements that may include some or all of the following: removal of diversion structures, modification of barriers to allow fish passage, bank stabilization, enhancement of native vegetation, riparian fencing, nonnative removal, and implementation of compatible grazing practices.

C4) Develop cooperative agreements with landowners. The agreement will specify methods to eliminate or reduce impacts on southern leatherside habitats.

Conservation Element D4) Maintain Natural Hydrologic conditions.  
This project proposes to reduce runoff and sediment delivery, reduce E. coli, and enhance native vegetation and bank stability to Panguitch Creek, all of which support these elements of the CAS.

8) Utah Wildlife Action Plan

Mountain Sagebrush, Aquatic-Scrub/Shrub, Mountain Shrub, Gambel's Oak, and Riverine 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 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 Habitats in Panguitch Creek are threatened by Channel Down Cutting, Sediment Transport Imbalance, which increasing upland ground cover and providing better livestock management on the private parcel should improve. Aquatic Scrub/Shrub Habitats in springs throughout the Forest portion of the project a threatened by livestock concentration because of forage and water availability issues in this pasture. This project would address the forage availability issue.

6) Intermountain West Joint Venture Habitat Conservation Strategy

Support existing public-private partnerships to implement sagebrush habitat conservation, at regional, state, and local scales.

Remove encroaching conifers to functionally restore sagebrush habitat.

Forest Service and NRCS are working across land management agency boundaries to improve sagebrush habitat.

7) Sage Grouse Initiative 2.0 Investment Strategy

Restore 25,773 acres in Utah representing 58 percent of non-federally encroached priority areas.

Project would work to remove encroaching conifers and areas of homogenous rabbitbrush, as well as protect and enhance degraded mesic areas to help increase populations.

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) The Utah Greater Sage-Grouse Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment lists pinyon and juniper expansion as one of the threats to sage-grouse habitat and encourages prioritizing removal in occupied habitats, the Project Need section discusses the importance of the project area to sage grouse. sage-grouse.  Additionally, the plan states "where sagebrush is the current or potential dominate vegetation type or is a primary species within the various states of the ecological site description, maintain or restore vegetation to provide habitat for lekking, nesting, brood rearing, and winter habitats" wet mowing will reduce rabbitbrush and allow for sagebrush reestablishment and will also allow for a release of grasses and forbs which is be beneficial to sage-grouse.

13) Upper Sevier Watershed Management Plan

This project would help address the following key issues identified for the Panguitch Creek watershed in this plan: Accelerated Erosion, Enhancement or Protection of Deer/Elk Habitat, Enhancement or Protection of Riparian Habitat & Riparian Vegetation Composition, Enhancement or Protection of Sage Grouse Habitat, PJ, Sagebrush-Grasslands - Fuel Conditions & Vegetation Composition.

Panguitch Creek drains into the Sevier River 2 Focus area of this plan which has goals to:
Reintroduce grasses, forbs and shrubs on active/historic sage grouse habitats.
Treat pinyon/juniper and reseed and plant deer browse shrubs on 3,000 acres of BLM/Forest Service land.

Recommend fencing and grazing management practices to allow riparian vegetation to develop in areas with lower banks and widened channel.

This project proposes all of these actions, and it is reasonable to assume that these actions would help with the new 303d listing for E. coli 303d listing in Assessment Unit UT16030001-006_00, Panguitch Creek-2.

14) Garfield County Management Plan

The project aligns with the \ goals and objectives of the Garfield County Management Plan including, but not limited to:

Federal agencies will simultaneously manage resources for multiple use / sustained yield while enhancing and improving local socio-economic health and community stability.
Encroaching Class I and Class II and Class III Pinyon/Juniper woodlands are managed to limit their extent to pre-European conditions.

Land managers prioritize eradication of noxious and invasive weeds, restoration of encroaching conifer woodlands to desirable vegetative communities and minimization of bare ground to maximize beneficial use and quality of scarce water resources over restrictive activities that do not maximize quantity, quality and beneficial use.

Where capability exists, restore, maintain and improve hydrologic function through reduction of overland flow, increased infiltration, and replacement of invasive species with desirable native and non-native vegetative communities in a manner conducive to healthy livestock grazing and wildlife habitat.

