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<br /> 23 <br /> <br />' The productivity of the vegetation (and the soil that supports it) will <br />' also be lost. The loss may be permanent for much of the quarry area. <br />It will also be permanent for the roads unless the roads are reclaimed <br />later, Table 1. The loss of productivity is of minor economic significance. <br />The area is estimated to produce an average of only about 450 pounds of air- <br />' dry forage annually, only half of which is available to livestock. Only <br />about eight cow-months of grazing will be lost. <br /> The shrubs on the upper slopes represent high-value deer habitat. The <br />' part that will be disturbed, however, represents such a small part of the <br /> total winter range available that the impact should be minor. <br /> No rare or endangered plants were found in the vicinity. <br /> Future Impacts <br />' Full development of the quarry will destroy 10 to 18 additional acres of <br /> vegetation, mostly shrub types. <br />' Recommendations <br /> 1. Complete all aspects of the rehabilitation plan set forth in our <br /> 1972 report, to revegetate and stabilize all areas of disturbed <br />' soil and fills which are not actively used road surfaces or work <br /> areas. <br />' 2. Upon completion of the project, obliterate, restore and revegetate <br /> any roads that will not continue to be used. <br />' 3. Add soil material to, and revegetate, all worked-out benches in the <br /> quarry. Procedures and materials are suggested under the heading <br /> "Rehabilitation." <br />' Fauna <br />' Nature of Impacts <br /> Fifty to sixty acres of fair to good habitat for deer, cottontails, some <br /> kinds of birds and other lesser fauna, is being taken out of production <br />' by the quarry. Two or three acres of poorer habitat were destroyed by road <br /> building. <br />' This loss of habitat is not a critical matter for the following reasons: <br />1. Similar habitats are common and widespread throughout the foothills. <br />' 2. The habitats do not appear to be saturated with any species. <br />Displaced individuals of mobile species can find new homes. <br />' 3. The habitat is not used by any of the species on Colorado's rare <br />and endangered list. <br /> <br /> <br />