UDWR Trends and Impacts Relative to

Native Species

Habitat Restoration CoordinatorUtah Division of Wildlife Resources

Jason Vernon

Expand wildlife populations and conserve sensitive species by protecting and improving wildlife habitat

Recognizes the importance of properly functioning habitat.

This goal can be achieved by using native and/or introduced plant materials.

Division of Wildlife ResourcesResource Goal

Loss, Degradation, Fragmentation of Habitat Due to - Human population expansion/development Poorly managed grazing Pinyon/juniper expansion – loss of understory Sagebrush over-maturity, lack of age class

diversity – loss of understory, risk of stand replacement event

Disruption of natural fire cycle = catastrophic wildfire

Invasive species Aspen decline

Major Threats

A Watershed, Cross-Boundary, Solutions Oriented Partnership

Collaborative-Proactive EffortCommon Core Goals

Wildlife and Biological DiversityWater Quality and Yield for all UsesOpportunities for Sustainable Uses

Locally Led Teams Develop and Implement Projects

Partners Include: USFS, BLM, SITLA, USFWS, NRCS, NPS, UDAF, Farm Services Agency, Private Landowners, Sportsman Groups, Academia, Local Governments, Industry, Energy, Etc.

Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative

Focus Areas

January 1 – Proposals due for upcoming fiscal yearJanuary, February – Regions present and rank projectsMarch 1 – Regional rankings are dueMarch, April, May – Proposal funding

DNR watershed, BLM, FFSL, Habitat Council, BRFAC, Sportsman Groups (ECP), Oil and Gas Mitigation, etc.

Early May – Funded project list distributedJuly 1 – Funds available, project completion – 1 yearCarry-over projects evaluated/approved each yearThroughout year – Cooperator grants/agreements

Funding Cycle

5 Habitat Biologist (DWR Regional Offices)4 Farm Bill Biologist (NRCS Offices)2 Coordinators (Fiscal and DB Management)Vegetation Monitoring (Adaptive

Management)Accounting and contractingArchaeology servicesGreat Basin Research Center

WRI Partnership Services

Results – 2005-2012• $87+ Million Dollars Spent Statewide

• 850,000+ Acres Treated Statewide

• 70+ Water Development Projects

• 268 Miles of Stream Improvements

• Results are visible and making a difference

• People feel like Their ideas are valued and Their partnership does more than just meet and talk.

Short and Long Term ResearchPlant Materials Development

Wildland and Agricultural Test Facilities and Common Gardens

Grass, Forb, Browse (primarily native species)Great Basin Native Plant ProjectUP Project

Restoration EquipmentMaintenance and RepairDevelopment of New Technology and TechniquesTransport and Setup

Seed ResourcesBulk Ordering and Long Term Storage – Reduces CostsSeed Mix DevelopmentCustom Mixing, Bagging

Great Basin Research Center and Seed Warehouse

Habitat restoration and research since 1950’sModest warehouse facilities

Modern warehouse constructed in 2004Warehouse expansion finished in 2010

17,100 ft2 increased to 26,000 ft2

Increased storage capacity from 650,000 lbs to 1.2 million lbs(cold storage primarily for sagebrush and

kochia seed increased from 50,000 to 150,000)

DWR Seed Warehouse History

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20130

250,000

500,000

750,000

1,000,000

1,250,000

1,500,000

1,750,000

2,000,000

Seed Mixed by GBRC

USFSDWRBLM

Pou

nd

s

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20130

250000

500000

750000

1000000

1250000

1500000

Life Form Pounds Seeded

ForbGrassSeries1P

ou

nd

s

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20130%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Proportion of Life Form

ForbGrassSeries1P

erc

en

t

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20130

250,000500,000750,000

1,000,0001,250,0001,500,000

Pounds Used Native and Introduced

Introduced Native Other

Pou

nd

s

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20130%

20%40%60%80%

100%

Proportion Native vs. Introduced

Introduced Native Other

Perc

en

t

Availability – if we know it is available and fits our needs we will ask for it specificallyGeographic – Indian Ricegrass, Emery County

