More on the Middle Fork "Road"

A couple of days ago we mentioned what appeared to be a new road dozed near Middle Fork. Today we have more details from the DWR:

To Whom It May Concern:

This is regarding the wildlife habitat improvement project at the Middle Fork Wildlife Management Area (WMA). There have been questions over the actions taken to improve wildlife habitat on the WMA. This will hopefully answer and address those questions and concerns.

The Division of Wildlife Resources is committed to improving resources for wildlife. This project is designed to accomplish this on Middle Fork WMA property. This project is an attempt to improve and restore winter habitat critical for mule deer and other wildlife species on this property.

The project will entail bulldozing a line to remove competitive perennial plants and prepare the soil to enhance seedling survival of the seeded species. The line will also contain future habitat enhancement projects that will take place in the fall of 2009. This line will be planted fall of 2008 with plant species that benefit and improve winter habitat for mule deer and other wildlife. The seeded plants will include shrubs such as Forage Kochia (Kochia prostrata) and Mountain Big Sage (Artemesia tridentata vaseyana), and herbaceous species such as dry land alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia), Small Burnet (Sanguisorba minor) and other wildlife friendly plants. One of the concerns is that the Kochia being used is the weed Kochia scoparia or Weed Kochia. This is not the case. While Kochia scoparia is a weedy annual, Forage Kochia (Kochia prostrata) is a perennial sub-shrub that is very palatable, somewhat ever green, and provides high quality forage for wildlife. Forage Kochia has been widely used in wildlife habitat enhancement projects with great success.

The Division of Wildlife Resources is grateful for the interest and concern of the people of Ogden Valley in these important resources for the wildlife that share this area.

For questions or concerns, please contact Ron Greer, Habitat Biologist at 801-710-7324 or email at Rongreer@utah.gov.