This project is a continuation of collaboration between federal and state agencies, NGOs, and private landowners. Previous work details can be found in WRI project numbers 4781, 5637, 6048, 6543 and 7029. While reading other sections of this proposal, please consider the impact of this project in its entirety, covering a large portion of this landscape and tens-of-thousands of acres. We would like to continue this collaboration across more landownerships to further enhance our past investments in the area and have a larger scale impact for habitat diversity, water quality in North Fork Virgin River, and protect against catastrophic wildfire. The project area sits in one of southern Utah's most beautiful landscapes. To the north is Utah's famous Highway 14 with access to Cedar Breaks National Monument, the Zion Overlook, Virgin River Rim, and Navajo Lake. To the south of the project area is one of the most popular highways in the world and main highway through Zions National Park, highway 9, between Mt. Carmel Junction and La Verkin, with Zions National Park directly southwest of the project. Considering this projects location, it is one of Utah's highest profile landscapes. This area is a conglomerate of several colliding values. Agriculture is still one of the main land uses here, feeding a agriculture economy in rural communities in Long Valley. Tourism and recreation has exploded over the years and is scratching at the door to become the new economic king. As project managers we've often seen Toyota Prius bouncing down the wash-boarded dirt road behind a 1995 Dodge Ram flatbed ranch truck, epitomizing old and new cultural values sharing the same path. This area is high profile for the agricultural community and recreation community! When we started working here, 2 major themes always rose to the top of the discussion of what the ecological threats are. 1) Wildfire, and 2) Water quality in the North Fork as it goes into Zions National Park. WILDFIRE The opinion shared by anyone we talk to is the same, the threat of wildfire in this particular area is extremely high. This is backed up by the Utah Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal which shows very high risk. This area has been an afterthought for a long time and fuels have built up to a landscape covered with dense older age class climax communities of pinyon juniper, oak, and ponderosa pine with dense understories. Although climax communities should be part of a landscape, the problem here is most of the landscape are made up of these communities and lacks diversity to create resilience and resistance to disturbances like fire. WATER QUALITY Water quality was one of the topic leading us to begin project work in this area. Currently the North Fork of the Virgin River is listed as high Priority 303d water body because of elevated levels of E. coli. Utah department of Environmental Quality has linked the elevated levels back to fecal bacteria from livestock and wildlife. The levels of E. coli are posing a threat to recreational uses in the river and could potentially contaminate drinking water further downstream. By increasing the amount of available forage away from the north fork, the goal is to reduce the amount of animals near and in the north fork and its tributaries and reduce the amount of fecal matter that makes into the north fork. This project has a goal of improving grazing distribution of native and domestic ungulates to help with water quality issues related to an identified human health hazard in the National Park. We appreciate the several partners over the years working with us on this project and the many funding sources. We look forward to continuing positive landscape impacts both ecologically and socially in this area.

1. Reduce risk of catastrophic wildfire from high and very high down to moderate. 2. Increase UPLAND forage for livestock, deer, and elk in treated areas by 40%. 3. Increase mule deer usage of migrational habitat and hold over time of migrating. This data can be determined through the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Migration Initiative. 4. Increase or maintain elk use on the private ground (and away from NPS lands), while reducing the negative impacts to private landowners and their operations. 5. Protect and enhance habitat for non-game species by increasing ecological state diversity while assisting landowners avoid subdivision of the land. 6. Increase amount of flowing plants by 20% on upland treated sites. 7. Decrease present of E. coli in the North Fork of the Virgin River, to an allowable amount for Utah Department of Environmental Quality (UDEQ). Removal from the 303d classification is a long-term goal.