Protect, restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological (ecological) services of surface waters to support multiple use / sustained yield resource management needs.
Protect, restore and maintain the hydrologic regime (i.e., timing, magnitude, recharge, duration, stream network/groundwater connectivity, temperature, and spatial distribution of peak, high, and low flows) of surface and groundwater, through management of vegetation in upland, riparian, aquatic, and wetland habitats.

Avoid, minimize or mitigate adverse effects to soil, water quality, and riparian resources that may result from prescribed or wildland fire.

Class II and Class III pinyon/juniper woodlands shall be reduced by 25% on a rolling 10 year average and replaced with desirable vegetative communities to reduce erosion and impacts to the County's rivers and streams.

Minimize adverse groundwater impacts through active management and optimization of vegetative resources that support hydrologic function.

Improve and enhance the quality and quantity of water resources in Garfield County.
Manage sagebrush steppe/semi-desert communities for desired future conditions, ensuring ecologically diversity, stability and sustainability.

Remove 5% of encroaching conifers in federal riparian areas and wetlands annually. In priority sage grouse habitat remove 10% of encroaching conifers in wet meadows, riparian areas and wetlands.

Rabbitbrush, although native, is generally an unproductive plant that degrades land health. Land managers shall replace rabbitbrush with desirable vegetation that is more compatible with land health and resource use.

Recovery of special status species and precluding listing of other at-risk species through active management, proactive habitat restoration and sound resource use is the central policy, goal and objective of Garfield County's special status species program. It is Garfield County's goal to have all special status species recovered to the point of removing them from federal, state and local lists prior to 2026.

Support vegetative treatments and conversion of Class II and Class III pinyon/juniper woodlands to sagebrush/grassland communities to ensure recovery of Greater Sage-grouse and removal of BLM and Forest Service restrictions in Garfield County prior to January 1, 2025 or the respective agency's next regular planning cycle, whichever occurs first.

Actively and aggressively manage fish, wildlife and habitat resources to optimize protection and enhancement of the resources and to produce healthy, resilient, resistant, vigorous, and diverse vegetation consistent with land heath, ecological site descriptions and desired conditions.

Maintain and enhance movement corridors and seasonal habitat-use patterns for important species by optimizing land health, optimizing vegetative cover with desirable native and non-native species, water development, reducing undesirable and invasive vegetative communities, predator control, and other active and adaptive management actions.

List management plans where this project will address an objective or strategy in the plan. Describe how the project area overlaps the objective or strategy in the plan and the relevance of the project to the successful implementation of those plans. It is best to provide this information in a list format with the description immediately following the plan objective or strategy.

Sagebrush stands in this area are classified as FRCC 2 in areas with phase 1 pinyon-juniper succession and FRCC3 in areas with phase 2 and phase 3 pinyon-juniper succession. In sagebrush steppe groups 1,2,3 current fuel loading averaged 2 tons per acre. Pinyon-juniper cover type phases 1 ,2 ,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).

The current continuity and structure of sagebrush groups and phases of pinyon-juniper greatly limits the ability of firefighters to directly attack wildfires as they would be overwhelmed by very high rates of spread in the finer fuels coupled with high flame lengths coming off of the trees. Thick live fuels also slow fire line construction due to all the dense fuels 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, reduce fuel loading, fuel continuity and to reduce the risk of large-scale fires of uncharacteristically high severity that could result in a degradation of watershed conditions. As discussed under Project Location And Timing, large, high severity fires can have negative impacts to both terrestrial and aquatic wildlife habitats.

