State wildlife and Forest Service brief commissioners on predator study, habitat projects and NEPA support
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Summary
DWR and Forest Service officials outlined ongoing predator and habitat projects, reported large habitat expenditures and described new NEPA and staffing resources aimed at speeding vegetation and watershed work across Garfield County.
Representatives from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) and the U.S. Forest Service briefed Garfield County commissioners on a range of wildlife, habitat and forest-management activities, including a small predator-control study, large habitat investments, and efforts to streamline NEPA for on-the-ground projects.
Dax Mangus, new DWR regional supervisor, said the division submitted Watershed Restoration Initiative (WRI) projects that are being reviewed with funding decisions expected in May. He described mandatory harvest reporting and a recent restricted-weapon season on some units that produced a roughly 41% success rate on the unit cited. Mangus said DWR’s GPS-collar studies (started in 2014) show lion predation can be a limiting factor on several units and that predator management is being used on six pilot units this year. He told commissioners the predator study will cost under $500,000 while habitat work across the state last year was on the order of $38,000,000.
Forest Service staff described large-scale vegetation-treatment projects (including a Dutton West concept and examples of roller-felling) and staffing constraints that have limited local capacity. The agency reported arrangements to provide local staff at an interagency center for permit sales and said it recently gained approval to hire an archaeologist, a bottleneck for some NEPA-ready projects. Commissioners and agency representatives discussed using county–state contracting and the WRI fund to support NEPA work, local contractor engagement, and joint projects to reduce fuels, improve habitat and protect watersheds.
Both agencies emphasized collaboration with county staff and local permittees: DWR said it will add Black Canyon to the Kingston Canyon grazing rotation this summer and Forest Service staff encouraged pre-season coordination with county fire and emergency personnel to improve readiness.
Commissioners asked the agencies for follow-up on project rankings, distribution of WRI funding within the county, and a copy of any written guidance affecting grazing dates; Forest Service staff agreed to investigate and report back.