We feel there are several qualifiers for elevating this project over other at this time for implementation now rather than later. Broadly speaking, we have landowners who are willing to work with government and NGO partners right how because of relationships of trust developed. We need to keep this momentum while we have it and doing so will protect and enhance our past investments on previous phases fiscally, socially, and ecologically. Continue reading below for more specifically detailed reasons this project should be elevated for funding and we should be working here and now. Fiscal Consideration: This project has many goals, objectives, and outcomes. While many of those are related to biology and ecology, several are related to to social and fiscal outcomes. As stated, this area is at a very high risk for severe fire impacts throughout the watershed. Conservation practices in past phases of this project and in this phase will mitigate and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire. Wildfire suppression is one of the most costly activities land management agencies undertake every year and depletes much of land management agency budgets. Additionally, fire scar rehabilitation is one of the more costly land restoration activities conservation practitioners can undertake. Given the high threat of fire in this watershed, implementing conservation practices as part of this project will prevent fire suppression and restoration activities that may become cost prohibitive across the entire landscape. The time to do this project is now, while we can be proactive rather than being reactive after a severe wildfire burns through. We are tiptoeing the line between proactive and reactive here. Landowners on Board: As stated, we'd like to emphasize the importance of continuing to keep the restoration ball rolling while it is rolling. We've successfully built the partnerships and relationships here and have momentum working in this area over the last several years. The time is now to continue down this path with landowners and partners and in doing so we will build on past investments. Additionally, development threats are at an all time high in this area. Plainly stated, development is an immediate threat to the ecology of this landscape. Helping ag producers remain profitable and have management options here is important to reduce the risk of landowners selling of grazing lands for development. This isn't to say agriculture is the only way landowners are capitalizing on the land, many of them are supplementing with recreational tourism. If grazing becomes wholly, unprofitable though landowners have stated they may take offers they've received on the properties. Mapped Crucial Mule Deer habitat in the STATEWIDE Mule Deer Management Plan as well as Identified Important Migration Corridor under DOI Secretarial Order 3362 UTAH ACTION PLAN For Implementation of Department of the Interior Secretarial Order #3362 : Big Game use this area as critical migration and stopover habitat as documented by collar data by the UDWR (see map in photo section) through the Migration Initiative. Additionally, the area is listed in the Utah Migration Initiative Plan as important. Large numbers of mule deer pass through this area in the early fall and spring as mule deer and elk transition from winter to summer range. Often mule deer will give birth in this area increasing the need for nutritious forage for lactating females and their offspring. Improving range conditions will improve body condition for big game. This unit is one of the premier general season deer hunting units in Utah and provides ample hunting opportunity to the public. The Zion unit is also home to a population of elk that provide one of the few over-the-counter any-bull general season hunting opportunities for elk in the state. Improving and maintaining habitat condition in the Zion unit is important to sustaining wildlife viewing and hunting opportunities that benefit the public. By doing so, we are also maintaining and enhancing economic stability in surrounding rural communities. Many of these rural incomes rely on wildlife and wildlife habitat as a source of income. With the dramatic decline in mule deer populations recently, a high level of emphasis has been put on implementing practices to increase the herd. The Zion herd in this area is one of those spots in Utah where we absolutely have an opportunity to implement beneficial practices in identified crucial habitat and migration corridors to actually increase populations! Wild turkeys are found in this area and are benefiting from the previous phases of the project. These treatments have increased the amount of oak, grasses and forbs. Grasses and forbs attract insects that are crucial for the chick survival and growth, and acorns have been documented as a high quality food source for wild turkeys. The landowners have allowed the UDWR to translocate wild turkeys on their property from areas where turkeys were not welcome. In 2020 over 70 birds were relocated to the area. The public are able to view and hunt these birds on adjacent BLM and SITLA lands. Non-game species including California Condor have been documented in this area by Hawk Watch and local livestock producers, and according to the UDWR Heritage Database this is area is consistent with summer habitat. The UDWR produced a short informational film about California Condors "stating that the Kolob site is the best place for the public to view magnificent creatures" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sHW7LhxRSs&list=UUaJfU2vckQ9UrjLgq1zPMaQ&index=65). According Bird Life International "condors will travel up 160 miles in search of carrion". Condors will benefit from the visual open space to scavenge and the expected increase in prey species in these areas. Utah Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal data: As previously stated, extreme risk of wildfire threatening the many values of the area is a topic all partners agreed was one of the highest priorities to address. Risk for wildfire is high NOW, not later. With the work we've already completed