In addition to potential impacts to vegetation communities and species (noted in Project Need and Project Location and Timing Section), multiple residential structures exist on private lands just south and southwest of the project area. Several areas at the private lands/public lands boundary within the project are considered Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Areas, along with the Rocky Mountain Power corridor that runs through the project area. WUI areas are a priority for fuels reduction treatments. SR 143 is also directly south of the proposed project area and these treatments would help bolster a defense zone from fires moving onto SR143 from the north and past SR143 from the south. The larger Cedar City Ranger District Sagebrush Steppe and Woodland Restoration project has almost 22,000 acres of treatments authorized to the south of SR143 directly below the project area. Many of these treatments involve prescribed fire and given the prevailing winds, reducing fuel load in the Fivemile project area would allow for safer ignitions to the south which would further protect SR143 and public and private infrastructure surrounding it. Any post-fire flooding and debris flows following a high severity fire in the project area could also have a major impact irrigation water and irrigation diversions downstream on Panguitch Creek. Additionally, that flooding could damage the Panguitch Wildlife Management Area as well. These types of risks were realized in some of the flooding following the Brian Head Fire. Range improvements in the project area would also be at risk.

If applicable, detail how the proposed project will significantly reduce the risk of fuel loading and/or continuity of hazardous fuels including the use of fire-wise species in re-seeding operations. Describe the value of any features being protected by reducing the risk of fire. Values may include; communities at risk, permanent infrastructure, municipal watersheds, campgrounds, critical wildlife habitat, etc. Include the size of the area where fuels are being reduced and the distance from the feature(s) at risk.

Currently, Panguitch Creek adjacent to the project area (UT16030001-006_00, Panguitch Creek-2) is 303d listed for E. coli (https://enviro.deq.utah.gov/). The receiving waters of Panguitch Creek in the Upper Sevier River (Assessment Unit UT16030001-007_00, Sevier River-2) have a TMDL for Total Phosphorus and Sediment and are also now 303d listed for temperature (https://enviro.deq.utah.gov/). Mastication treatments extend down to uplands immediately adjacent to Panguitch Creek. Some of the private land rabbit brush treatments and the majority of the Walk In Access Area to be fenced are on the floodplain of Panguitch Creek. The Forest Service's Watershed Condition Class Assessment indicates that the Fivemile Hollow-Panguitch Creek watershed is Functioning At Risk with poor scores for aquatic habitat and fair scores for Fire Effects and Fire Regime

(https://usfs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=f4332e5b80c44874952b57e1db0b4407).

Pinyon Juniper and rabbitbrush 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). Proposed mastication and seeding treatments should contribute to reducing sediment and total phosphorus loading in the Upper Sevier River. Accelerated erosion and risk of wildfire in pinyon-juniper and sagebrush stands was identified as a key issue in the Fivemile Hollow-Panguitch Creek watershed in the Upper Sevier Watershed Management Plan (see Documents section). The management plan identifies treatment for improvements to fuel conditions, vegetation composition and accelerated erosion in PJ and sagebrush grassland areas as a key issue/focus area.

The proposed upland treatments should reduce the potential for runoff to carry sediment and pollutants into Panguitch Creek, potentially reducing the amount of E. coli. Additionally, increasing the amount of forage off the stream in upland portions of the Fivemile Pasture should help pull some livestock use off the stream and springs within the pasture. The Cedar City Ranger District has been working with livestock permittees to identify needed range improvements and the preliminary proposal would put several water developments within the mastication and seeding treatments proposed in this project. This range improvement project is in the planning stages and is expected to start the environmental compliance process next fall. Adding these water developments to the project area would amplify the positive impacts of the proposed treatments on better distribution and pulling cows away from other water sources.

On the private land portion of the project, repairing the dilapidated fence will assist with control of livestock access to Panguitch Creek, which should also help in reducing E. coli.
The effects of conifer 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). This project proposes to remove pinyon and juniper from sagebrush grass lands and improve the amount and diversity of riparian hydric and woody species. The proposed activities should have a net positive effect on increasing water yield/availability.

Finally, the treatments, especially those in late Phase II and Phase III PJ succession will reduce the risk of high severity wildfire and the negative water quality repercussions associated with ash flows and debris flows following wildfires. Flooding and debris flows following high severity fire could result in lowering water tables through stream incision and cause short and long-term impacts to sediment and nutrient loading, negatively affecting water quality. Watersheds surrounding the project area were impacted by the Brian Head Fire in 2017 and provide examples of these impacts.

Describe how the project has the potential to improve water quality and/or increase water quantity, both over the short and long term. Address run-off, erosion, soil infiltration, and flooding, if applicable.

