Ashley National Forest Project Spotlights
Withdrawal of the Forest Service (FS) decision on this project on 1/17/2024 was in response to a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The FS decision would have authorized 12 miles of the railway across NFS lands.
Ashley National Forest - Forest Plan Revision
The Ashley National Forest completed revision of its 1986 Forest Plan to reflect current natural resource conditions. We released the final revised Forest Plan on 1/26/2024.
All Current and Recent Projects
Note: Not all projects may appear on map. See list below for complete list of projects with more information or documentation.
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Amendments to Land Management Plans Regarding Sage-grouse Conservation
The Forest Service is considering amending its land management plans to address new and evolving issues arising since implementing sage-grouse plans in 2015. This project is in cooperation with the USDI Bureau of Land Management.
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Anthro Reentry Lop and Scatter
This project would involve reentry of approximately 7,820 acres of previously treated shrub communities with a hand crew using chainsaws to remove the encroaching conifer. Maintenance of the original treatments would likewise maintain habitat.
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Ashley National Forest - Forest Plan Revision
The Ashley National Forest completed revision of its 1986 Forest Plan to reflect current natural resource conditions. We released the final revised Forest Plan on 1/26/2024.
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Ashley National Forest Aspen Restoration Project
This is a programmatic evaluation of the restoration of aspen stands on the Ashley NF outside of Wilderness.
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Ashley NF Forest-wide Prescribed Fire Restoration Project
The proposed project would authorize prescribed burns across the Forest up to 24,000 acres/year. Treatment boundaries would be designed to meet objectives and move areas toward desired conditions. Wilderness, RNAs, private land, & alpine excluded.
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Brown Duck Creek Crossing
The project would involve relocation of flood debris to restore a safe stream crossing for users of the Lake Fork and Brown Duck Basin trails.
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Buckboard Marina Boundary Realignment
We are proposing to adjust the boundary of the Buckboard Marina's special use permit to remove water acreage and potentially add areas of land to the south and east.
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Cart Creek Meadow Enhancement Project
Several restoration treatments would occur in a 244-acre project area, including canal reconstruction; lop and scatter; and seeding/planting. The project would increase wetlands, species diversity, and ecosystem resilience.
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Dollar Ridge Fire Restoration
This project would mitigate ongoing impacts from the 2018 Dollar Ridge Fire by repairing or improving conditions on fire-impacted lands to put them on a trajectory for a quicker natural recovery.
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Dry Creek Trona Mine Project
The BLM is considering a trona mine proposal from Pacific and Atlantic Soda Company. A portion of the proposal involves construction of a water line across the northern end of the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area on the Ashley NF.
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Dry Ridge Communications Shelter Replacement
This project would replace an existing communications shelter that currently does not meet design standards. The proposed new shelter would provide a safer environment for the electronic equipment.
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East Zone Vault Toilet Replacements
To improve visitor services, vault toilet replacements would occur at six recreation sites on the Vernal Ranger District (D2) and seven recreation sites on the Flaming Gorge Ranger District (D1).
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Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area Management Plan
We are developing a new management plan with direction for all resources and resource uses in the Flaming Gorge NRA.
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Harmston Canyon ATV Trail
This project would involve construction of a new portion of motorized trail connecting with existing roads open to all-terrain vehicle (ATV) use to create a loop trail along the Elkhorn Loop Road.
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Henry's Fork Rock Art Interpretive Site
This project would involve the development of a recreation and interpretive site to provide for public education, enjoyment, and protection of the Henry's Fork prehistoric rock art site.
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High Uintas Wilderness Domestic Sheep Analysis Project (Ashley and UWC National Forests)
This project will evaluate the effects of continued domestic sheep grazing in the High Uintas Wilderness (HUW). There are 10 sheep allotments located on the north and south slopes of HUW and are located in both the Ashley and Uinta-Wasatch-Cache NFs.
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Highway 191 Shaded Fuel Break
This project would establish a 760-acre linear fuel break, primarily along Highway 191 and the Limber Flag Yurt Road, to protect watersheds in the area from negative impacts from a large wildland fire event.
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Lowline Trail New Construction
Approximately 0.5 miles of new non-motorized trail construction to replace a section of the current Lowline Trail.
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Mill Park Mineral Exploration 2024
This is a proposal for small-scale locatable minerals exploration and sampling, within and immediately adjacent to an existing Forest Service rock quarry near Mill Park. Expected disturbance would be less than 0.1 acres.
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Moon Lake Campground Debris Flow Management
We would construct a gabion berm as well as riprap drainage channel slopes to mitigate debris flow hazards to the Moon Lake Campground and Moon Lake Guard Station.
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Moon Lake Water System Well
We are proposing a well at the Moon Lake recreation complex to replace two groundwater spring systems that were wiped out after debris flows and landslides in 2023. The well would supply water to the Moon Lake Lodge, Moon Lake CG, and range troughs.
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North Government Park Stream Restoration
The Ashley National Forest proposes to install hand-built structures and check dams to restore a degraded stream and meadow within Government Park.
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Soapstone Calcite Project
Proposal to construct approximately 1 mile of new access road, across the Ashley NF and UWC NF, and then begin small-scale hardrock mining operations for decorative calcite on the Ashley NF, near the headwaters of Iron Mine Creek.
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South Slope Fuels Reduction Project
This is a Forest Service and Ute Tribe cross-boundary fuels management project to reduce the likelihood of undesirable fires, improve forest health, improve wildlife habitat, protect improvements, and increase public safety.
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Uinta Basin Railway Project
Withdrawal of the Forest Service (FS) decision on this project on 1/17/2024 was in response to a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The FS decision would have authorized 12 miles of the railway across NFS lands.
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West Zone Vault Toilet Replacements
To improve visitor services, vault toilet replacements or upgrades would occur at eight sites on the Duchesne-Roosevelt Ranger District.
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Yellowstone ATV Trail
The Yellowstone ATV Trail connections are currently 50 inches wide and off-highway vehicles (OHVs) greater than 50 inches are prohibited. By reconstructing the trail to 60 inches, the Yellowstone ATV Trail would be accessible to more forest visitors.
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Yellowstone Right-of-Way
This project would grant a right-of-way special use permit for an existing access road across National Forest System land to a private property inholding. There would be no change to the existing use of the road.
Project Archive
Some of our older projects can be accessed in our Project Archive.