we feel we have locally reduced the risk. By continuing to complete phased work each year we hope to increase the reduced risk to more of a landscape scale. Using the Utah Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal, (screen shot in documents) it shows the project is in an area where risk is high to very high. The portal suggests taking action by implementing practices to reduce risk of catastrophic wildfire. Our project(s) are accomplishing this. Endangered Fish & Sensitive Desert River Fishes: Improving uplands will have a direct impact on imperiled native desert fish species by providing foraging options for all grazers. Native fishes in the Virgin River include: virgin spinedace (Lepidomeda mollispinis mollispinis), desert sucker(Catostomus clarkii), speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus), and flannelmouth sucker (Catostomus latipinnis). The virgin spinedace and flannelmouth sucker are both much reduced from their original Virgin River habitat. Both are managed under conservation agreements with USFWS. Water quality and riparian vegetation improvements have the potential to benefit these fish species on site and downstream. These fish species have declined precipitously over the last two centuries and any conservation work we can do to improve their habitat, including water quality, is needed to keep those listed under ESA from becoming extinct, and those not yet listed under ESA becoming listed. Pollinators: You'll notice we've mentioned Monarchs as a benefitting species. Some of the most forb diverse and nectar rich habitats are those around water. By improving uplands to benefit riparian areas we are improving pollinator habitat directly. Furthermore, conservationists are coming to realize the importance of late season forb vegetation for migrating monarch butterflies, a candidate species under the Endangered Species Act. Late season food sources are necessary to get them through migration and to winter habitats in Mexico and California. Riparian areas have those late season nectar sources necessary as they migrate. And even furthermore, one thing we don't think of or talk about as conservationists much is the need for monarch roosting sites. The N. Fork Virgin is where those roosting sites are (large woody plants). Project partners have seen (Clint Wirick specifically) monarch use here. Water Quality and Human Health Hazard: We continue to work with Zion National Park and the Division of Water Quality on this project. Total Daily Load will continue to increase if management changes aren't made. Masticating and seeding will provide options for livestock operators away from riparian habitat. It will also provide native ungulates upland grazing away from riparian areas. As stated in Utah State University Extension bulletin "good soil and water conservation practices on upland areas represent the first, and perhaps the most critical step for the protection of riparian areas." This what the goal of the mastication work is. Improve the uplands, improve the riparian and water resources. The North Fork feeds directly into what is known as the "Narrows" in Zion National Park. Utah Division of Water Quality and the National Park have both declared the high levels of E. coli a human health hazard. The Narrows hike begins on one of our private lands projects and goes through the Park. It is one of the most used hiking routes in the National Park System. Doing these projects has the potential to reduce health risks to literally hundreds of thousands of hikers. Identified and Mapped Bird Habitat Conservation Area: Another ecological qualifier for elevating this project is that the project falls within an identified Bird Habitat Conservation Area (BHCA). The project will also address multiple conservation needs for several bird species not reflected in the species section of this proposal. The project falls within an identified Bird Habitat Conservation Area (BHCA) with lowland riparian habitat listed as a priority habitat type for conservation (BHCA #48: Virgin River). Priority bird species listed in the BHCA are Abert's Towhee, Lucy's Warbler, Bell's Vireo, Gray Vireo, and several waterfowl species. The Virgin River and associated contributing streams provide critical riparian habitat in a desert setting. Improving upland will directly benefit lowland riparian habitat in many ways. Returning these uplands to an ecological state with more grasses, shrubs, and forbs for wildlife and livestock will help reduce the use of the riparian areas. County and Conservation District Support: Kane and Washington Counties as well as the Dixie Conservation District have given us letters of support on previous phases and support future similar work (see in documents). These counties and conservation district support these projects for a variety of reason because they meet stated goals and objectives in their county resource plant. More specifically, Kane County Resource Management Plan "Kane County encourages vegetative treatments for maximum yield of forage and rangeland health." "Goals include making sure there is quality forage, water, cover, space and security sufficient to support productive populations. This includes conserving habitat for migratory birds, maintaining vegetation treatments that benefit wildlife, prioritizing treatments to improve habitats and coordinating predator control." Other Resource Plans: I just want to state here we've scoured dozens of resource plans over the years working on this project. Much of the time, the "Relationship to Management Plans" becomes a quick list to check a box for points. We've specifically, listed above and beyond what this section calls for while purposefully addressing objectives, priorities, and actions within these planning documents. To us as project managers, we wanted to use the "Relationship to Management Plans" sections as a qualifier in this section of "Why here Why" now. These plans specifically state the importance of this area and management goals and objectives needing addressed now for a wide diversity of resources both human and natural resource based.