Description of efforts, both completed and planned, to bring the proposed action into compliance with any and all cultural resource, NEPA, ESA, etc. requirements. If compliance is not required enter "not applicable" and explain why not it is not required.

State FY 2026

1)	Phase I pinyon juniper succession sites, primary in mountain sagebrush and mountain mahogany (570 acres)

a.	Contracted lop and scatter. The target would be to remove all pinyon and juniper trees from these areas.

2)	Cultural clearance (up to 2,590 acres)

a.	Contracted clearance on up to 2,355 acres Forest Service in Area of Potential Effect for the mastication and seeding portion of this proposal (projected State FY 2027 implementation below).

b.	NRCS in kind cultural clearance on up to 235 acres of private land.

State FY 2027

1)	Phase II and Phase III Pinyon Juniper succession sites primarily in mountain sagebrush, mountain brush, and Gambel's Oak (up to 1,902 acres):

a.	Contracted mastication to remove all pinyon and juniper trees in these areas.
b.	Aerial seeding with attached seed mix.

2)	Wildlife fence mortality and unauthorized use of walk-in access

a.	Contract and landowner in kind fence removal (8,309 feet) and contract post and pole fence construction on up to 16,689 feet of fence

3)	Rabbitbrush domination of sagebrush sites (up to 235 acres)

a.	Contracted wet mowing using Tordon. Enough understory Is present that seeding isn't necessary.

Describe the actions, activities, tasks to be implemented as part of the proposed project; how these activities will be carried out, equipment to be used, when, and by whom.

Fish -- UDWR and the Forest Service have multiple quantitative and qualitative electrofishing stations on Panguitch Creek. These sites have been monitored approximately every 5-7 years and published in Dixie National Forest Biennial Report.
Upland vegetation -- Within the Fivemile Pasture the Dixie National Forest has established two upland vegetation trend studies; however, neither of these is within the project area. The Dixie will establish an upland vegetation trend study site in one of the Phase III mastication and seeding sites pre-implementation in summer 2025. 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 Fivemile Pasture the DNF has two Riparian Level III Inventory locations adjacent to project treatments on Panguitch Creek. These studies are repeated every 5 years and are detailed 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 has monitored one of the existing Riparian Level III Inventory sites on Panguitch Creek for bank stability, bank cover and greenline to greenline width. The other site will be read in summer 2025. These sites are repeated every 5 years and are detailed in annual monitoring reports by the Dixie National Forest and can be uploaded to the WRI web site (see Documents section).
Wildlife monitoring --Aerial lek searches are scheduled annually by DWR, using a fixed wing plane with infrared imaging.  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 pygmy rabbits being located. There is an area where pinyon jays were observed in the northeastern corner of the project area. Additional surveys are planned for summer 2025 to make sure there is not a nesting colony. The colony would be buffered if identified. Pinyon jay surveys will be conducted after the treatment as well to see if pinyon jays are utilizing the area.
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.  Five of those plots are in the Aspen pasture: two in proposed mastication and seeding treatments, one in proposed contract lop and scatter treatments, and two in future prescribed fire 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.

Describe plans to monitor for project success and achievement of stated objectives. Include details on type of monitoring (vegetation, wildlife, etc.), schedule, assignments and how the results of these monitoring efforts will be reported and/or uploaded to this project page. If needed, upload detailed plans in the "attachments" section.

Cross boundary coordination on this project began in 2019 when the Cedar City Ranger District began the initial planning stages of the Cedar City Ranger District Sagebrush, Steppe, and Woodland Restoration project. Conversations with NRCS and UDWR led to a field tour in 2020 looking at the entirety of the project and focusing on a few key areas of common interest. The area between Haycock Creek and Fivemile Hollow was a common area of interest for sage grouse and big game at that time. As the Forest Service has begun implementing treatments, this area has remained high on the priority list and UWRI funds were requested for cultural clearance via UWRI project 6862 in State FY2025, but acres were not funded. Subsequently the Forest Service was able fund cultural clearance for the proposed lop and scatter treatments with Forrest Service funding through UWRI project 6862. Those surveys are currently under contract.

