Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forrest Project Complete!
Readers will remember our announcement to close part of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. This weekly closure included some campgrounds but it was necessary for critical Mule Deer Habitat work and recreation safety.
Link to Closure: https://muledeer.org/news/uinta-wasatch-cache-national-forests-temporary-closure/
We are happy to announce our work has now concluded and the area is open again.
Project Description:
For this habitat project, the Mule Deer Foundation worked with the U.S. Forest Service to clear up 76 acres of unusable timber from what the Utah Division of Wildlife identified as a key Mule Deer traffic area. Removal of conifers from aspen stands in this area will help generate cover and forage for these deer.
In the past, the Forest Service has used timber sale contractors to do projects like this. In a timber sale contract, the contractor will come in and cut all the timber from an area bundle it up, and sell it. The problem with using a timber sale contractor is the date the work gets done cannot be specified. Sometimes the Forest Service waits up to five years for the project to be complete while wildlife and humans suffer.
Our MDF Habitat Project Manager Tyler Massy described the project,
“With the Habitat and Fire risk urgency involved with this project, five years is too long for us to wait. Instead the US Forest service chose to work with the Mule Deer Foundation. The Mule Deer Foundation hired a contractor to clear, cut, and stack the timber. Project start through completion was less than 2.5 weeks”
For there Forest Service the benefits to working with MDF for the Forest Service on projects like this are huge. The Forest Service maintains ownership of the sellable timber, the work is completed quickly and in a manner compatible with Mule Deer, and the Forest Service has peace of mind while the project is underway, allowing them to focus on other forest managment needs.
Safety for the public and, contractors and wildlife is a key component to MDF project work. For example, during this project a saw sparked off a rock causing a small wildfire to erupt in the area. Because Tyler, the MDF project manager, came from the wildland fire fighting world, he planned around this risk with his contractor. The contractor had the skillset and equipment onsite to mitigate the fire before it could get out of hand. The contractor created a fire line around the area while Tyler coordinated with U.S.F.S. crews to manage the situation. Because of the forethought, quick action and a great partnership the damage was held to less than an acre.
Habitat impact:
Because this project cleared cramped, fallen, and less valuable wood while leaving high value habitat creating trees like aspen. Local Law enforcement staff are seeing more deer using the area for summertime browse.
Timber Management projects like this are critical to putting more deer on the landscape. By removing old less valuable timber from aspen stands, clearing fallen and dead timber, we open the canopy to promote nutritious browse and ease of movement. This space allows plants like Aspen, native grasses, and forbs to grow. Mule Deer use these native calorie sources to build their strength and energy reserves in preparation for long winter months.
Thank you to all for waiting while we worked:
We know it’s no fun to drive to your favorite camping area only to find it closed. We apologize for the inconvenience. Because of your cooperation, our contractors were able to operate safely and the work accomplished will help ensure deer and other wildlife will flourish on the UWC. Due to projects like this, you and your family will enjoy this public resource for years to come.
Keep up the great work MDF Field Team in Utah!
Good luck this fall. Send pictures or stories from the field to [email protected] to be featured on our website or in our magazine. If this article, or any of our articles helped you become a better conservation steward, join the mule deer foundation. Click here to join: https://muledeer.org/product-category/membership/
Trevor J Hubbs https://www.instagram.com/trevorhubbs/
Trevor is the Communications Manager for the Mule deer Foundation. He grew up hunting and fishing the eastern edge of the Ozark mountains for quail, ducks, and bucks. Trevor is a contributor for “Fur, Fish, and Game”, Lethal Minds Journal, Strung Magazine, and Shooting Sportsman among others.
