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j~~:$S Man;.gem8A(.DeCISlonS MANAGEMENT UNIT 12 1,895 Acres of Public Surface; less than 1 per- cent of the Planning Area Management Un~ 12 Is t,895 acres of public land In Escalante Canyon approximately six miles southwest of the Gunnison River. Several listed plant species and two unique plant as- sociations occur In the management un~. The arsa also receives slgnKlcant recreational use due to ~s scenic qual~les and the presence of eroded potholss In Escalante Creek. The management un~ Is designated as the Es- calante Canyon Area of Cr~lcal Environmental Concern (ACEC). This dsslgnatlon will enhance managsment and protection of the listed plant species and unique plant associations, and will Improve the public's awareness of the recrea- tional hazards of the Escalante potholes. Plan mon~orlng studies will be developed and ac- tlv~les designed to Improve these plants' habitat cond~lons will be In~lated. Surface-dlsturblng actlv~les will be restricted. Informational signs Identifying potential recreational hazards will be provided. Camping will be limited to designated areas. 011 and Gaa. Federal 011 and gas estate will remain open to leasing w~h a no surface oc- cupancy stipulation. Locatable Minerals. The management un~ will be w~hdrawn from entry and location for locatable minerals. MineraI Materials. The management un~ will be closed to disposal of minerai materials to protect the potential habitats of listed species and unique plant associations. LIvestock Grazing. Livestock grazing will continue at current levels unless studies deter- mine threatened and endangered plant species and unique plant associations or their potential hab~ats are being degraded. \ I~ Chapter Two Forestry. To prsvent accidental destruction of listed species and unique plant associations, woodland harvests will not be permitted. Off-Road Vehicles. To prevent accidental destruction of listed species and unique plant as- sociations, vehicle use w~hln the management un~ will be IIm~ed to designated roads and trails yearlong. Visual Resources. The management un~ will be managed under VRM Class II guidelines to maintain ~s scenic qual~lss. Major Utilities. Ths management un~ will bs closed to development of major utll~les to prevent accidental destruction of listed species and unlqus plant associations, and to maintain ~s scenic qual~les. Fire Management. All 1,895 acres of public surface In the management un~ will be managed under the fire-use category where fire will be util- Ized as a management tool. Planned or natural Ign~lons meeting pre-determlned prescriptions will be allowed. MANAGEMENT UNIT 13 377 Acres of Public Surface; less than 1 percent of the Planning Area Management Un~ 13 consists of two tracts totalling 377 acres of public land eight miles east of Montrose. The smaller tract Is north of High- way 50 and the larger tract Is south of ths high- way. The tracts contsln the largest population of the endangered clay~ovlng wild buckwheat In the planning area and also have slgnKlcant populations of Montrose penstemon, a can- didate spsclss. Ths entire management un~ Is designated as the Falrvlew Research Natural AreaJArea of Criti- cal Environmental Concern (RNAlACEC). Plant monitoring studies will be developed In coopera- tion with the Colorado Natural Areas Program 25