This current project was presented with preliminary treatment maps at the Interagency Coordination meeting in March 2023 and March 2024. Since that time the Forest Service has worked closely with the NRCS Farm Bill Biologist and FFSL employees to identify and private lands projects in, and adjacent to, this project area. A meeting was held in fall 2024 to discuss the project with multiple stakeholders including Forest Service, UDWR, BLM, NRCS, FFSL, and NWTF personnel. Post-meeting conversations with Garfield County indicated they were supportive of the project. The project was presented to Little Valleys allotment permittees at an in-person Annual Operating Instructions 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 and were very supportive of completing work on the allotment.

NRCS, the private landowner, and the Little Valleys allotment permittees have been integral partners on this project and are expected to provide up to $564,000 toward project implementation in State FY 2027. The private landowners and permittees are also expected to provide $95,000 through the Grazing Improvement Program in State FY 2027. Partners are also contributing over $60,000 of in-kind services toward the project. 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. The project has been discussed with UDWR and they were not interested in completing any work on the adjacent Panguitch WMA in conjunction with this project. Similarly, BLM was involved in planning meetings and did not have acres on adjacent lands (most of which have been previously treated) that they wanted to complete restoration work on.

The Forest Service is planning to submit a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation "Western Big Game Seasonal Habitat and Migration Corridors Fund" grant proposal in February 2025 to offset up to an additional $250,000 in State FY 2027 funding. Since this funding is not guaranteed it was not included in the Finances section; however, we will continue to actively pursue funding outside of UWRI to help offset project costs.

List any and all partners (agencies, organizations, NGO's, private landowners) that support the proposal and/or have been contacted and included in the planning and design of the proposed project. Describe efforts to gather input and include these agencies, landowners, permitees, sportsman groups, researchers, etc. that may be interested/affected by the proposed project. Partners do not have to provide funding or in-kind services to a project to be listed.

Forest permittees have met directly with agency personnel and verbally agreed to resting the Fivemile pasture for two years following masticating and seeding projects proposed for State FY2027. The Forest Annual Operating Instructions will be adjusted to reflect rest of the seeded area and that will constitute the signed agreement. As discussed under the Sustainable Uses section the declining forage and lack of water sources are impacting livestock operations and resources on the Fivemile Pasture and this project begins to address those issues. The Cedar City Sage Steppe and Woodland Restoration NEPA authorizes substantial additional vegetation treatments on four of the six remaining pastures of the Little Valleys Allotment, which will help to increase forage on those pastures. The Cedar City Ranger District is also developing a range infrastructure project for this and other allotments, which should help maintain and improve the number and quality of water sources across the allotment as discussed under the Water Quality and Quantity section. The Brian Head Fire has already created forage increases on three 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.

On Forest Service lands this would be the third or fourth (see UWRI 7402 also proposed for State FY2026) major implementation area of an ~86,000-acre vegetation management project. One pasture in each of the neighboring North and South Red Creek allotments have already been treated (see UWRI 6514 and 6862). Since both treated pastures need to be rested for two years, this proposed project on the Little Valleys allotment could be completed before rotating back to the North Red Creek Allotment. The goal is to improve habitat and grazing management across all of these adjacent allotments. In the interim long-term vegetation trend monitoring and visual observations will inform the need for adaptive management and maintenance on treatments, as well as management across these allotments, including the Fivemile Pasture.

As mentioned elsewhere in the Need for the Project section the area surrounding the project is heavily used by sage grouse and sage grouse are expected to move into the treatments once they have been successful. Sage grouse are managed under the Utah Conservation Plan for Greater Sage-grouse and the Utah Sage Grouse Amendment to Utah National Forests Land and Resources Management Plans. Partnering agencies have made commitments to maintaining and improving sage grouse habitat.  Similarly, Southern leatherside chub are found in Panguitch Creek and UDWR and the Forest Service are signatories to the Conservation Agreement and Strategy for this species. Partnership commitments to these agreements should help ensure continued maintenance of proposed treatments and the pursuit of additional adjacent habitat projects to benefit these species.

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 sagebrush treatments, monitoring will determine the success of original treatments and maintenance will be conducted as necessary to remove whips and missed trees. Maintenance was covered in the 2023 NEPA Decision.

