2018-01-03_PERMIT FILE - C1994082 (10)

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AUM's/Ac (1.81 Ac/AUM) and 1.64 AVM's/Ac (0.61 Ac/AUM) for subirrigated areas. See Table 4-2 for stocking rate definitions. Based on the above stocking rates and acreages for each type, 17.4 AUM's are available in upland pasture areas (31.6 acres), while 36.3 AUM's are available in subirrigated pasture areas (22.2 acres). Pastureland areas are not managed separately from surrounding native rangeland with the exception of the pastureland located in Section 28 in the northern portion of the haul road corridor (Exhibit 4-1). This parcel is isolated by surrounding cropland and roads. In general, livestock, which may include sheep or cattle, move freely between pastureland and adjacent native rangeland. Management of all pastureland areas is non -intensive and maintenance of stands has not been a priority as evidenced by the age of the stands and reinvasion of native species. Rangeland. The predominant land uses on the Yoast Mine permit area are rangeland and wildlife habitat. These two uses are closely associated and occur within the same types and acreages. Management of these lands, however, are most intensive for livestock. Established stocking rates for classes of livestock, fencing, water development, and movement or herding of livestock are management practices associated with rangeland resources in the mine permit area. Historically, livestock grazing in the region has centered on sheep production. The woody dominated plant communities of aspen, mountain brush, and sagebrush are well suited to the foraging needs of sheep and to some degree, these types are better accessed by sheep. Lands on and adjacent to the permit areas provide spring and early summer grazing for sheep prior to moving to higher elevation areas to the south. Lower elevation lands dominated by sagebrush, similar to lands along the haul road corridor, have historically been used as spring lambing grounds. With the decline of the sheep market in recent years, cattle grazing has increased with grazing seasons for cattle running from late spring through summer. Rangeland within the mine permit area includes the following vegetation types: mountain brush, sagebrush, aspen, steep mountain brush, western wheat/alkali sagebrush, mesic drainage, alkali sagebrush/greasewood, and alkali meadow. Detailed descriptions of each vegetation type may be found in Tab 10, Vegetation. An estimate of rangeland condition was made based on evaluation of USDA -Soil Conservation Service (SCS) range sites associated with the mayor soils types. These range sites generally correlate with the 5