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Transit Mix Concrete Co. <br /> Florissant and Woodland Park." (Grigg 2012). These south-facing slopes provide important winter <br /> habitat for elk, and these areas will not be disturbed in any manner by the mining plan. <br /> As detailed in the DAU plan, current population estimates indicate the E-23 herd is stable and <br /> fluctuating between 3,000 — 3,500 animals. "CPW does not currently advocate for a population <br /> increase, as fire suppression has resulted in much of the DAU reaching later-seral habitat stages <br /> that aren't necessarily highly productive for elk and limit their biological carrying capacity. Habitat <br /> improvement projects would be of great benefit in this DAU, particularly in GMU 59. Without such <br /> habitat improvement projects, a large increase to this elk herd could negatively impact available <br /> habitat, increase game damage issues on private lands, and increase competition with deer and <br /> other ungulates." (Grigg 2012). Also, "GMU 59, in particular, has the potential to be outstanding <br /> elk habitat, but has become heavily overgrown with pinion-juniper, ponderosa, and spruce-fir <br /> forests that currently aren't as productive for elk as they would be if treated with fire or thinning <br /> projects." (Grigg 2012) <br /> Within the DAU E-23 unit there are 2,201 km2 (543,879 ac) of designated elk winter range; 467 <br /> km2 (115,398 ac) of which are within the GMU-59 area. The project will disturb 239 ac which is <br /> 0.04% of the winter range within the DAU E-23 unit, and none of the winter range within the GMU- <br /> 59 area. Winter range primarily consists of south-facing pinyon-juniper which will not be <br /> disturbed. The project will not impact regional elk habitat. In addition, not all the 239 acres will be <br /> disturbed at once, and the maximum disturbance at any time will be less than 165 acres.As stated <br /> in the mine plan above, increases in affected lands will be incremental and the reclamation will <br /> be completed contemporaneously as mining progresses, and through implementing the mine and <br /> reclamation plan there is an opportunity to not only reclaim the area back to wildlife habitat but to <br /> improve the wildlife habitat, increase the amount of winter habitat, and provide more value to <br /> wildlife than currently exists, encouraging a more robust wildlife habitat. The reclamation plan <br /> complies with the GMU-59 recommendations for habitat improvements by increasing the amount <br /> of shrublands. Also, the mining plan preserves the existing ridgeline and valley migration <br /> corridors and the existing shrubland north of Little Turkey Creek. <br /> Hitch Rack Ranch Quarry Permit Application <br /> October 3,2017 E-15 <br />