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ACCESS & HABITAT PROGRAM Regional Advisory Council Project Proposal Review ODFW Region / A&H Regional Council: East Region / Northeast Council Project Proposal Title: Murderers Creek Winter Range Enhancement- Phase III Applicants(s): ODFW Date of Council Review: March 12, 2014 Type of Project: Access X Habitat Other Damage Motion: Vicki McClaran made the motion to approve the project as presented. Joe Patnode seconded the motion. Council Member Position Vote Craig Ely Chairman Yes Vicki McClaran Landowner Representative Yes Joseph Patnode Landowner Representative Yes Larry Snyder Landowner Representative Absent John Groupe Hunter Representative Absent Scott Spears Hunter Representative Absent Morgan Olsen Hunter Representative Yes Disposition of Vote: Motion passed 4:0 Project Strengths: Project will occur in an ODFW Mule Deer Initiative Unit, one of ODFW s highest priorities. Project is occurring in an area where A&H has funded other habitat improvement projects in the past (i.e. shrub plantings and juniper removal). Project will influence critical mule deer habitat on private lands in Murderers Creek WMU. Highly committed partners: NRCS, SWCD, private landowners. Significant monetary contributions from all partners will allow for landscape level habitat improvements. Project Concerns: Regional Council members expressed they would like quantitative measures of mule deer population response to the juniper treatments. Page 3 of 20
APPLICATION FOR GRANT FUNDS Access & Habitat Program Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 4034 Fairview Industrial Dr SE Salem, OR 97302 I/We, John Day Wildlife District of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, hereby make application for financial assistance under the terms and conditions of the Access and habitat program in the amount of $150,000. The total cost of the project is $ 797,000. I/We understand that if this project is approved for funding by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission, before we receive project funds we will be required to: Sign a Grant Agreement containing the terms and conditions upon which funds will be released including submission of necessary permits; Obtain landowner and maintenance agreements if needed; Sign a certification to comply with state, federal and local regulations if needed; Submit a completion report to the Board on project performance. I/We understand that if this application results in an access grant, ODFW will publicize my/our name, address and telephone number for the purpose of helping hunters locate private lands that may be open to hunting. I certify that either: I am the sole landowner of the Property where the Access and Habitat Project will occur I am an authorized representative of the landowner of the Property where the Access and Habitat Project will occur. I am leasing the Property from the landowner and the lease allows me to enter into this agreement. I have the legal authority to enter into a grant agreement for this Access and Habitat project because: ODFW will administer A&H funds for private lands work being completed (fill in details for example: the project is on three parcels; one is owned by me, one is owned by my wife, and one is owned by our family farm business). Grantee Signature: Jon Paustian Date: February 20, 2014 Position: NE Region Wildlife Habitat Biologist Page 4 of 20
ACCESS & HABITAT PROGRAM Application for Grant Funds 1. Project Title: Murderers Creek Winter Range Enhancement- Phase III 2. Applicant: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife Phone: (541)962-1838 Grantee: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (as will appear on contract/payments) If private nonprofit, attach IRS letter of 501(c)(3) status Address: PO Box 9 City/State/Zip: John Day / OR / 97845 Phone: (541)575-1167 Signature: Ryan Torland Date: February 20, 2014 3. Location: ODFW Region (see attached map) East Region ODFW Region / Watershed District / WM Unit: East Region / John Day Watershed / Murderers Creek Wildlife Management Unit County Grant County 4. Type of Project (check): Township/Range/Section To Be Determined Habitat Improvement X Access Damage Other (specify) 5. Number of Acres of Habitat to be Improved: >15,000 acres 6. Number of Acres of Access to be Provided: N/A 7. Proposed Start Date: August 1, 2014 8. Estimated Cost of Project: $797,000 9. Access and Habitat Fund Request: $150,000 10. Briefly explain what the project proposes to do: This project will continue to enhance critical mule deer habitat in the Murderers Creek Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) by removing encroaching western juniper from the landscape. Access & Habitat funds will be used to conduct habitat improvements (i.e. juniper removal) on private lands and will be partnered with $647,000 of other funds that will be available to private landowners within the Murderers Creek WMU over the next three years. Note: Filing of this application does not guarantee acceptance of the proposal nor any portion thereof. Applicants whose projects are approved by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will be notified by mail. Page 5 of 20