State of Utah Catastrophic Wildfire Reduction Strategy: Develop a collaborative process to protect the health and welfare of Utahns, and our lands by reducing the size and frequency of catastrophic fires. The project reduces the risk of a catastrophic wildfire occurrence, negatively affecting property, air quality and water systems. (objectives 2 & 3) The Utah Smoke Management Plan (1999, 2006 revision). By using mechanical mastication this plan will accomplish Goal #5, Use of alternative methods to burning for disposing of or reducing the amount of wildland fuels on lands in the State (p3). (objective 3) State of Utah Forest Action Plan: The project addresses all three of the key goals laid out in the Forest Action Plan: conserve and manage working forest landscapes for multiple values and uses, protect forests from threats, and enhance public benefits from trees and forests. (objective 3) UTAH MULE DEER STATEWIDE MANAGEMENT PLAN The project meets Habitat Objective 2 to improve the quality and quantity of vegetation for mule deer habitat (p. 19). Specifically the strategies to Initiate broad scale vegetative treatment projects to improve mule deer habitat with emphasis on ranges being diminished by encroachment of conifers into sagebrush. DEER HERD UNIT MANAGEMENT PLAN Deer Herd Unit # 29 Zion Maintain mule deer habitat throughout the unit by protecting and enhancing existing crucial habitats and mitigating for losses due to natural and human impacts. A major proportion of both summer and winter habitat for deer on this unit is on private land. Therefore, it is paramount to work with private landowners to maintain both summer and winter habitat. Seek cooperative projects to improve the quality and quantity of deer habitat in order to support herd objectives. Utah Statewide Elk Management Plan *"Continue to provide incentive programs for landowners that will encourage elk populations on private land such as the CWMU, Landowner Association, and WalkIn Access programs." * "Increase forage production by annually treating a minimum of 40,000 acres of elk habitat.' * "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. ii) Encourage land managers to manage portions of forests in early succession stages through the use controlled burning and logging. Controlled burning should only be used in areas with minimal invasive weed and/or safety concerns." Utah Statewide Bighorn Sheep Management Plan "Improve or maintain existing water sources and develop new water sources as needed to improve distribution and abundance of bighorn sheep." Zion National Park, Virgin River Comprehensive Management Plan/Environmental Assessment "To protect and enhance free flow and water quantity, promoting the river's ability to shape the geologic landscape by reducing impediments to free flow, improving hydrological function, and ensuring flows that are largely natural." "To protect and enhance river-related natural resources and ecological processes. The natural function of riparian areas, wetlands, and floodplains of the Virgin River and its tributaries would be maintained and restored; restoration activities would strive to return habitat to natural levels of complexity and diversity; water quality would be maintained at the highest possible levels; and achievement of this goal would benefit fish, wildlife, ecological processes, geologic values, and recreation." Zion National Park General Management Plan "Maintain the resources, including plant and animal communities, at healthy and viable levels consistent with natural processes." TMDL for Escherichia coli (E. coli) in the North Fork Virgin River Watershed "Common sources of E. coli include excrement from livestock and wildlife as well as faulty septic systems." Note- the objective is to remove intensive grazing from the riparian area by improving the uplands and taking a watershed approach to the issue. Virgin River Watershed Management Plan "Key concerns in the North Fork Virgin River Include: (1) Maintenance of minimum flow; (2) threatened and endangered species; (3) wastewater disposal and septic system density; and (4) recreation." USFWS Partners for Fish and Wildlife Strategic Plan "Project addresses habitat threats for a priority species within a PFW priority area (Plateau Focus Area) for restoration work." Utah Catastrophic Wildfire Reduction Strategy "Reduce fire risk by managing and removing invasive species." 