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CHAPTER FOUR Impacts from Uvestock Grazing Mnnagement. Eliminating sheep grazing on 3,743 acres of Uncompahgre fritillary butterfly habitat would increase the production of snow willow, a very important habitat requirement for the butterfly. Impacts from Recreation Management. Limiting OHV use to designated roads in the South Beaver Creek ACEC would help to prevent the accidental destruction of 4,492 acres of skiff milkvetch habitat. This species usually occur in small dense groups making them more susceptible to disturbance. Limiting OHV use to designated routes within the Uncompahgre fritillary butterfly babitat would prevent accidental destruction of this species habitat on 3,743 acres. Impacts from Acquisition of Non-Federal Lands and Disposal of Public Lands. Acquiring available non- federal lands containing colonies of skiff milkvetch as necessary would increase the populations on public land by 35%. Not disposing of public lands containing colonies of skiff milkvetch until inventories show sufficient colonies exist on public lands in the planning area would maintain populations of the species on public lands. CUMULATIVE IMPACTS SPECIAL STATUS PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES AND HABITAT Designation of two ACECs, limiting OHV use, and eliminating domestic sheep grazing would increase our knowledge about, and would prevent accidental destruction of skiff milkvetch plants and habitat, and habitat of the Uncompahgre fritillary butterfly. IMPACTS ON TERRESTRIAL WILDLIFE HABITAT IMPACTS FROM PROPOSED MANAGEMENT ACTIONS Impacts from Wildlife Habitat Management. Land treatment projects, water developments and managing elk and deer populations would increase wildlife forage quality and availability to help meet CDOW long-term elk and deer herd goals. Improvement of habitat quality would improve big game distribution, reduce stress on big game, and decrease forage utilization levels. Reducing the deer population within the highway livestock grazing allotment, No. 6056, by 50% would improve the quality of winter habitat. Interseeding and land treatment projects in the sagebrush vegetation type within pronghorn antelope yearlong range would provide sufficient forage for an additional 200 animals (500 total) yearlong to increase the antelope population from 300 to 500 animals yearlong. Modifying existing allotment and pasture fences in pronghorn antelope yearlong ranges would provide access to additional pronghorn antelope habitat and forage. Impacts from Locatable Minerals Management. Withdrawing 58,369 acres from mineral entry and location would reduce the potential for habitat loss of all wildlife species on these lands from mineral development. Road construction, surface disturbance, and increased human activity that potentially would accompany locatable mineral development would eliminate habitat, alter use patterns, increase stress and disrupt nesting and breeding seasons of a wide variety of game and non-game species. The impact of mining activities would be greatest where bighorn sheep habitat, crucial elk and deer winter range and sage grouse lek areas occur on lands with a high potential for the occurrence of locatable minerals. Impacts from Saleable Minerals Management. Seasonal restrictions on authorizations for mineral material disposal would protect sage grouse broodrearing areas and big game crucial winter range from disturbance during critical times of the year. Not permitting mineral material disposal on sage grouse strutting grounds would protect these areas from surface disturbance associated with this activity. Impacts from Soil and Water Resources Management. Increasing ground cover in the sagebrush vegetation type would improve hiding and nesting cover for sage grouse and other non-game 4-18