Source IdentifiedSeed transfer zonesSagebrush – species, counties, elevation

Project ObjectivesWildlife species of concern – Greater sage-

grouse, mule deer, elk, etc.Cooperators/funding sources/land manager

Mandates, policies, guidelines

How We Make Decisions

Project locationSite potential

Ecological Site DescriptionPinyon/Juniper Field Guide 3 phases (Tausch et al

2009)Current vegetation – invasive species

ScaleStatewide effort – Use funding wiselyEmergency fire rehabilitation

Supply and demand marketBluebunch wheatgrass, Basin wildrye, Fourwing saltbush,

Palmer penstemon, Rocky Mountain penstemon

Funding CycleCost

How We Make Decisions

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 $-

$5

$10

$15

$20

$25

$30

$35

Price Comparison

I. Grass I. Forb I. ShrubN. Grass N. Forb N. Shrub

Cost

/Pou

nd

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20130%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Percent Used

I. Grass I. Forb Forage KochiaN. Grass N. Forb N. Shrub

Perc

en

t

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20130

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

400,000

450,000

500,000

$-

$2

$4

$6

$8

$10

$12

Grasses - Native vs. Introduced

Introduced lbs Native lbs Introduced $ Native $

Pou

nd

s

Cost

/Pou

nd

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20130

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

$-

$5

$10

$15

$20

$25

$30

$35

Forbs - Native vs. Introduced

Introduced lbs Native lbs Introduced $ Native $

Pou

nd

s

Cost

/Pou

nd

Blue Fla

x 'A

ppar

'

Palm

er P

enstem

on

Annua

l Sun

flower

Wes

tern

Yar

row

Rocky

Mou

ntai

n Bee

plan

t

Lewis F

lax 'M

aple G

rove

'

Rocky

Mou

ntai

n Pe

nste

mon

Goose

berr

ylea

f Glo

bem

allo

w

Uta

h Sw

eetv

ech

Scar

let G

lobe

mal

low

Arrow

leaf

Bal

sam

root

Mun

ro G

lobe

mal

low

Show

y Gol

dene

ye

Silver

y Lu

pine

Amer

ican

Vet

ch

Firecr

acke

r Pen

stem

on

Dusty

Pen

stem

on

Sulfu

r-flow

er B

uckw

heat

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

$0$10$20$30$40$50$60$70$80$90

101,622

16,55714,55112,7718,9833,9752,2712,1401,104985 880 476 235 144 124 90 50 50

Native Forbs Seeding Threshold – 2006-2013

Native Forb

Pou

nd

s

Cost

/Pou

nd

Cost1st thing to get cut to save money—especially

forbsAvailability

Market supply—especially in fire yearsSeeding techniques

May not coincide with current large scale efforts—especially forbs

Perceptions of “Good” vs. “Evil”Perceptions of success

Track history and comfort levelEstablishment and persistenceHow long until “success” is determined

Challenges to Using Native Species

Species Common NameAgoseris grandiflorum Bigflower AgoserisAgoseris hetrophylla Annual AgoserisBalsamorhiza hookeri Hooker's BalsamrootBalsamorhiza sagitatta Arrowleaf BalsamrootCrepis accumianta Tapertip HawksbeardCrepis intermedia Intermediate HawksbeardEnceliopsis nudicalis Nakedstem SunrayEriogonum ovalifolium Cushion BuckwheatHesperostipa comata Needle and Thread GrassHeliomeris multiflora var. nevadensis Nevada Showy GoldeneyeIpomopsis agreggata Scarlet GilliaLinum lewisii Lewis FlaxLomatium nudicaulis Barestem BiscuitrootLupinus argenteus Silvery LupineLupinus arbustus Longspur LupineLupinus prunophyllus Hairy Bigleaf LupineLupinus sericeus Silky LupinePenstemon pachyphyllus Thickleaf BeardtongueSphaeralcea coccinea Scarlet GlobemallowSphaeralcea grossulariifolia Gooseberryleaf GlobemallowSphaeralcea munroana Munroe's GlobemallowSphaeralcea parvifolia Small-flower Globemallow

Priority Native SpeciesTarget specific

plant communitiesSagebrush

Steppe/DesertPinyon/Juniper

Target specific wildlife speciesState Wildlife

Action Plan (SWAP)

Sage-grouse, mule deer, elk

Expand wildlife populations and conserve sensitive species by protecting and improving wildlife habitat

Managers make the best choices with information and tools available.

UDWR will continue to develop native plant materials for the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau.

Division of Wildlife ResourcesResource Goal

Questions