On the private land, the landowner will enter into a contract with NRCS. Grazing will be allowed, in the areas with wet mowing because there is not any associated seeding. Fencing will also help the landowners better distribute their livestock and prevent unauthorized use from surrounding land ownerships. This means the potential for improved range management and range conditions moving forward. This private parcel is part of the Walk In Access Program. In order to qualify for this program, the property must provide suitable habitat that can support the wildlife species and the intended wildlife activities, so the landowner has an incentive to maintain improvements funded under this project.

Detail future methods or techniques (including administrative actions) that will be implemented to help in accomplishing the stated objectives and to insure the long term success/stability of the proposed project. This may include: post-treatment grazing rest and/or management plans/changes, wildlife herd/species management plan changes, ranch plans, conservation easements or other permanent protection plans, resource management plans, forest plans, etc.

On Forest Service lands, the proposed project is 100% contained within the Fivemile Pasture of the Little Valleys Allotment. This allotment is authorized to run 303 cow/calf pairs authorized over 1,365 head months. Currently, this allotment is run on a 7-pasture deferred rotation. The Brian Head Fire negatively impacted portions of the Corral Hollow, Threemile Riparian, and Owens Hollow Pastures in the years immediately following the fire; however, the long-term influence of the fire has been to increase forage on these pastures providing more flexibility and better distribution. The Fivemile Pasture which contains the project area, still has declining forage and a lack of water sources. The lack of easily accessible forage areas throughout a large portion of this pasture can result in overuse on accessible areas with water sources. Additionally, with more forage and water availability on this pasture the season of use for the pasture could be lengthened defraying impacts on other pastures where overuse of riparian areas has been an issue in the past (Caddy Creek, Indian Hollow, Threemile Riparian, etc.). The private land is used for between 60-80 cows in summers using a short duration, high intensity grazing management plan.

The proposed mastication and seeding will help to increase forage away from water sources in the Fivemile Pasture. Similar actions in comparable projects have increased forage by approximately 35%. The proposed private land fence reconstruction will help reduce unauthorized use on a Walk In Access Area.

As discussed under the Future Management section, implementation of this project along with planned vegetation treatments and range improvements in the remaining pastures of the Little Valleys Allotment should result in increased forage, better distribution, and improved resource conditions. 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.

Lop and scatter treatments could be used for personal firewood gathering. Given the proximity of this area to Panguitch and Panguitch Lake 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.

The other major uses of the Fivemile pasture area are hunting, shed hunting, wildlife viewing, and OHV recreation. As outlined in the Project Need and Relationship to Plans sections Phase III treatments should improve forage for mule deer and elk on winter, yearlong,  and summer ranges. Hopefully this leads to higher use by big game which should translate into additional hunting pressure/success. Treatment may lead to increased OHV use for wildlife viewing and should help protect road and trail infrastructure from potential impacts of high severity wildfire. 
As discussed in multiple other sections the fencing to be replaced surround a popular Walk In Access area for fishing. The state spends roughly $650-$700 annually to lease this area, and improving habitat and the user experience increases the value of that lease.

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. Hunting/shooting/trapping accounted for $331 million, boating and fishing for $537 million, and OHV/motorcycling/ATVing for $166 million. With the project area immediately adjacent to Panguitch Lake and not fat from Panguitch itself, these communities are sure to benefit from recreation generated dollars. Data from 2015 indicated that more than half the jobs and about 30% of taxable revenue in Garfield County was from the recreation, leisure, and hospitality industry (see Documents section). Knowing how much visitor use in southern Utah has increased over the past decade, this is surely a higher share of the County's revenue now. Improving the hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing experience throughout the project area would contribute to this.

Finally, we expect that this project will contribute to conservation actions in the Utah Conservation Plan for Greater Sage Grouse and the Conservation Agreement and Strategy for Southern leatherside chub.  These plans are designed to alleviate the factors that would warrant listing these species under ESA. Working toward preventing listings allows for multiple use management to continue for all sustainable uses.

Potential for the proposed action to improve quality or quantity of sustainable uses such as grazing, timber harvest, biomass utilization, recreation, etc. Grazing improvements may include actions to improve forage availability and/or distribution of livestock.