A significant effort from multiple agencies is being focused around the Blacksmith Fork and Little Bear watersheds. This project will facilitate and coordinate these efforts to maximize any funds received. Juniper trees have encroached into sagebrush, mountain shrub, and aspen communities, which are crucial for providing summer and winter ranges for deer, elk, and moose, as well as habitat for sage-grouse. Dense areas of Phase II and III juniper are particularly problematic. Removing these junipers will increase grasses, forbs, and water availability, and hopefully promote mahogany recruitment. Overall biodiversity will increase and food availability for upland game birds such as dusky and ruffed grouse will benefit In areas dominated by juniper, these trees outcompete understory species for light, moisture, and nutrients, leading to the near-complete removal of the understory. This depletion of understory vegetation results in a diminished native seed bank and increased susceptibility to soil erosion and invasive weeds. The impacts of drought on wildlife are buffered in areas where beaver are present and active. We will use BDAs to mimic the work of beavers and gain the benefits from their dams. BDAS expand riparian habitat for fish and wildlife species by increasing surface water, distributing sediment, and participating in rotational grazing of woody plants. Beaver dams are used extensively by large game mammals, such as elk, moose, and mule deer, for cooling, foraging, and predator avoidance. Healthy riparian areas created from beaver dams and BDAs also increase the survivability of mule deer and elk as these high value forage areas provide higher protein content of forage, and thus a higher percent body fat, as they go into the food scarce winter season. Impoundments also create diverse environmental features that provide open water and nesting habitat for waterfowl and waterbirds, as in the sandhill crane. For example, beavers create thriving cottonwood riparian habitat for wild turkey. The riparian corridors supported and expanded upon by beavers support the presence of monarch butterflies, with the western population of the species often migrating through riparian corridors and breeding within riparian zones in the western United States. An active beaver colony introduces complexity to a stream which provides a variety of different habitat types for many species of aquatic wildlife, including the Bear River cutthroat trout. The the increase in open water and the benefit to invertebrates received from beavers activity directly relates to increased resources for bats such as little brown myotis and other species.

Juniper treatment methods include mastication and cut, pile & burn. Remove junipers to increase forage and habitat for sage-grouse, deer, elk, moose, cattle and sheep. Expand wetlands and slow erosion with BDAs on private and state land Reduce fuel load to prevent catastrophic wildfires. Create monarch and pollinator habitat by seeding wet meadow areas.

Historical photos show that forests were once patchy with open areas that helped stop the spread of wildfires. Without this project, juniper expansion will continue, leading to a loss of understory, water resources, and an increased risk of catastrophic wildfires. The Utah Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal indicates that a large portion of Logan Canyon is at high risk for wildfire hazards. Without treatment, the expanding juniper will become nearly impossible and cost-prohibitive to manage in the future. Overall, the project is essential for preventing catastrophic wildfires, preserving water resources, and maintaining wildlife habitat.