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." Utah Wildlife Action Plan "Gamble Oak and Mountain Shrub is a key habitat identified in the WAP." "WAP identifies inappropriate fire frequency as a threat to Gamble Oak and Mountain Shrub habitat. This project will reduce future fire risk and act as a fire buffer to adjacent higher risk areas." State of Utah Resource Management Plan "Actively remove pinyon-juniper encroachment other ecological sites due to its substantial consumption of water its detrimental effects on sagebrush, other vegetation, and wildlife." "Conserve, improve, and restore 500,000 acres of mule deer habitat throughout the state with emphasis on crucial ranges." "Work with landowners, federal government and private organizations to conserve valuable wildlife habitat and winter range along urban interface." "Develop mechanisms and policies to incentivize private landowners throughout Utah to conserve valuable wildlife habitat throughout Utah." Kane County Resource Management Plan "Kane County encourages vegetative treatments for maximum yield of forage and rangeland health." "Goals include making sure there is quality forage, water, cover, space and security sufficient to support productive populations. This includes conserving habitat for migratory birds, maintaining vegetation treatments that benefit wildlife, prioritizing treatments to improve habitats and coordinating predator control." Southwest Working Third 5-year Review-2012 for California Condor "The recovery strategy for the California condor is to focus on: maintaining habitat for condor recovery and to provide foraging habitat" SECRETARIAL ORDER NO. 3362: DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Subject: Improving Habitat Quality in Western Big-Game Winter Range and Migration Corridors Sec. 1 Purpose. This Order directs appropriate bureaus within the Department of the Interior (Department) to work in close partnership with the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming to enhance and improve the quality of big-game winter range and migration corridor habitat on Federal lands under the management jurisdiction of this Department in a way that recognizes state authority to conserve and manage big-game species and respects private property rights. Through scientific endeavors and land management actions, wildlife such as Rocky Mountain Elk (elk), Mule Deer (deer), Pronghorn Antelope (pronghorn), and a host of other species will benefit. Additionally, this Order seeks to expand opportunities for big-game hunting by improving priority habitats to assist states in their efforts to increase and maintain sustainable big game populations across western states. UTAH ACTION PLAN For Implementation of Department of the Interior Secretarial Order #3362 as being important big game migration and stopover habitat. This project will help meet the objective of "targeted habitat treatment projects in deer winter ranges and stopover areas that could be used to bolster deer populations" (UTAH ACTION PLAN For Implementation of Department of the Interior Secretarial Order #3362, 2020).

As previously stated, the area is ripe for a high severity fire impacting people and sensitive habitats and wildlife. See this section as well as other sections for details. This project, and associated previously implemented phases, will decrease the risk of high severity wildfire by reducing fuel loading and promoting the growth of understory vegetation, which are critical to maintaining ecosystem resilience. As demonstrated by the nearby Brianhead fire during the summer of 2017, treatments like these can break up the continuity of fuels and act as fuel breaks. This project will do the same if a fire ignited nearby where fuel loading is heavy in phase 3 pinyon and juniper invaded sites. The current fire regime condition class is high to very high and would be reduced to medium (2) to low (1) immediately after treatment depending on the specific site. The habitat type has been identified in the 2015-2025 Utah Wildlife Action Plan that lowland sagebrush is a key habitat and the threats associated with this key habitat are inappropriate fire frequency and intensity. This project will help to achieve this goal. Reducing the threat of wildfire is important because of the critical nature of this habitat to mule deer and elk. As previously stated, extreme risk of wildfire threatening the many values of the area is a topic all partners agreed was one of the highest priorities to address. With the work we've already completed we feel we have locally reduced the risk. By continuing to complete phased work each year we hope to increase the reduced risk to more of a landscape scale. Using the Utah Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal, (screen shot in documents) it shows the project is in an area where risk is high to very high. The portal suggests taking action by implementing practices to reduce risk of catastrophic wildfire. Our project(s) are accomplishing this. Because of the extreme popularity of this area human safety as well as human infrastructure is at high risk. Additionally, fire would also have economical impacts to surrounding communities who rely on these grazing lands and tourism to sustain their economies. Catastrophic wildfire would reduce recreation and available grazing lands for a number of years, negatively impacting economies. Completing this project and reducing the risk of fire will help to protect important sagebrush steppe and mountain brush habitat that is critical for priority species including, but not limited to, mule deer and elk. As stated this area has been identified in several resource planning documents as

