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s`- <br />6.3.2 (Dl Biolosical and wildlife evaluation <br />The most current biological evaluation for the Crystal Peak Mining District ewsystem is attached to <br />this exhibit. Amore current study is currently being conducted. The anticipated completion date is <br />summer of 2007. Publication date is unknown. <br />The significant risk assessment is medium. <br />Specific vegetation and soil site descriptions: <br />The mining sites can be fit into two general goups. Those on the SMOKY HAWK, ELK HORN, and <br />SMOKY DOG (Group A) are on north and northeast slopes. Those on BLUE SMOKY and WOLF <br />FANG (Group B) are on south and southwest facing slopes and flats. <br />Group A sites experienced the heaviest damage from the Hayman fire. Approximately 90% of the <br />timber is burned and dead, now toppling. Much of the upper slopes have sterilized soil where the fire <br />was hottest. <br />Before the fire, this area was predominately timbered with ponderosa pine and douglas fir. Understory <br />consisted of common creeping juniper and kinnikinnick. A few aspens were scattered throughout the <br />area, predominantly in the draws and along the lower slopes. A few mountain mahogany, wax currant, <br />and common yucca were scattered on the more open, gavel slopes. Fully 90% of the timber on these <br />sites was under 6 inches in diameter. About iwo dozen trees aze larger, reaching up to 12 inches in <br />diameter. <br />Flora and fauna in this region is not highly diverse. This is characteristic of ganitic soils which <br />underlay climax coniferous forests. Most of the proposed dig sites are gavel hillsides with very sparse <br />vegetation, conifers being the predominant plants. <br />These areas have been heavily hand-dug by prior field collectors and are covered extensively with <br />small pits and trenches. Some of the dig sites exhibit over 80% disturbance. Numerous trees had been <br />undercut by hand digging and had come down prior to the fire. The area had begun to re-gow as hand <br />digging ceased when the field collectors were no longer able to dig sufficiently deep to reach <br />unexposed cavities. <br />Presently, 40% of these areas is severely burned with all vegetation completely destroyed and the soil <br />sterilized. The remaining 60% is moderately burned with mostly dead timber. <br />Even though these excavation sites are relatively small, our reclamation efforts will include re- <br />foresting those areas which had timber prior to the fire. Additionally, we will reclaim most of the <br />hand-dug areas by re-gading and reseeding. <br />Sites A, B, C, D, J, and K are similar to the above description. <br />Site H is a previously mined area (prior to current claimant). Some timber remains <br />