The Currant Creek WMA is one of the few properties that UDWR manages that has an Aspen/Conifer high elevation forest type habitat. Many of the north facing slopes have become heavily encroached by conifers and the Aspen component is aging and lacking recruitment of younger age class stems. There have been attempts to burn the area with the use of prescribed fire, but conditions and topography make a burn very difficult to start and maintain.

Project objective is to reset ecological succession of the Aspen stand to a younger, more robust age class that helps maximize the habitat's benefit to wildlife.

The targeted aspen stands contain older trees and little younger age class recruitment. Conifer species are encroaching into these stands, lessening the benefit to wildlife and utilizing resources available to the aspen stems. Eventually, conifers will dominate the stand and crowd out aspen stems, resulting in habitat that is of poor quality for wildlife.

Wildlife * Increase current populations or establish new populations of wildlife in all suitable habitat within the state as outlined in approved management plans. * Conserve, improve, and restore 500,000 acres of mule deer habitat throughout the state with emphasis on crucial ranges. * Protect existing wildlife habitat and improve 500,000 acres of critical habitats and watersheds throughout the state by 2025. * Provide a diversity of high-quality hunting and viewing opportunities for wildlife species throughout the state. * Increase fish and game populations to meet management plan objectives, and expand quality fishing and hunting opportunities. * Produce and maintain the desired vegetation for wildlife and domestic livestock forage on public and private lands. * Conserve sensitive species to prevent them from becoming listed as threatened or endangered. * Minimize negative impacts from wildlife on private lands.

This project will help create a fire break that may help slow down or stop advancement of a future large wildfire in the area.

Mechanical treatment and seeding will reduce or eliminate large scale sediment runoff events that would occur after a fire in the same area.

Project is entirely on State of Utah property. Archaeology surveys will be performed prior to ground disturbance.

Two large bulldozers connected by a cable will fell trees in one direction. Debris will be pushed into piles, allowed to dry, and then burned at a later date.

Pre and post treatment photo points and drone footage will be used to monitor the project.

Forestry, Fire, and State Lands will perform the debris pile burning when conditions allow.

If treatment shows success, it may be used in adjacent areas that are in similar state of decline.

Enhanced big game summer range helps distribute animals during fawning/calving seasons and also helps protect forage and water sources by the increased distribution of wildlife.

09/25/2023

10/27/2023

2024

A private contractor cable felled approximately 100 acres of conifer encroached aspen stands within one polygon. The polygon was outlined with one bulldozer, and secondary lines cut throughout the polygon at 250'-300' intervals. The parallel intervals were then used by two bulldozers pulling a large cable, held off the ground by a large drum to cable fell the trees between the dozer lines. The felled trees were piled into rows within the treatment area. These piles of dead timber will be burned by Forestry, Fire, and State Lands during the winter of 2024-2025 if conditions allow. As the treated polygon rejuvenates, the exposed and disturbed area will promote an early-successional stage of Aspen stands that is most beneficial and productive for big game, particularly mule deer using the area in the summer season.

The project area in the Currant Creek WMA is higher elevation big game crucial summer habitat. The WMA is located on the shared border with Wasatch and Duchesne Counties. The aspen stands in the project area are older and heavily encroached by conifers. Without disturbance, these stands lose their wildlife value and the aspen component may be lost altogether. This project was intended to disturb the area and restore it to an early-successional stage in stand growth. This early stage is most beneficial and productive for wildlife that use the area.

The rows of tree piles will be burned by FFSL during the winter of 2024-25 if conditions allow. Monitoring of the site for success and potential future treatments will be performed by UDWR and FFSL staff.