WSP07926 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

J~J::2~Q species. Land treatment projects which result in decreasing sagebrush cover helow 25% would preclude these areas from being used for sage grouse nesting and would decrease sage grouse wintering habitat. Impacts from Riparian Zones Management. Moving existing watering facilities out of riparian areas would improve these ares for sage grouse brooding and nesting. Impacts from Uvestock Grazing Management. Restricting total forage utilization in order to maintain minimum stubble heights of 6 inches in riparian areas within sage grouse brood habitat, 4 inches in riparian areas with a fIshery stream, and 2 112 inches in all other riparian areas, and to maintain a 40-60% utilization rate on all uplands would improve big game forage quality, and forage diversity and nesting and brood cover Cor sage grouse and non-game species. Eliminating livestock grazing in the North Willow Creek drainage would improve winter forage and thermal cover by 70-100% on 76 acres of crucial winter range. Continuing to not authorize livestock grazing along 5 miles of Cochetopa Creek would increase winter forage Cor deer, reduce disturbance to bighorn sheep, and improve cover and forage diversity for all wildlife species. Prohibiting fall livestock use within the proposed East Gunnison ACEC would increase forage availability for wintering big game. Excluding season-long livestock grazing on 61,061 suitable acres in EMU 551 in units B.9 and B-11 would provide additional habitat for sage grouse and would increase forage for wintering antelope, elk, and deer. prohibiting domestic sheep grazing in the highway grazing allotment, No 6056, would decrease total browse utilization and forage competition between domestic sheep and wintering deer. Eliminating domestic sheep grazing on bighorn sheep habitat within the Alpine ACEC and within grazing allotment 6112 (25,664 suitable acres) would eliminate most of the possibility of disease transfer between the two sheep species and would increase available forage for bighorn sheep on these lands. ALTERNATIVE B IMPACTS EIiminating livestock grazing on 837 suitable acres from allotment 6200 would increase forage for bighorn sheep, elk and deer. Impacts from Forest Management. Prohibiting commercial timber harvests from May 1 through June 30 in elk calving areas would prevent disturbance to calving elk from logging during the calving season. Prohibiting commercial timber harvests in riparian areas would help maintain non-game habitat and species diversity. Harvesting ponderosa pine and douglas fir on a sustained yield basis would decrease big game thermal and hiding cover by 100-150 acres per year. Maintaining 70% cover along new roads constructed for commercial timber harvests would maintain the surrounding area for summer elk habitat. Impacts from Recreation Management. Development of campsites and the associated increase in use along Cochetopa Creek would eliminate bighorn sheep use within 112 miles of developed areas, and would deter raptor use. Increased visitor use within the proposed Alpine ACEC would alter bighorn sheep and elk use patterns, resulting in the loss oC habitat and overutilization of forage species in the remaining areas, especially along Henson Creek and the upper Lake Fork of the Gunnison River. Designating 600 acres of public land within and adjacent to the Sapinero State Wildlife Area as closed to OHV use would ensure OHV management consistency with the adjoining CDOW land and would improve management of the area. Limiting OHV use from December 1 through March 31 to designated roads, when necessary, on 56,297 acres of crucial elk and deer winter range in units B-5 and B-6 would prevent disturbance to these animals during the most critical portion of the year. Impacts from Transportation and Access. Acquiring public TOad access into the Rock Creek Park area 4-19