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• permitting all resident wildlife species to enter <br />the study area. <br /> Rationale: <br /> Various range manipulation practices have been <br /> recommended to increase forage production on adjacent <br /> areas during mining, in order to achieve the mitigation <br /> objectives mentioned earlier. Among recommended measures <br /> are seeding, burning, fertilization, and various <br /> mechanical measures. <br /> It is appreciated, however, that any attempt to <br /> increase forage production will not be successful <br /> unless numbers of livestock can be controlled, especially <br /> in the early phases of treatment. <br /> At the same time, we believe that if livestock <br /> are removed from the ecological study area, no other <br /> treatment will be required to achieve the aforementioned <br /> objectives. <br />• Range conditions on the lease area have been <br /> described as "fair and stable" (BLM 1979, 1981). However, <br /> vigor of the plants is poor, and composition of the plant <br /> community is indicative of extended heavy use (see remarks, <br /> wildlife resource information). By mid-summer the range <br /> takes on a mowed appearance. <br /> The current stocking rate is estimated at 4.4 acres <br /> per animal unit month from May 15 to July 1. Forage <br /> removal has been estimated at 50$. Calculations of <br /> total forage removal on either a percentage basis or <br /> per head basis yield the same figure - 16,200.E dry <br /> weight removal per year within the proposed 81-acre <br /> study area. The increased volume of forage available <br /> to resident wildlife, and the increased density of <br /> vegetation for cover and shelter, are expected to <br /> compensate for the removal of vegetation within the 139.9 <br /> acre disturbed area. Furthermore, only a percentage of <br />• <br />-14- <br />