Background: (Address how current management actions benefit public access and/or wildlife and their habitat needs. Describe the wildlife habitat and/or access challenge or opportunity this project will address.) The Murderers Creek WMU is located in Grant County and is made up of 64% public lands. The WMU includes the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness in the eastern portion and the Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area (PWSWA) in the western portion. The majority of the summer range is mixed conifer and pine forests with a shrub and grass understory. The winter range is shrub-steppe habitat that has been heavily impacted by western juniper encroachment and annual grass infestation (i.e. medusahead and cheatgrass). The Murderers Creek unit has a long history of mule deer management that began in the early 1900 s, when populations were at extremely low levels. In 1929, the State Game Commission (ODFW) established a State Wildlife Refuge in the Murderers Creek basin as a way to address the low population concerns. As a result, mule deer populations increased to an estimated 30,000 deer just in the Murderers Creek basin alone. In the years that followed, mule deer populations remained at levels much higher than what the habitat could support leading to a large die off of deer from over utilization on the range. To help address the high population numbers, ODFW began implementing hunting seasons as a means of controlling the ever increasing mule deer population. Current population models estimate that 5,000 mule deer inhabit the WMU (52% of Population Management Objective). In the early 1980 s, a series of hard winters resulted in a 62% reduction in mule deer populations. Hard winters in 1988/89 and 1992/93 also produced large deer die offs. ODFW trend data show mule deer populations have been on a gradual decline since the late 1990 s. Historically, habitat types in the Murderers Creek WMU consisted primarily of large stands of bitterbrush and native bunchgrasses that provided excellent forage for wintering deer. Since the late 1960 s there has been a significant change in habitat throughout the Murderers Creek Unit. These key habitats have undergone landscape level changes resulting from western juniper encroachment and the invasion of annual grasses (e.g. medusahead and cheatgrass). In 2009, ODFW embarked on an ambitious program to address the decline of mule deer in Oregon. Known as the Mule Deer Initiative (MDI), this program is aimed at identifying and addressing limiting factors of mule deer populations in five designated WMU s - Heppner, Maury, Warner, Steens Mountain, and Murderers Creek. The MDI calls for ODFW to work with state, federal and private partners to develop and implement strategies that will enhance mule deer populations. The goal of the MDI is to increase the abundance of mule deer. Specific Action Plans were developed for each WMU with an overall goal of reaching administratively established Management Objectives for populations. Past History: (Describe any past Access & Habitat project, especially if the proposed project deals with the same objectives.) Past Access & Habitat projects include: Murderers Creek Winter Range Shrub Planting Project: Funded by A&H from 2000 2005, this project has resulted in the planting of thousands of shrubs across critical big game winter range in the Murderers Creek basin. This project has continued annually since 2005 utilizing other funding sources, primarily Oregon Hunters Association (OHA). It has become one of the Page 6 of 20