This project supports multiple state and federal management plans by moving conditions of landscapes and habitat towards conditions outlined in land management plans and improving condition of habitat as specified in wildlife management plans. Forest Plan of the Wasatch-Cache National Forest: This project will move the landscape toward desired conditions as outlined in the forest plan. This includes improving wildlife habitat, reducing the intensity and severity of uncharacteristic wildfires and improving plant species composition. Forest wide Goal 2-Watershed Health-Maintain and/or restore overall watershed health (proper functioning of physical, biological and chemical conditions). Provide for long-term soil productivity. Watershed health should be addressed across administrative and political boundaries. Subgoal 2a. Identify areas not in properly functioning condition. Improve plant species composition, ground cover and age class diversity in these areas. Subgoal 2b. Maintain and/or improve water quality to provide stable and productive riparian and aquatic ecosystems. Subgoal 2j. Maintain and/or restore habitat to sustain populations of well distributed native and desired non-native plant, vertebrate, and invertebrate populations that contribute to viability of riparian dependent communities. Forest-wide Goals: 3-Biodiversity & Viability: Provide for sustained diversity of species at the genetic, populations, community, and ecosystem levels. Maintain communities within their historic range of variation that sustains habitats for viable populations of species. Restore or maintain hydrologic functions. Reduce potential for uncharacteristic high-intensity wildfires, and insect epidemics. Subgoal 3d: Restore or maintain fire-adapted ecosystems (consistent with land uses, historic fire regimes, and other Forest Plan direction) through wildland fire use, prescribed fire, timber harvest or mechanical treatments. Subgoal 3f: Maintain or restore species composition, such that the species that occupy any given site are predominantly native species in the kind and amount that were historically distributed across the landscapes. Subgoal 3g: Maintain and/or restore tall forb communities to mid seral or potential natural community (PNC) status. Subgoal 3o: Provide adequate habitat components for sustainable big game populations coordinated with State wildlife management agencies, private lands and other resource needs and priorities. The project is consistent with the following Forest Plan Objective: 3d: Increase grass and forb production and plant species and age class diversity in sagebrush and pinyon/juniper by treating approximately 2,000 acres average annually for a 10-year total of 20,000 acres. Standards and Guidelines: (G14) Manage vegetation for properly functioning condition at the landscape scale. Desired structure and pattern for cover types of the Wasatch-Cache National Forest (from USDA Forest Service 1996) are as follows except in the Wildland Urban Interface (defined in Glossary), where vegetation structure and pattern should be managed to reduce threat of severe fire to property and human safety. (G26) Protect key big game calving, fawning and lambing habitat and provide security in summer concentration areas. UTAH DWR: DEER HERD UNIT MANAGEMENT PLAN DEER HERD UNIT # 2 (CACHE; SEPT 2023) [This project is located in areas designated as crucial summer mule deer range] The main concern for summer range habitat is the loss of aspen stands due to conifer encroachment. It is recommended that work to reduce conifer encroachment (bullhog, chaining, lop and scatter, etc. and prescribed fire in aspen) continue or begin in these communities. On some sites, management of annual grasses might be necessary through herbicide application. Introduced perennial grasses may also need management through changes in grazing or restoration of competitive native species. When reseeding, care should be taken in species selection and preference should be given to native species when possible. ELK HERD UNIT MANAGEMENT PLAN ELK HERD UNIT # 2 (CACHE; 2023): Habitat - Continue to work with division habitat personnel to improve both summer range and winter range habitat. UTAH STATEWIDE ELK MANAGEMENT PLAN (2022): B. Habitat Management Goal: Conserve and improve elk habitat throughout the state. Habitat Objective 1: Maintain sufficient habitat to support elk herds at population objectives and reduce competition for forage between elk and livestock. Strategy C. Habitat Improvement a. Utilize Habitat Council, Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative, Wildlife Conservation Permit funds, and other funding mechanisms to restore or improve crucial elk habitats. b. Increase forage production by annually treating a minimum of 40,000 acres of elk habitat. c. Coordinate with land management agencies, conservation organizations, private landowners, and local leaders through the regional Watershed Restoration Initiative working groups to identify and prioritize elk habitats that are in need of enhancement or restoration. i. Identify habitat projects on summer ranges (aspen communities) to improve calving habitat and summer forage. ii. Encourage land managers to manage portions of forests in early succession stages through the use of controlled burning, logging or other methods. Controlled burning in areas with invasive weed and/or safety concerns should be supported only when adequate planning and mitigation measures have been identified. UTAH MULE DEER STATEWIDE MANAGEMENT PLAN (2024): 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 impacts B. Habitat Management and Conservation a. 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 areas as defined in Sawyer et al. 2009 g. Work with local, state and federal land management agencies and ranchers to properly manage livestock to enhance crucial mule deer ranges E. Land Management Plans a. Coordinate with local, state, and/or federal agencies on land management type plans such as Forest Plans, Resources Management Plans, County Resource Plans, etc. 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 A. Utah's Watershed Restoration Initiative (WRI) a. Utilize WRI as a tool to improve deer habitat with all partners across the state b. Continue to support and provide leadership for WRI, which emphasizes improving sagebrush-steppe, aspen, and riparian habitats throughout Utah c. 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. e. 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 f. 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 UTAH MOOSE STATEWIDE MANAGEMENT PLAN (2017): Habitat Management Goal B: Assure sufficient habitat is available to sustain healthy and productive moose populations. Strategy A: Identify crucial moose habitats (including calving, winter, summer, and year-long) and work with public and private land managers to protect and enhance those areas., Strategy C: Work with public land management agencies to minimize, and where possible, mitigate loss or degradation of moose habitat., and Strategy E: Initiate prescribed burns, timber harvests, and other vegetative treatment projects to improve moose habitat lost to ecological succession or human impacts. UTAH UPLAND GAME MANAGEMENT PLAN (2022): Forest grouse habitat treatments: Maintain forest grouse habitat Maintain aspen for ruffed grouse winter habitat USFWS Partners for Fish and Wildlife Strategic Plan Project addresses habitat threats for priority species within a PFW priority area (Big Water Focus Area) for restoration work.

