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Division presents Cinnamon Creek Wildlife Management Area plan, emphasizes summer range habitat restoration
Summary
The Division of Wildlife Resources presented a habitat management plan for Cinnamon Creek WMA focused on big‑game summer range, riparian restoration, grazing as a tool and seasonal road closures. The plan incorporates Public Land easement requirements and Pittman‑Robertson deed restrictions for long‑term habitat management.
The Division of Wildlife Resources presented the finalized Cinnamon Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA) Habitat Management Plan at the March meeting, outlining restoration priorities, access rules and a multi‑partner approach for the newly acquired 8,000‑acre property.
What the plan covers: The WMA, purchased in 2021 with multiple partners and a $10 million legislative appropriation, is managed for big game, upland game, Bonneville cutthroat trout and other wildlife while providing public access for hunting and angling. The plan lays out goals and objectives aligned with the state strategic plan and the forthcoming 2025 Wildlife Action Plan.
Key management choices: - Roads: After discussion of multiple options the council committee recommended keeping a defined northern and southern loop (15.6 miles total) open to motorized vehicles seasonally (Aug. 10–Nov. 14) and closing roads Nov. 15–Aug. 9 to protect soils and summer range. - Grazing: The plan makes targeted grazing an active tool for weed control and forage management; the division will use exclosures, virtual fencing and e‑collar approaches to limit wildlife conflicts and improve habitat outcomes. - Camping: To protect sensitive areas, the division will restrict trailer camping beyond an identified point and concentrate camping in already‑impacted areas. - Restoration work: Priority projects include wet meadow and riparian restoration (beaver dam analogs, z‑dikes), woody riparian plantings and invasive species management. Over 60 beaver dam analogs and multiple wet meadow projects are already underway.
Legal and funding context: Cinnamon Creek includes five easements; Cache County holds two that allow limited road improvements (max 33 feet) and prohibit tree removal without DWR permission. Because some acquisition funds came from federal Pittman‑Robertson (P‑R) sources, deed restrictions require that the property be managed for wildlife purposes and consistent with the grant terms.
Committee process: An 11‑member Habitat Committee met in 2023 and refined access maps, grazing timing and infrastructure limits. Division staff and the committee emphasized that summer range values (foraging and reproductive condition) made limits on motorized travel and concentrated camping necessary.
Quotes: “The main purpose is to provide habitat for big game, upland game and Bonneville cutthroat trout, and also to provide public access for wildlife‑related recreation,” Melissa Early, Northern Region Habitat Manager. “This is an 8,000‑acre summer range — protecting it improves reproductive success and winter survival on the larger landscape.”
Next steps: The plan will be posted for public comment and integrated with the division’s implementation schedule; it also frames requests for targeted restoration funding and maintenance staffing to implement fences, parking and signage.
Ending: The council praised the plan for extensive outreach and partnership with Cache County, USFWS, conservation NGOs and local stakeholders and signaled support for moving ahead with the detailed access and restoration measures.