As previously discussed, one of the main drivers of this project is the water quality of the North Fork of the virgin River. Currently the North Fork of the Virgin River is listed as high Priority 303d water body because of elevated levels of E. coli. Utah department of Environmental Quality has linked the elevated levels back to fecal bacteria from livestock and wildlife. The levels of E. coli are posing a threat to recreational uses in the river and could potentially contaminate drinking water further downstream. By increasing the amount of available forage away from the north fork, the goal is to reduce the amount of animals near and in the north fork and its tributaries and reduce the amount of fecal matter that makes into the north fork. This project and previous phases can improve riparian health and water quality. Furthermore, below these projects is one of the most visited spots in Utah, the Zion NP Narrows. This project has a goal of improving grazing distribution of native and domestic ungulates to help with water quality issues related to an identified human health hazard in the NP. Improving habitat quality and water quality will also have a beneficial impact to threatened and endangered native fish. Reducing the amount of pinyon/juniper has the potential to increase and prolong stream flows, while reducing erosion caused by bare soil, not a guarantee as some will claim but has the potential. Given the multiple phases and large amounts of acreage completed over the years, we feel if any project has the "potential" this one does. The species planted will help stabilize the soil and reduce erosion. Kormas et al. found that drainage's dominated with juniper experience "snow water equivalent peaks higher, snow melts out earlier, and more water is lost to evapotranspiration in catchments when compared to sagebrush steppe vegetation". Restoration efforts with Beaver Dam Analogs have been shown to improve the aquatic habitat and carrying capacity of water by creating pools, stream complexity, and additional riparian shade that cools water down. Cooler water temperatures favor important aquatic fish and insects and increases the durability of a stream against drought. Restoration efforts may also raise base flows in itself. Beaver dam analogs have been shown to increase groundwater recharge and consequently, base flows in times of low flow and drought. An increase in water in the later season will also increase the working capability of these lands, providing water that can be accessible to both livestock and wildlife. AN HONEST DISCUSSION ON QUANTITY: Below we are going to give you a finely put together list of research that has become increasingly redundant in these proposals and often lacks context to the specific project site. We as project managers would like to take a moment to have an honest discussion here. Most of the research cited below show positive impacts in an effort to increase the ranking score, many of us proposal writers do it. We'd like to do something slightly different and state that w

NRCS will complete its environmental evaluation . All compliance will be completed prior to implementation working through USFWS, NRCS, and/or WRI.

Aerial seeding will be done with a diversified mix of grasses and forbs before mastication in the fall. Due to the nature of the terrain the option to use fixed wing or helicopter will be determined by the contractor. Seed will be obtained from the Great Basin Research Center (GBRC). Seed mix used on past phases has proven to be successful and a similar mix will be used. Mastication will be completed with at least three (preferably multiple) tracked or wheeled, hydraulically or PTO driven mechanical mulching/shredder. Bullhog shall be capable of mulching/shredding live trees up to twenty-six (26) inches in diameter at twelve inches above ground level measured on the uphill side, per state contract. Grazing management will be no grazing for 2 growing seasons in treated areas, grazing will be monitored, and grazing agreements will be signed prior commencement to the project. Lop and scatter chainsaw crews will be contracted to remove phase I pinyon and juniper by cutting near ground level and scattering limps on the ground. Forest thinning will be completed using a feller buncher trees merchantable timber will be removed. The slash piles can then be burned. Stream restoration using BDA's includes the construction of a estimated 20 structures over a .5 mile reach using low tech restoration methodology.

