Cooperative Agreement L25AC00266

THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO CONTINUE THE EXISTING AND ON-GOING PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL BLMOFFICE TO ASSIST IN MANAGING INVASIVE SPECIES, NOXIOUS WEEDS, IN THE HEADWATERS OF THE COLORADORIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES THAT LIE WITHIN GRAND COUNTY. THE CONSERVATION NEEDS BEING ADDRESSED BYTHIS PROJECT ARE TO CONTROL AND RESTORE THE UPPER COLORADO RIVER WATERSHED AND ITS TRIBUTARIES FROMINFESTATIONS OF NOXIOUS WEEDS LIKE HOUNDSTONGUE, WHITE TOP, CHEATGRASS, LEAFY SPURGE AND VARIOUSNON-NATIVE THISTLE SPECIES. THE SPREAD OF NOXIOUS WEEDS CONTINUES TO DEGRADE NATIVE PLANTCOMMUNITIES THAT SUPPORT DIVERSE HABITATS INCLUDING CRITICAL WINTERING CALVING GROUNDS FOR ELK, DEER,ANTELOPE AND THE GREATER SAGE GROUSE. THE EAST TROUBLESOME FIRE OF 2020 SEVERELY IMPACTED SEVERALTHOUSAND ACRES OF BLM LANDS IN GRAND COUNTY, CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVASIVE SPECIESPOPULATIONS TO INCREASE EXPONENTIALLY IN THESE HABITATS. BY PARTNERING WITH OUR LOCAL BLM OFFICE, WEHAVE BEEN SOMEWHAT SUCCESSFUL IN KEEPING INVASIVES IN CHECK AND ALLOWING THE FOREST AND RANGELANDSTO RECOVER AT ITS OWN PACE. THIS PROJECT WILL ALLOW THE CONTINUED CONSISTENT MONITORING ANDTREATMENTS IN THE COLORADO RIVER HEADWATERS AREA.ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED INCLUDE SURVEYING APPROXIMATELY 8000 ACRES A YEAR AND TREATING NOXIOUSWEEDS BY HERBICIDE OR MECHANICAL METHODS AS NECESSARY AS WELL AS GPS MAPPING OF ALL WORKDELIVERABLES INCLUDE ANNUAL REPORTS OF HERBICIDE APPLICATIONS, PESTICIDE USE, AND TREATMENT MAPS.ADDITIONALLY, CONSISTENT AND PERSISTENT TREATMENTS WILL REDUCE NOXIOUS WEED POPULATIONS TOACCEPTABLE LEVELS AND ALLOW FOR EARLY DETECTION AND RAPID RESPONSE TO NEW INVADERS.THESE ACTIVITIES WILL IMPROVE GRAZING LAND HEALTH, WATERSHED HEALTH ALLOW FOR POST-FIRE NATURALRECOVERY AND MAINTAIN IMPROVE CRITICAL WILDLIFE HABITATS IN GRAND COUNTY.THESE ACTIVITIES BENEFIT THE DIVERSITY OF FLORA AND FAUNA IN GRAND COUNTY AND THE RECREATIONALISTS WHOCOME HERE. OTHER BENEFICIAL IMPACTS FROM REDUCING THE INFESTATION LEVELS ALONG THE UPPER COLORADORIVER WATERSHED INCLUDE: PROTECTING GOLD MEDAL TROUT WATERS OF THE COLORADO RIVER THROUGH SEDIMENT REDUCTION WITHTHE INCREASED VIGOR OF NATIVE PLANT COMMUNITIES. POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT OF BOREAL TOAD AND MIGRATORY BIRDS HABITAT. OVERALL IMPROVEMENT OF HABITAT FOR DEPENDENT WILDLIFE INCLUDING GREATER SAGE GROUSE, ELK,DEER, ANTELOPE AND BEAR IN THE ASSOCIATED UPLANDS. REDUCTION IN NOXIOUS WEEDS WILL PROTECT AND POSSIBLY ENHANCE THE KNOWN ENDANGERED PLANTSPECIES (P. PENLANDII A. OSTERHOUTII) WHICH ARE FOUND ONLY IN GRAND COUNTY.