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• vermiculatus) occurs with alkali sagebrush (Seriohidium arbusculum <br />spp. lonailoba) in a few small areas along the haul road corridor. <br />Though sagebrush is visually dominant, perennial grasses and forbs <br />account for greater than 50 precent of the relative cover in most <br />sagebrush areas (ESCO 1993). <br />Aspen <br />Aspen is the third most extensive habitat in the Yoast area <br />covering approximately 378 acres. This habitat occurs primarily in <br />moist areas along wide drainage bottoms or on north- or east-facing <br />slopes in the proposed mine area; there is no aspen along the haul <br />road corridor. Quaking aspen is the most common tree in this habitat, <br />but Rocky Mountain maple (ACer alabrum) are occasionally found. Aspen <br />• habitat generally has a shrub understory, and walking through some <br />aspen areas is quite difficult. In other aspen areas, a herbaceous <br />understory is prevalent. Principal shrubs found in aspen include: <br />Saskatoon serviceberry, chokecherry, and mountain snowberry. Some <br />Gambel oak also occurs in this habitat. <br />Grass-Forb Meadow <br />Grass-forb meadow habitat is the fourth most extensive habitat at <br />Yoast, found on approximately 74 acres. Grass-forb meadows occur as <br />small (less than 10-acre) isolated patches primarily in the western <br />third of the wildlife study area. Although some shrubs are present, <br />this habitat is characterized by its openness and the presence of <br />grasses and forbs. Important grasses identified in this habitat by <br />ESCO (1993) include: western wheatgrass (Pascoovrum smithii), slender <br />• wheatgrass (Elumus trachvcaulus ssp. trachvcaulus), Agassiz bluegrass <br />11 <br />