most popular volunteer projects that the Redmond Chapter OHA is involved in, annually drawing well over 100 volunteers. Murderers Creek Winter Range Enhancement (2009-26): Completed June 21, 2010, this project successfully implemented Mule Deer Initiative strategies using A&H funds to remove 588 acres of western juniper from critical big game winter range on PWSWA. Utilizing A&H funds ($60,000) and matching partner funds ($222,330), ODFW John Day Wildlife District staff and PWSWA staff were able to effectively treat and enhance critical big game winter range. Murderers Creek Winter Range Enhancement- Phase II (2010-28): Completed in January 2014, this project successfully implemented Mule Deer Initiative strategies on both private and state owned lands (PWSWA) using A&H and partner funds. A total of 1,855 acres ($123,353.90) of private lands and 1,592 acres ($150,000) of PWSWA lands were effectively treated by removing western juniper from critical big game winter range. Utilizing A&H funds and matching partner funds, ODFW John Day Wildlife District staff and PWSWA staff were able to successfully treat and enhance critical big game winter range. Project Objective(s): (a) What is the objective of the proposed project? The objective of the proposed project is to continue to increase the abundance of mule deer in the Murderers Creek WMU by implementing large, landscape-level habitat improvement projects. Access and Habitat funds will be partnered with outside funding sources to enhance private lands winter range(s) by removing western juniper from the landscape. (b) How will the project benefit wildlife habitat and/or public access? This project will benefit wildlife habitat - primarily mule deer, Rocky Mountain elk, and pronghorn antelope - by enhancing forage conditions on critical big game winter range. The removal of juniper will improve native bunch grasses and shrubs, increase water availability and abundance, and help to reduce the potential for large-scale wildfires. A recent study conducted in Colorado illustrates the importance of winter range habitat. The survival rate of mule deer does and fawns increased considerably in response to enhanced nutrition found in quality winter range habitat (Bishop et. al, 2009). The bottom line: the activities outlined in this proposal increase mule deer survival, therefore creating additional recreational opportunity. (c) Length of time benefits provided <3yr 3-6yr >6yr_X_ Examples of Project Benefit Duration Noxious weed 2yrs Forage planting 5yrs Aspen fencing...10yrs Range fertilization..2yrs Forest thinning.5yrs Aspen plant/fence).10yrs Rx Fire-grassland 2yrs Aspen (conifer removal).5yrs Road closure...10yrs Rx Fire-forested..3yrs Juniper removal...7yrs Road decommission...10yrs Fence Removal..10yrs Water Dev./Enhancement...10yrs (Source: Blue Mountains Elk Initiative Project Evaluation Criteria) Page 7 of 20
(d) If damage related, how will the project alleviate/eliminate the problem? N/A Project Location: (Attach a map and provide description of the location and how to get there from a major highway.) All project activities will be conducted on private lands within the Murderers Creek WMU. The Murderers Creek Unit begins at Dayville; east on US HWY 26 to Prairie City; southeast on County Road 62 to Summit Prairie; west on Logan Valley County Road 16 to Seneca; south on US HWY 395 to Forest Road 37; southwest on Forest Road 37 to Forest Road 3750; west on Forest Road 3750 to South Fork John Day River; northwest on South Fork John Day River to Dayville, point of beginning. Please see attached map (Attachment B) Procedure: Specifically describe how the project will be conducted--use separate page for additional information, drawings or pictures. Access and Habitat funds will be used to remove encroaching western juniper on private lands within the Murderers Creek WMU. For private landowners, A&H funds will be used to cover a portion of the cost to pay a contractor to mechanically remove and/or pile juniper. The cost per acre will be based on the density of the juniper and the slash treatment to be conducted. Private landowner payment rates follow those established by NRCS on prior projects. Phase I and II western juniper will be cut at a rate of $111.02/acre. Depending on juniper densities, slash treatments may be required by the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF). For those sites requiring slash treatments, an additional cost of $159/acre will be assessed. NRCS projections show that as many as 75 private land participants, with 150 acres of treatment area each, could be influenced. Each landowner requesting A&H funds would be required to follow the procedures identified below: Private Lands Participants Private landowners will apply for funding assistance through the NRCS / SWCD agencies. According to the NRCS EQIP Funding Pool 2011 for Mule Deer Winter Habitat Improvement, site specific priorities for private lands include: Juniper Phase I and II on high production soils (>1,000 lbs/ac/yr) with expected functional plant groups represented; annual herbage production within normal range; density of deep rooted perennial grasses greater than 2 plants per 10 square feet. Areas located in deer winter range and preferably within the Murders Creek or Heppner Wildlife Management Unit. The goal is to target the more productive sites to reduce the extent of juniper and restore enough habitat for deer that their population can increase within a desirable range, and hydrologic function on rangeland can be improved to an extent that aids in late season stream flows for fish bearing streams. (NRCS EQIP Funding Pool 2011- Mule Deer Winter Habitat Improvement) NRCS will rank all private land applications using the established EQIP Ranking Criteria: Page 8 of 20
EQIP Ranking Criteria Question Points 1 Does the site contain juniper within Phase 1 or Phase II 75 encroachment? 2 Does the site contain functional plant groups as expected on the 25 site and at least two species that are listed on the key forage species for mule deer? 3 Is annual herbage production within normal range and density 25 of perennial deep rooted plants greater than 2 per 10 square feet? 4 Is the project located within designated mule deer winter habitat 25 5 Is the project located within Murderers Creek or Heppner 25 Management Unit? 6 Will partners contribute at least 25% of the cost of the project? 25 Ranked projects will be presented to ODFW John Day Wildlife District Staff / Eastern Region Wildlife Habitat Biologist and approved projects will receive A&H funds for $77 per acre for piling slash. Any A&H funds awarded to private landowners would be administered by the ODFW John Day Wildlife District Staff / Eastern Region Wildlife Habitat Biologist using ODFW s Cooperative Agreement for Fish and Wildlife Habitat Improvements (Attachment A ). Permits: Have all of the appropriate permits been secured or applied for? (Examples: Water Resources Department for water rights, Division of State Lands for fill-removal or wetlands projects) No permits are necessary for this project. Scheduling: What is the estimated project schedule? (a) Habitat Work Start Date: February 2015 Habitat Work Completion Date: January 2018 (b) Access Agreement Start Date: N/A Access Agreement End Date: N/A (c) List major project activities and time schedule for each. Activity Time (month/year) Juniper Removal February 2015 January 2018 Page 9 of 20
Participation: (Will other organizations participate in the project? If so, list and describe participation, and attach letters of commitment or verification of grant awards. You do not need to include individuals.) Participant NRCS SWCD Private Landowners RMEF ODFW Activity Funding, Project Oversight, Grant Writing (EQIP) Overall Project Coordination (Title II Dollars) Project Cooperation, Funding, Habitat work Funding of Habitat work Overall Project Coordination, Funding, Habitat Improvement Monitoring, Monthly Juniper Cuts Funding: (a) List other sources and amount of project funds (include in budget on page 7). MATCHING FUND SOURCE DOLLAR VALUE SECURED/PENDING NRCS- EQIP $150,000/YEAR Pending SWCD- Title II $50,000/YEAR Secured ODFW- Mule Deer Initiative $87,000 (13-15 Biennium) Secured RMEF /BMEI FY 2014 $10,000 Secured (b) Have any conditions been placed on the funds listed in (a) which may affect the completion of the project? If so, identify and explain. None Project Maintenance and Monitoring: (a) Who will maintain the project and fund long-term maintenance and/or operation if needed? ODFW John Day Wildlife District Staff, ODFW Eastern Region Wildlife Habitat Biologist, participating private landowners, and staff from the NRCS and SWCD will maintain the project(s) and complete the necessary completion reports. Long-term maintenance requirements should be minimal and subsequent habitat improvement projects will be evaluated on a case by case basis by John Day Wildlife District Staff and the ODFW Eastern Region Wildlife Habitat Biologist. Page 10 of 20
(b) What element(s) of the project will be monitored, how often, for how long? Upon completion of the project, ODFW staff and project participants will conduct a walk through to ensure that the projects goals and objectives have been met. Monitoring of private land projects will be conducted primarily by NRCS and NRCS monitoring requirements. NRCS views short term success by the number of acres treated successfully with desired vegetation returning. Long term success will ultimately be measured by increased deer numbers. Annual deer and elk surveys will be conducted by ODFW Biologist. Budget / Timelines All funds listed below are for contracted juniper removal. 2015 2016 2017 Total NRCS EQUIP $150,000 $150,000 $150,000 $450,000 SWCD TITLE II $100,000 *TBD *TBD $100,000 ODFW MDI $43,500 $43,500 *TBD $87,000 A&H $50,000 $50,000 $50,000 $150,000 RMEF $10,000 $10,000 TOTAL= $353,500 $243,500 $200,000 $797,000 *Please keep in mind that this budget is subject to change due to increased funding opportunities. It is anticipated that there will be further funding availability from both PR funds and ODFW MDI funds. *TBD: To Be Determined Page 11 of 20
