Laserfiche WebLink
<br />Maintaining the non-forested corridors produqed by trail <br />developnent may present some difficulty in aspeh stands. In <br />addition to enhancing areas for aspen, strip-cutting will increase <br />snow catchrrent in the cleared openings. I <br />I <br />The spruce-fir type covers 862 acres of publib land. This <br />alternative would clear approximately 256 acres! (30%) of this <br />type. Where present in the spruce-fir type, aspen! is expected to <br />invade the edges of clearings. COnstruction of sk~ trails, chair <br />lifts and roads creates long, narrow corridors Iwith extensive <br />edges. I <br />I <br />The Douglas fir (mixed conifer) vegetation type cpvers 240 acres <br />on public lands. Approximately 27 acres (ll%) of Ithe Douglas fir <br />vegetation type would be cleared under this alt~rnative. This <br />vegetation type is cOlllllOnly the successional st;$.ge between the <br />initial establishrrent of pure aspen stands and a climax conifer <br />type. Disturbances such as Clearing corridors fdr trails, lifts <br />and roads would favor aspen establishrrent along the perimeter. <br />I <br /> <br />Included in this alternative are different tartial cutting <br />practices for trail clearing in the back bowl ar~a. Table IV-13 <br />includes 59 net acres of cutting in the back bowl~ while the gross <br />acres affected by cutting will actually be around 199 acres. <br />I <br />The mixed shrub-mountain grassland type will be m~nimally affected <br />under this alternative. COnstruction of ski t:rails and chair <br />lifts should not create a long-term impact on ~hese vegetation <br />types, however, some disturbances may occur duri~g lift and trail <br />construction under this alternative. : <br />I <br />Clearing of ski runs and lift lines will inprov~ cover to forage <br />ratio, increase the amount of edge between vege~ative types, and <br />increase the quality and quantity of forage produ~d. Even though <br />these habitat canponents will be improved, howj3ver, the effect <br />upon sane wildlife species, such as elk, may be negated because of <br />human harassment. Many other species of non~an)e and small game <br />will utilize these improved habitats. (see Wildlife section for <br />additional discussion on habitat.) I <br />: <br />In general, environmental consequences to vege~ation within the <br />Wolf Creek Valley area will be limited to replaqing the overstory <br />vegetation with structures, service roads arrl ski trails. The ski <br />trail vegetation will most likely resemble mixed shrub~rassland <br />vegetation type currently found in the Wolf Creek Valley area. <br />These grass-forb dominated types will appear: as islands and <br />finger-like strips interspersed with the varioljs existing timber <br />types on the mountain. I <br />: <br />The vegetation alteration associated with this: alternative will <br />potentially increase runoff because of decreasEfa shading and the <br />loss of litter and downed timber, which can indrease infiltration <br /> <br />196 <br />