|
<br />~-'^\'f)
<br />~ \ ' ~. ~.
<br />1'_ _' i,; v_
<br />
<br />include, but would not be limited to, methods to
<br />manage public lands to help meet CDOW long I1lIlge
<br />herd goals, within carrying capacities of the hahitat,
<br />and maintain or improve vegetation communities to
<br />benefit both glUJle and non-game wildlife, New or
<br />additiooal fomge made availahle as a result of
<br />wildlife management projects or treatments would be
<br />used first to satisfy watershed ohjectives, as defined
<br />in the Montrose District Soil Erosion Monitoring
<br />Guidelines, See Appendix N for more detail
<br />regarding meeting watershed ohjectives. Any excess
<br />available forage would then be used to meet
<br />objectives of individual wildlife projects,
<br />
<br />The BLM would continue to participate in the
<br />Colorado Habitat Partoership Program, aimed at
<br />helping eliminate or mitigate conflicts between
<br />livestock and wildlife fomge utilization,
<br />
<br />Terrestrial Wildlife and Habitat
<br />
<br />Elk and Deer habitat: Measures to increase
<br />important deer and elk winter ahrub opeci.,. on
<br />uplands and riparian areas on public lands within
<br />crucial deer and elk winter ranges would be
<br />determined and implemented to help achieve, within
<br />carrying capacities of the habitat, Colorado Division
<br />of Wildlife (CDOW) long-range herd goals of 9,000
<br />elk and 16,600 deer, Crucial winter ranges and
<br />commercial forest lands would continue to be
<br />inventoried and monitored to gather information
<br />pertinent for big game management. Public lands
<br />would be inventoried to identify elk calving areas,
<br />Temporary reductions in big game numbers would be
<br />recommended if necessary in order to achieve proper
<br />use levels and better fomge conditions on habitat
<br />receiving heavy utilization by wildlife. Temporary
<br />reductions in CDOW's long-range herd goals would
<br />be recommended in certain Game Management Units
<br />(GMUs) until the vigor and production of important
<br />habitat species increases such that long-range goals
<br />could be supported, Permanent reductions in elk and
<br />deer numbers in GMU 64 south and east of
<br />Cimarron, in Management Unit 12, would be
<br />recommended and implemented in order to reduce
<br />resource conflicts, West Antelope ACEC,
<br />Management Unit 7, totalling 28,215 acres, would
<br />
<br />SUMMARY OF THE PRMP
<br />
<br />be designated and managed to improve habitat for
<br />wintering elk, deer, and bighorn sheep. A HMP
<br />would be prepared for 76,192 acres of crucial deer
<br />and elk winter range in Management Unit 12.
<br />
<br />Pronghorn Antelope and Bighorn ShLep: Pronghorn
<br />antelope and bighorn sheep habitat would be managed
<br />for 500 animals of each species, Inventories would
<br />be completed to identify bighorn sheep lambing areas
<br />and suitable winter I1lIlges, and suitable areas in
<br />which to establish new populations of bighorn sheep
<br />and pronghorn antelope. Supplemental releases and
<br />reintroductions could be authoriwd. Monitoring
<br />studies would be established within pronghorn
<br />antelope ranges, Management Unit 10 would be
<br />managed to minimize disturbance to bighorn sheep
<br />and potential lambing areas along Cebolla and
<br />Cochetopa Creeks, and a HMP would be prepared
<br />for these lands.
<br />
<br />Sage Grouse and Other Upland Game Bird HabitaJ:
<br />Sagebrush and riparian vegetation on public lands
<br />would be managed to support approximately 9,000
<br />sage grouse, Identified sage grouse habitat, including
<br />nesting, brood-rearing, and wintering areas. would be
<br />maint&ined or improved, Sage grouse strutting
<br />grounds, or leks, would be protected by seasonally
<br />restricting or excluding surfac<Hlisturbing activities.
<br />
<br />The introduction of Merrians' turkey and Columbian
<br />shasp tailed grouse would be considered for lands
<br />with suitable habitat.
<br />
<br />Non-game Wildlife Habittll: Non-game species
<br />habitat would be enhanced by improving or
<br />maintaining a variety of vegetation communities, and
<br />management within commercial forest lands, Raptor
<br />nesting inventories and monitoring would be
<br />conducted or updated to identify nesting areas and
<br />establish population trends, Disturbance to or near
<br />raptor nest sites would be excluded or restricted,
<br />depending on the species,
<br />
<br />Other TerTestrial Wildlife: The intTOduction of moose
<br />would be considered within the Powderborn Primitive
<br />Area Special Recreation Area (SRMA), Management
<br />Unit 2, if Congress does not designate the unit as a
<br />wilderneas area,
<br />
<br />1-3
<br />
|