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<br />OR'L CANYON CULTURAL RESOURCFJENV/RONMENTAL RECONNA/SSANCE <br />proposed quarry area makes interpretations difficult to define within the <br />scope of this type of field assessment. <br />Vegetation <br />The native vegetation in area A is composed of widely spaced stands <br />of juniper, pinon pine, greasewood, rabbit brush, field sage, mountain <br />mahogany, yucca, and cholla & prickly pear cactus, but is mostly covered <br />with western wheat grass and blue gramme. This part of the proposed <br />mining area has many traits of a Dry Mountain Meadow ecosystem. <br />The native vegetation in area B is mostly comprised of juniper, <br />narrow leaf willow, ponderosa pine, pinon pine, cholla, barrel, & prickly <br />pear cactus, greasewood, and a wide variety of shrubs, fortis, and grasses. <br />This area can be characterized as being a Foothills Riparian Ecosystem; <br />with many Mountain and Plains ecosystem traits. <br />The predicted vegetation/soil association in area C does not match <br />what was observed in the field, thus, making predictive interpretations of <br />this ecosystem difficult; at best. Nonetheless, it supports relatively dense <br />stands of juniper, pinon pine, ponderosa pine, greasewood, and cholla <br />cactus; with lichens, western wheat grass, and blue gramme covering the <br />exposed ground. <br />Wildlife <br />Area A has a high potential for wildlife use if the habitat can be <br />protected from grazing and high impact development. Again, this part of <br />the proposed quarry area can be characterized as being a Dry Mountain <br />Meadow Ecosystem. Deer, elk, bear, twkey, a wide variety of small <br />mammals, owls, bald 8c golden eagles, and many other types of migrating <br />birds of prey all use this area in some way. <br />Area B has the greatest wildlife and habitat restoration potential of all <br />Three areas studied during fieldwork because of its steady water supply, <br />however, without the buffer zone area's A and C provide this habitat's <br />relative potential is greatly reduced. Deer, elk, bear, turkey, alligator <br />snapping turtles, a wide variety of small mammals, owls, bald 8c golden <br />eagles, and many other types of migrating birds of prey all rely on this <br />area in some way. Many of these same animals appear as ancient rock-art <br />motifs in this and nearby canyons. Again, this section of the proposed <br />quarry area represents a unique and regionally important Foothills <br />