This project will reduce fuel loads by thinning juniper trees, which will help decrease the risk of high-intensity crown fires.Logan Canyon, a scenic byway and popular recreation area, is at high risk for severe wildfires due to juniper expansion and a long-term lack of fire. Implementing this treatment will make firefighting safer and more effective and prevent potential closures and risks to visitors. The thinning will occur within summer home residences, reducing the potential future damage to these structures. By mimicking natural disturbance regimes with mosaic-pattern thinning, the project aims to restore ecological balance, improve habitat conditions, and enhance watershed health for the Logan and Blacksmith Rivers. Additionally, the increased wetlands created by BDA installation and the return of beavers after treatment will create a green fire break making the watershed more fire resistant and resilient

Removing junipers will increase availability of water, improve forage for deer, elk, moose, and cattle, and create new habitat for sage-grouse. Currently the project areas are at risk of high intensity crown fire these treatments will reduce the intensity and severity of those wildfires, protecting water quality by minimizing soil erosion, habitat loss, and flooding. Water quality is expected to increase as fewer trees compete for groundwater. Studies indicate that juniper removal can lead to significant water savings, as mature junipers consume about 38 gallons of water per tree per day during peak summer. This increase in water availability will benefit understory vegetation and hydrologic processes. The wetlands created by BDAs and beaver expansions will promote ground water filtering and cooling water. The

NEPA is complete for all juniper thinning to be completed on FS lands. WRI funds were used to complete botany and archeological clearances on portions of this project. USFWS Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program will complete compliance on private lands prior to work being implemented. If additional compliance is required beyond what the USFWS can provide, it will be completed before work begins. Stream Alteration Permits will be obtained for in stream work.

Mastication- contractor will utilize a wheeled bullhog for mechanical mulching/shredding on 966 acres in the Mahogany Ridge area. Cut, Pile & Burn- Hand-cutting and piling will occur on 582 acres in Logan Canyon, along Lefthand Fork and near Hardware WMA using a contractor. 105 acres in Logan Canyon will be thinned using Forest Service personnel. Piles will be burned a least one year after treatment. Installation of BDAs using Contractors and private land owner staff Wet Meadow Seeding - pollinator seed mix will be hand broadcasted onto the desired area.

Juniper thinning- monitoring protocols will be designed and collected before, during and after any implementation phases of this project. These protocols include photo points, and photos will be uploaded to the WRI database. Monitoring of invasive and noxious weeds will occur to ensure that the project objectives are being achieved. As part of the USFWS landowner agreement, USFWS biologists will visit the sites at minimum once per year to assess needs, success, failures, and the need for any follow-up treatments/maintenance for the duration of the 10-year Landowner Agreement. After photos and documentation will be uploaded to WRI website. Pre and post treatment orthomosaics will be created using aerial imagery from drone flights on a frequent basis

DWR-will manage contracts and have assisted in selection of areas to be treated. Mule Deer Foundation- assisted in the selection of areas to be treated. Berdineau and Chokecherry Summer homeowners' associations- Forest Service personnel have attended meetings to inform and work with residents on removal within the summer home tracts and near cabins. Utah Division of Forestry Fire and State Lands- Worked with WUI coordinator and Northern Area manager to identify any areas of cross-boundary work, however none were found for this particular project. US Forest Service- Fuels specialist and wildlife biologist identified treatment areas, will provide inspection for contracts and fire personnel will thin 105 acres within Logan Canyon. USFWS Partners Program - providing seed and assisting with seeding of wet meadow.

Conduct additional juniper thinning in future, along with retreatment of previous phases if necessary. Future plans include five phases of similar juniper treatments in Logan Canyon, with invasive and noxious weed treatments as needed. The FS and DWR will monitor and treat the area through agreements with partners, volunteers, or future WRI maintenance requests. Utilize improved access to Hardware Plateau for treatments to diversify sagebrush age classes and understory vegetation. NEPA planning for adjacent areas will include amendments to the forest plan due to primitive prescriptions, expected to be complete within the next couple of years. As part of the landowner agreement with USFWS the landowner agrees to leave the habitat restored in place for a 10-year period and during that time will work with the USFWS biologist to monitor and access needs, success, and any needed adaptive management.

Natural disturbances like fire help maintain forest health, but increasing the extent of disturbance severity threatens sustainability. These treatments will improve ecosystem health, mitigate wildfire intensity and severity, and ensure the continued use and enjoyment of forest areas. Future wildfires could impact recreation and potentially close Logan Canyon's scenic byway, affecting fishing and hiking. Some biomass will be used for firewood collection with a permit. Previous phases have boosted forage for livestock and wildlife, and similar outcomes are expected in this phase.