The overarching goal of the UP Project is to improve the ecosystem health and natural functions of the Uncompahgre Plateau. Specific goals include:

• Increase the species and age diversity and quality/productivity of native plant and animal communities.
• Change the distribution of plant age classes to match a more natural distribution.
• Improve watershed health, water quality and yield.
• Improve habitat quality for most wildlife species.
• Increase the recruitment and natural survival of mule deer.
• Improve the distribution and quality of the mule deer winter range.
• Prevent the reproduction and spread of noxious weeds on the Plateau.
• Develop community partnerships to promote the health of the Plateau while sustaining social and cultural values.
• Provide new stewardship opportunities for sustaining community-based natural resource businesses.
• Demonstrate a collaborative partnership between communities and agencies working together in an adaptive approach to ecosystem management tailored to restoration efforts across jurisdictional boundaries.

The primary role of UP is to help coordinate and facilitate restoration activities on the Uncompahgre Plateau. UP does not pre-empt, override, or dictate management on any federal, state, or private lands. The specific roles of UP include:

• Assist in the implementation and integration of restoration activities from a landscape perspective across administrative and land-ownership boundaries, utilizing an adaptive management approach.
• Develop a Native Plant Program to deliver an adequate supply of seed for a variety of species native to the Colorado Plateau for use in restoration activities on public and private lands.
• Assist in reducing the “red-tape” required to implement restoration projects.
• Obtain and provide funding for restoration efforts on the Uncompahgre Plateau.
• Identify research needs and assist with funding for restoration-related research studies on the Uncompahgre Plateau.
• Develop guidelines for prioritizing, designing, monitoring, and evaluating restoration projects and implementing projects within the framework of the UP Partnership and goals and regulations of the partners.
• Act as a central clearinghouse and repository for restoration information.
• Provide a forum for public input, information, and education that transcends agency, administrative, and ownership boundaries.
• Encourage the use of local labor in all facets of planning, analysis, implementation and monitoring.
• Develop commercial forest products from restoration activities.

In addition to funding and facilitating restoration projects, anticipated products from UP include: