PERMFILE48738

• Permit No: C1981026
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 12/11/2001
• Doc Name: FISH & WILDLIFE RESOURCES INFORMATION
• Section_Exhibit Name: APPENDIX G
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

• the disturbance area .will be taken
entirely out of production at any given time, the
remainder either in an undisturbed, ~re+mining condition,
or in a stage of reclamation,
Using regional range exclosures as a guide, within
one year following establishment of the study area, there
is expected to be a significant increase in plant vigor
and cover, probably reaching a peak in 3 - 4 years.
Thereafter, improvement in the plant community will be
measured in terms of a change in composition, with
more palatable grasses, forbs and shrubs increasing in
percentage of biomass.
Conditions within the sanctuary are expected to
benefit livestock in the long term, since the carrying
capacity of the site is expected to increase substantially.
When returned to grazing in the post-mining phase, forage
conditions, therefore weight gains, should more than
. compensate for short-term reductions in stocking rates.
This method is deemed preferable to other management
options, e.g. fertilization, because of distinct
advantages to the fauna in dry years. L. Carpenter
(in litt.) reported that plans on an experimental area
northwest of the lease area failed to respond to
fertilization following the dry winter/spring of 1977.
His findings correspond with those of others who have
attempted fertilization in arid areas and have found
that an absence of moisture can negate the anticipated
results (Nagy and Haufler 1980).
It has been shown that the lease area is primarily
a spring-summer use area for featured species. Therefore
it is in dry years that benefits from livestock exclusion
are expected to be the greatest, since a forage/cover
reserve will be maintained, and increased litter will
tend to retain moisture and delay the site dessication
• characteristic of heavy livestock use.
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