2003-04-30_PERMIT FILE - M2003030 (2)

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This azea is situated on a northeast facing hillside of moderate slope. Before the fire, this azea was predominately timbered with ponderosa pine and douglas fir. Understory consisted of common creeping juniper and kuuuknmick. A few aspens were scattered throughout the area. A few moutain mahogany also grew on the east end along with common yucca. A very few conifers to the west have survived the fire. Some aspen were beginning to sprout new shoots by autumn of 2002. Fully 90% of the timber on this site was under 6 inches in diameter. About a dozen trees reached to 12 inches in diameter. One of these trees survived and will be protected from our excavation. Flora and fauna in this region is not highly diverse. This is characteristic of granitic soils which underlay climax coniferous forests. Most of this proposed area is gravel hillside with very spazse vegetation, conifers being the predominant plants. This area has previously been a favorite digging site of many area rock collectors. Hand-dug pits completely cover this 3.8 acre trend to the point little surface vegetation remained prior to the fire. Several trees had been undercut and were fallen down. The azea had begun to re-grow as hand digging ceased when diggers were no longer able to get sufficiently deep to reach unexposed cavities. This is the site of one of our prospects which is left open as directed by the Forest Service. The exposed prospects are serving to catch runoff and allowing it to soak in, which will partially prevent more severe erosion. Presently, 50% of this area is severely burned with all vegetation completely burned and the soil sterilized. The remauung 50% is moderately burned with dead timber. Even though our sites are relatively small, our reclamation efforts will include retimbering those areas which had timber prior to the fire. Additionally, we will reclaim most of the hand-dug areas by reseeding. Blue Smoky: Sites E and F: These two sites fit within a trend 800 feet long by 400 feet wide (about 7 acres). Total excavation within this area is planned for less than 1/4 acre. This area is situated on a south facing and southwest facing hillside of gentle slope. Before the fire, this area was predominately open grass and mountain mahogany. Isolated, mature, ponderosa pines are scattered throughout the azea. A few douglas fir are on the west comer of the area. One or two ponderosas were protected by the prospect pit at Site E and may have survived the fire. If so, these will be protected. Some aspens also occur on Site E. The decomposing granite is 8 to 10 feet deep in these two sites. Scattered rock outcrops are the source of isolated crystal cavities. The relatively heavy grass coverage has kept this area from eroding. The grass should quickly reestablish itself this season. This area is moderately burned. Wolf Fang: Site G: This is an isolated site adjacent to a road in an open field where pegmatites have come to the surface. The proposed excavation is approximately 1/8 acre within an area of about 1 acre.