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Attachment B - Murderers Creek WMU Map Page 15 of 20
Murderers Creek Phase III Dayville John Day Canyon City Beulah Legend Murderers Creek Unit Seneca Page 16 of 20 UNIT_NAME MURDERERS CREEK Grant county ownership LAND_OWN Bureau of Land Management Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Private OR_Counties ODFW_deer_wr_johnday OBJECTID_1 1 Not Mule Deer Winter Range 2 Project Area OWNER_NAME USFS National Forest
Access and Habitat Program Project Evaluation Form Program Objective: The Access and Habitat Program s motto, Landowners & Hunters Together for Wildlife, conveys the program s basic mission to foster partnerships between landowners and hunters for the benefit of the wildlife they value. The program also seeks to recognize and encourage the important contributions made by landowners to the state s wildlife resource. Project Name: Murderers Creek- Phase III Project #: 2014-06 Access Acres "Welcome" Private 0 By-Permission Private 0 Inaccessible Public* 0 Accessible Public* 0 Habitat Acres >15,000 Habitat Category: 2 Total Score: 19 (range: 1-6; see flow chart on page 4. Not applicable to access-only projects) Total Possible: 36 Instructions: Complete these sections General Access Project Type Criteria Criteria Habitat Criteria Access Only X X Habitat Only X X Access & Habitat X X X Mark 1 point in the corresponding "Project Score" box for EACH criterion that is met. Example: for question 2, if partnerships include 4 sports groups, award points for the first 2 criteria. Do not mark more than 1 point per box. Point schedule is designed to weigh access-only and habitat-only projects equally. Definitions: Inaccessible Public*: Accessible Public*: Access will be provided through private land to public land that is completely landlocked (surrounded) by private land, legally precluding public hunting access. Total area includes only public land within the boundary of private ownership. Access through private land will improve accessibility to public land. Public land may be extremely difficult to access otherwise, but is not legally surrounded by private land. Total area includes only public land that is closer (in linear distance) to the landowner's access point(s) than any other public access point. * Access to public land MUST be provided on a "Welcome to Hunt" basis General Criteria 1. Habitat Condition (mark a "1" in the "Project Score" box for EACH criterion that is met) Score 1 point only if the property contains the resource in sufficient abundance/quality to support target species referenced in questions 11, 15, 16 and 19 (during at least one season of the year). For habitat projects, use the predicted future condition. Justify your score. Access Fee Assessment Food: Managed Rangelands, Shrub species 1 n/a n/a n/a Water: Numerous Springs and Creeks 1 n/a n/a n/a Cover: Primarily Managed Rangelands with timbered draws 1 n/a n/a n/a Project Score Private Land Inacc. Public Acc. Public 2. Partnerships Partners contributing financial or in-kind support: 1 or more Sports groups. 1 3 or more Sports groups. 0 Educational programs / non-governmental organizations. 0 Other government agencies or ODFW programs (i.e. OWEB, R&E). 1 n/a n/a n/a Page 17 of 20
Project 3. Matching Funds Total matching funds (monetary and in-kind) > 1% matching funds.. Score 1 > 25% matching funds 1 > 50% matching funds 1 n/a Access Fee Assessment n/a n/a 4. Damage Project would mitigate current damage to private property: Wildlife damage occuring on private property. 0 Landowner participates in ODFW damage control programs.. 0 General Total 8 0 0 0 General Possible 12 5 5 5 Access Criteria - Applies to private land access that would be provided under the proposed project. (mark a "1" in the "Project Score" box for EACH criterion that is met) 5. Public Land Project located in Wildlife Management Unit with <50% public land.. 0 n/a n/a n/a 6. Private access Private land access type: Project would provide access to private land.. 0 Private land access would be on a "Welcome to Hunt" basis. 0 7. Public access Access through private lands would: improve access to public land.......... 0 provide access to otherwise inaccessible public land........ 0 8. Special Access Project would provide special youth or disabled hunter access opportunities. 0 n/a n/a n/a 9. Species Permitted Species groups include big game, waterfowl, upland birds, turkey, and predators/varmints. 2+ species groups available and permitted. 0 n/a n/a n/a 4+ species groups available and permitted. 0 n/a n/a n/a 10.Under-rep. Species* Project provides access to under-represented species in the watershed. 0 n/a n/a n/a 11.Harvest Restriction Landowner would not restrict sex or species permitted for lawful harvest 0 n/a n/a n/a 12.Season Restriction Landowner would not restrict access to any hunting season(s).. 0 n/a n/a n/a 13.Dispersion Property would provide access to animals pushed off of publicly accessible land during hunting season.. 0 n/a n/a Access Total 0 0 0 0 Access Possible 12 8 8 7 Payment Fee Total n/a n/a n/a * lists of under-represented species will be created by A&H state coordinator and approved by A&H Board Page 18 of 20
