Utah North Montana Dakota South Dakota Wyoming Nebraska Utah Colorado Kansas Utah Partners Program Conservation Focus Areas Introduction and Overview program. Sagebrush steppe habitat The original strategic plan associated with low precipitation developed for 2007-2011 had more Utah is the 13th largest state in zones is another valuable habitat individual focus areas with some the nation with approximately 20% type for numerous Federal trust of the areas adjoining each other. of the land base being privately species, such as the greater sage- This FY 2012-2016 plan, condensed owned (Utah facts 2011). This grouse. these smaller focus areas into two private landownership represents specific focus areas and added a reasonable program potential with Some of the threats to key new one. Previous focus areas approximately 16,980 square miles habitats include invasive species, were consolidated because similar or 10,867,200 acres being privately developmental pressure, channel key species were commonly found owned. alterations, along with past and across borders. The original current land use practices. focus areas that were merged had Utah is the second driest state similar habitat types and species in the nation with 13” of average Focus areas were developed using of interest. The new focus areas annual precipitation (Water facts the following criteria: contain a combination of private and 2011). This dry climate makes lakes, public property with core areas for streams, and springs extremely • Species Diversity and Trust specific wildlife species occurring important areas for both human Responsibility within the boundaries. PFW and wildlife species. Privately • Intact Landscapes biologists will concentrate their owned property along these • Threats efforts in these strategic areas. water-rich areas provide valuable • Public Land – Private Land habitat for Federal trust species relationships and patterns and opportunities for the PFW • Partnership Opportunities 127 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Mountain-Prairie Region Strategic Plan found within this area are often Moving higher in elevation the Northern Utah Focus Area associated with the Great Salt vegetation changes to spruce, fir, Lake and the valley corridor of and aspen dominated communities. the Bear River. The value of the Interspersed throughout the area wetland complexes in this area was are stream/riparian communities recognized and designated as a site which are important to native fish of hemispheric importance by the and neotropical migrants. Western Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN). This designation is defined as an area having at least 500,000 shorebirds annually and at least a Priority Species 30% species biographic population. These wetlands are also vitally • Cinnamon teal This focus area contains the important to a number of waterfowl • Redhead watershed for the Bear River, with approximately 50% of all • Bonneville cutthroat trout the Ogden River, and a portion U.S. nesting cinnamon teal using • Least chub of the Jordan River. These three the area, along with the greatest • Greater sage-grouse watersheds contribute the majority concentration of redheads in North • Columbian sharp-tailed of the water for the Great Salt America occurring in the Great Salt grouse Lake which terminates in a closed Lake region (Bellrose). • Long-billed curlew basin. This area has 68% private • White-faced ibis ownership comprised primarily The upland portions at lower • Yellow warbler of farming, ranching, private elevations are dominated by wetland management areas, and sagebrush intermixed with municipalities. Northern Utah has grassland areas and provide diverse habitat types influenced valuable habitat to greater sage- primarily by changes in elevation grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, pygmy and precipitation. Wetland habitats rabbits and other upland species. Stream restoration project Utah PFW. USFWS photo. 128 Utah Northern Utah Focus Area Five Year Targets • Upland Restoration/Enhancement: 8,625 acres • Riparian Restoration/Enhancement: 10 miles • Wetland Restoration/Enhancement 500 acres • In-stream Structures: 10 Partnerships • New landowner partners: 55 • Other new partners: 10 • Amount of technical assistance: 250 staff days • Percentage of leveraging (ratio Service to Partner): 1:3 Great Salt Lake in Utah. USFWS photo. 