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Symbol and/or color references are included in parenthesis for those types shown on the Land Use and Plant Cover Map; Tables Irr-3 througl1 Irr-7 give acreages of plant cover types and rel ated categories by ownership and 1 and administering agencies. Tabl e rrI-10 gives county acreages of these pl ant cover types. Acreages in these tables should not be compared to the area delinea- tion for acreage totals as represented on the map because of the general ized nature of the map and th.e inclusions whi"ch a.re recognized as being in the cover type map delineations. The tabl es more nearly represent the acreage taken from agencies' statisti"cal reports, and are rounded and adjusted to total the accepted basin and state acre- ages for land and water area totals. Alpine (A-G:l'eY) The alpine plant association occur above the timberline at elevations about 11,500 feet. The growing season at this elevation is short and the climate, even in summer, is severe. Vegetative production is meager and the plant communities are fragile, exhibiting extremely slow recuperation rates following disturbance. The species usually found in the alpine meadow are sedges, bluegrasses, spike trisetum, alpine timothy, willows, bistort, bluebells, gentian, clovers, and kobresia. Alpine barren areas include those .alpine areas on which there is no natural vegetation, or practically none including shale, rock slides, snow fields, and glaciers. ~i(.~..-L.__ _ . Forest (light and dark green) Forest vegetation is below the alpine zone and above the rangelands in elevations. It is limited at high elevations by severity of climate and shortness of growing season, and limited at lower ele- vations by low precipitation. The forest provides the basis of a stable biotic community usually resistant to surface erosion. Some forest landS produce excellent forage as an understory plant product. This forage complements rangeland forage in tnat it is in prime condition for grazing during the summer months, when rangelands are generally dormant due to dryness. Subalpine Forest eSF-dark green) At higher elevations i"n the subalpine forest, which is sometimes ca 11 ed the spruce-fir forest, the dominant trees are Engl emann spruce and subalpine fir. At the lower elevati"ons in tn.e subalpine II 1-32 .