contracted item. NRCS will complete Range health assessment that determine soil, hydrologic and Biotic integrity. Using the data from the migration initiative collared deer movements can be monitored. This will show if there is hold over in these treatment areas, if hunting pressure is affecting the deer, if weather changes timing, or duration of migration, and use of private lands verses public lands. current heat maps attached show hot spots for animal activity in previous phases of this project. Farm Bill Biologist will establish photo points at random locations within the treatment and monitor yearly for a minimum of 5 years and greater at landowners' consent. USFWS will do site visits and talk to landowner annually to look at success, future needs, and need for implementation of other conservation work. Working with NGO's that are actively monitoring condor activity in the area, we will share what information is available and appropriate in the completion report.

UDWR is working with FFSL, NRCS, USFWS and Private land owners. This partnership has taken years of trust to get to this point. Private Landowners will contribute their assistance from the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) to the project. A DWR/NRCS Partner Biologist will also contract and implement the project, as well as continue to plan it. Natural Resource Conservation Service-is working with the landowners to plan and carry out the project. Through Environmental Quality Incentive Program potential funding will be available Kane and Washington Counties has given us a letter of support on previous phases and support future similar work.

Future management activities to meet stated goals and objectives: The private properties are part of a livestock grazing operation. Because of the lack of forage in the uplands and the poor forage condition that is a direct result PJ invasion. The mastication and seeding will provide at the very least an alternative pasture for livestock and wildlife out of the riparian pastures. The private landowners will enter into a contract with USFWS. 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. The private landowner will also be entering into a NRCS contract and be obligated to implement practices and allow monitoring and meet future obligations of that contract. Landowner will sign an agreement stating minimum 2-year rest in the seeded areas. UDWR continue to monitor big game through aerial surveys and GPS data as part of the Migration Initiative. We feel with these management activities, the stated objectives have a high likelihood of being met for this project.

Much of the importance to sustainable uses have been previously stated with agriculture and recreational tourism being primary uses and the two primary economic drivers in adjacent local communities. The private lands are primarily for livestock production and recreation (camping, hunting, etc..) Increasing the forage will allow for better management and decrease the threat of over utilization. The increase of herbaceous forage for native and domestic grazers can't be understated here. See the photos section for a visual representation of the increase in abundance and diversity of herbaceous plant materials in the treatment areas. At a minimum we've at least quadrupled herbaceous plant community forage production on some sites. Doing this in the uplands will also take pressure off of other areas and increase production of forage. Wildlife is abundant in the area and of high interest to public and private stakeholders in the area. Wildlife viewing and hunting takes place on the property. The project site and surrounding area is an extremely important asset to the state of Utah for tourism and really drives local economies in Long Valley during the spring and summer. The area has one of the larger deer herds in the state with approximately 15,000 animals. This unit is one of the premier general season deer hunting units in Utah and provides ample hunting opportunity to the public. The Zion unit is also home to a population of elk that provide one of the few over-the-counter any-bull general season hunting opportunities for elk in the state. Improving and maintaining habitat condition in the Zion unit is important to sustaining wildlife viewing and hunting opportunities that benefit the public. By doing so, we are also maintaining and enhancing economic stability in surrounding rural communities. Many of these rural incomes rely on wildlife and wildlife habitat as a source of income. Turkeys are found throughout the North Fork and provide hunting and viewing opportunities for the public and private landowners. Hunting takes place with general season and limited entry tags, providing opportunities for youth to have hunts with less pressure and greater success. As previously mentioned, water quality has been identified as a human health hazard in the adjacent National Park. The narrows trail is one of the most visited places in the National Park System and is directly below these projects. Doing these projects with a goal to improve water quality directly supports recreational opportunities in Zion. This area is a very high use area recreational tourism (campers, hikers, photographers, birders, and so on). Again this has been highly emphasized in the other sections of the proposal and can't be emphasized enough. Managing for a diversity of vegetational states protects and enhances the this highly visited area. One of the landowners has a USDA Forest Legacy Easement on the property. This protects against develop or other unapproved uses. Currently the landowner is allowed to graze livestock and minor recreation, and some restoration practices