Utah’s Watershed Utah’s Watershed Restoration InitiativeRestoration Initiative

Mule DeerMule Deer

Statewide Mule Deer PlanStatewide Mule Deer Plan

• Habitat Objective 1: Maintain mule deer Habitat Objective 1: Maintain mule deer habitat throughout the state by protecting and habitat throughout the state by protecting and enhancing existing crucial habitats and enhancing existing crucial habitats and mitigating for losses due to natural and human mitigating for losses due to natural and human impacts.impacts.

•Habitat Objective 2: Improve the quality and Habitat Objective 2: Improve the quality and quantity of vegetation for mule deer on a quantity of vegetation for mule deer on a minimum of 500,000 acres of crucial range by minimum of 500,000 acres of crucial range by 2013.2013.

What is Mule Deer HabitatWhat is Mule Deer HabitatFood - What do Mule Deer Eat?Food - What do Mule Deer Eat?

Summer Range/Transitional Range - Summer Range/Transitional Range - Succulent Grasses and Flowering Plants for Fawn Production, Growth and Survival

Winter Range - Winter Range - Shrubs, Particularly Sagebrush for Winter Survival

Water – Mule Deer Rarely Travel far from WaterWater – Mule Deer Rarely Travel far from Water

Cover - Ideal Mule Deer Habitat also Includes Cover - Ideal Mule Deer Habitat also Includes Thermal and Escape Cover with openings providing Thermal and Escape Cover with openings providing forage and feeding areas.forage and feeding areas.

Mule Deer Habitat - Mule Deer Habitat - ThreatsThreats• Loss and Degradation of Habitat Due to - Loss and Degradation of Habitat Due to -

• Human Population Human Population Expansion/DevelopmentExpansion/Development

• Pinyon-Juniper Woodland ExpansionPinyon-Juniper Woodland Expansion

• DroughtDrought

• Catastrophic WildfireCatastrophic Wildfire

• Invasive SpeciesInvasive Species

• Conifer Expansion into AspenConifer Expansion into Aspen

UWRI BackgroundUWRI BackgroundA Partnership Driven Effort to Conserve, Restore and A Partnership Driven Effort to Conserve, Restore and Manage Ecosystems in Priority Areas Across the StateManage Ecosystems in Priority Areas Across the State

• Locally Led Teams Develop and Implement Locally Led Teams Develop and Implement Projects Designed to Enhance Utah’sProjects Designed to Enhance Utah’s

•Wildlife and Biological DiversityWildlife and Biological Diversity

•Water Quality and Yield for all UsesWater Quality and Yield for all Uses

•Opportunities for Sustainable UsesOpportunities for Sustainable Uses

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

UWRI UWRI Focus Focus AreasAreas

Mule Deer Habitat Mule Deer Habitat Restoration TechniquesRestoration Techniques

Slow and/or Reverse Habitat ThreatsSlow and/or Reverse Habitat Threats

Dixie Harrow

Chain Harrow

Dixie Harrow

Lop and Scatter

Lop and Scatter

Lop and Scatter

Ely Chaining

Bullhog

Bullhog

Bullhog

Water Development

Fire Rehabilitation

NortheasterNortheastern Regionn Region

Mule Deer Mule Deer ProjectsProjects

’’05-’1005-’1085,967 85,967 Total Total AcresAcres

11,379

3,445

19,752

28,387

1,615

2,060

1,850

10,029

7,450

Central RegionCentral Region

Mule Deer Mule Deer ProjectsProjects

46,265 46,265 Total Total AcresAcres

4,972

7,518

10,595

1,384

20

1,178

10,173

1213,857

4,283

2,164

’’05-’1005-’10

SoutheasteSoutheastern Regionrn Region

Mule Deer Mule Deer ProjectsProjects

‘‘05-’1005-’1038,208 38,208 Total Total AcresAcres

7,805

94

10,577

654

500

2,516

8,227

2,279

5,556

Northern RegionNorthern Region

Mule Deer Mule Deer ProjectsProjects

‘‘05-’1005-’10

66,874 66,874 Total Total AcresAcres

58,296

85

6,794

199

1,140

230 75

55

Southern Southern RegionRegion

Mule Mule Deer Deer ProjectsProjects

‘‘05-’1005-’10161,95161,953 Total 3 Total AcresAcres

14,701

27,02911,478

40,621

3,107

2,075

7,688

2,345

8,955

1,8226,321

13,990

2,73518,802

75

82

127

Results – 2005-2010Results – 2005-2010

• $63 Million Dollars Spent Statewide for $63 Million Dollars Spent Statewide for Mule DeerMule Deer

• 400,000+ Acres Treated Statewide for 400,000+ Acres Treated Statewide for Mule DeerMule Deer

• 70+ Water Development Projects70+ Water Development Projects

• It’s Not Just About Dollars and AcresIt’s Not Just About Dollars and Acres

• DWR Has Taken a Leadership Role in DWR Has Taken a Leadership Role in UWRIUWRI

• Resulting in Wildlife BenefitResulting in Wildlife Benefit

UWRI MonitoringUWRI MonitoringWildlife Monitoring CrewWildlife Monitoring Crew

Big Game ResponseBig Game ResponsePasserine BirdsPasserine BirdsSmall Mammal TrappingSmall Mammal TrappingThreatened and Endangered Species Threatened and Endangered Species

ResponseResponseVegetation Monitoring CrewVegetation Monitoring Crew

Measures Vegetative CompositionMeasures Vegetative CompositionSeeding SuccessSeeding SuccessBrowse CharacteristicsBrowse Characteristics

Both Crews Compare Treated w/ Untreated Both Crews Compare Treated w/ Untreated SitesSites

http://wildlife.utah.gov/watersheds