129 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Mountain-Prairie Region Strategic Plan Great Basin, and the transition zone possible. The only populations of Plateau Focus Area between the Colorado Plateau and the threatened Utah prairie dog the Great Basin. The landscape are found within this landscape consists of a wide variety of habitat and upland work on private types with upland areas consisting property will be a priority when of sagebrush, pinyon-juniper, opportunities arise. and aspen conifer communities. Streams and rivers with riparian habitats occur throughout the Priority Species area with some localized wetland habitat interspersed throughout • Southwestern willow valley bottoms. This area flycatcher (Endangered) contains numerous species that • Bonneville and Colorado are Federally threatened and River cutthroat trout This focus area is 20% privately endangered. The endangered • Bonytail (Endangered) owned with the predominate use species found within this focus area • Colorado pikeminnow being grazing or irrigated farmland. include the southwestern willow (Endangered) The other 80% of the land mass is flycatcher, humpback chub, and • Woundfin (Endangered) managed by the Forest Service, virgin chub. Stream and riparian • Gunnison’s sage-grouse BLM and National Park Service. restoration efforts on private • Greater sage-grouse There are three physiographic property benefitting these species • Utah prairie dog regions within this focus area. will be implemented whenever (Endangered) They are the Colorado Plateau, the Cinnamon teal in Great Salt Lake focus area. USFWS photo. 130 Utah Geologic formation in Utah containing a riverine system. USFWS photo. Plateau Focus Area Five Year Targets Primary Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Efforts • Upland • Seeding/vegetative manipulation • Invasive Species Control • Grazing Management • Stream and Riparian • Channel restoration • Riparian Plantings • Invasive Species Control • Grazing Management • Removal of fish barriers • Installation of fish screens • Wetland Management and Enhancement • Repair/installation of dikes and water control structures • Invasive Species Control • Grazing Management Five Year Targets • Wetlands Restored/Enhanced – 35 acres • Uplands Restored/Enhanced – 10,000 acres • Stream/riparian – 4 miles Partnerships 1) Number of private landowners 30 2) Number of new partners (in addition to landowners 3 3) Percentage of leveraging (ratio of Service to Partners dollars) 1:3 4) Technical Assistance 150 Staff Days 131 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Mountain-Prairie Region Strategic Plan Uintah Focus Area land areas consisting of sagebrush, pinyon-juniper, and aspen conifer Priority Species communities. Scattered within the area are streams and rivers with • Greater sage-grouse riparian habitats and wetlands • Bonytail (Endangered) associated with the rivers. The • Colorado pikeminnow Colorado pikeminnow, Bonytail, and (Endangered) Colorado River cutthroat trout are • Colorado River cutthroat found within this focus area. trout This focus area is 31% privately owned and contains two physio- graphic regions. The two regions are the Colorado Plateau and the Middle Rocky Mountains. The land- scape is comprised primarily of up- Project partners standing at a water control structure used to manage a wetland restoration. USFWS photo. 132 Utah Uintah Focus Area Five Year Targets Primary Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Efforts • Upland • Seeding/vegetative manipulation • Invasive Species Control • Grazing Management • Stream and Riparian • Channel restoration • Riparian Plantings • Invasive Species Control • Grazing Management • Fish barrier removal • Installation of fish screens • Wetland Management and Enhancement • Repair/installation of dikes and water control structures • Removal of dikes to restore connectivity of river floodplains • Invasive Species Control • Grazing Management Five Year Targets This focus area is not currently staffed so the target is primarily realized through technical assistance. The technical assistance will be accomplished utilizing a joint position that will have a sole emphasis of targeting Federal Farm Bill funding to benefit greater sage-grouse. There is also potential to work with the state, the Colorado River recovery efforts, and the Fisheries Assistance Office to deliver projects benefitting the Federally threatened and endangered fish species found in the Colorado river and tributaries located within this focus area. Partnerships Develop at least one new partner in addition to the private landowners each year. Percentage of leveraging (ratio of Service to Partners dollars) 1:3 Related Plans • Intermountain West Joint Venture Coordinated Bird Conservation Plan Version 1.1 (IMWJV, 2005) • United States Shorebird Conservation Plan (May 2001) • Waterbird Conservation for the Americas, North American Waterbird Conservation Plan (Version 1) • Coordinated Implementation Plan for Bird Conservation in Utah (Utah, 2005) • Partners in Flight physiographic regions. (Pashley, 2000) • Utah Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (Gorell, 2005)