Habitat Criteria 14.Department Priorities (mark a "1" in the "Project Score" box for EACH criterion that is met) Project Score Project is located within target area and will benefit target species identified in any of these Department programs: Mule Deer Initiative, Sage Grouse Initiative, Black-tailed Deer Plan Implementation. 1 15.Location importance: Applies to species that the habitat work will benefit. Question structured to equally weigh big game and game bird projects - score "1" if either item in each bracket is true: Area populations < 90% of management objective (deer and elk) or: { Project will increase wintering populations of upland birds/waterfowl 1 { Area populations < 75% of management objective (deer and elk). or: Project will increase breeding populations of upland birds/waterfowl 1 16.Conservation Strategy Project addresses Oregon Conservation Strategy (OCS) concerns: Project action benefits Strategy Habitat or Strategy Species. 1 [above] AND action occurs in Conservation Opportunity Area (COA) 1 17.Critical Habitat Applies to the specific GAME habitat that the project will maintain or enhance. Use accompanying flow chart and definitions to determine habitat category. Definitions are slightly amended from OAR Division 415 to be game-specific. Project meets requirements of Habitat Categories 1-4 1 Project meets requirements of Habitat Categories 1-2 1 18.Habitat Connectivity Project will help facilitate local animal movement (fence removal, etc.).. 0 Project will help establish or maintain a wildlife habitat corridor or otherwise reduce fragmentation on landscape level.. 1 Description of habitat connectivity benefit (required): Migration Cooridoor from Strawberry Mountains to winter range (ODFW COMPASS) 19.Habitat Impact 20.Population Impact Describes the predicted impact that the project will have on the habitat. Habitat work must benefit game species. Project will increase the habitat quantity/quality >25% per unit treated 1 Project will increase the habitat quantity/quality >50% per unit treated 1 Description of habitat impact: Removal of all juniper within designated treatment areas will increase water retention/infilitration, resulting in a >50% increase in forage production and abundance throughout treatment areas. Describes the predicted impact that habitat improvements (excluding external variables such as weather, etc.) will have on game species on the project site. Provide estimates for all targeted species. Local abundance of at least one targeted game species should increase >25%... 1 Estimated Abundance Pretreatmentreatment Post- Species Habitat Total 11 Mule Deer 1500 1800 Habitat Possible 12 Elk 800 1000 Grand Total 19 Total Possible 36 21.Miscellaneous Describe other project details that may help with prioritization or fee assessment (i.e. current market value of similar hunting leases in the vicinity).... NO POINTS Mule Deer Initiative Area- ODFW Priority Excellent financial match. Project is landscape level addressing habitat needs across ownership boundaries. Page 19 of 20
Access and Habitat Project Evaluation - Appendix Under-represented Species Definition: game species that exist in the watershed district in huntable numbers, but that the general public does not have reasonable hunting access to (via public land, current A&H properties, etc.) Watershed Species Watershed Species Malheur pheasant, waterfowl, turkey Deschutes waterfowl, valley quail, chukar, dove South Willamette waterfowl, turkey, valley quail John Day upland game birds North Coast predators, waterfowl Umpqua waterfowl, dove, turkey Grande Ronde upland game birds Klamath waterfowl, quail Rogue dove, waterfowl North Willamette waterfowl A&H Habitat Category Flow Chart Note: These definitions have been amended from OAR Division 415 to be game-specific and applied on a watershed basis. Habitat Category designations made on this Evaluation Form are for Access & Habitat Program use only, and do not have any legal implications associated with OAR 415. Page 20 of 20