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<br />-~+ Refuse Area No. 1 Rock Pile Habitat <br />Refuse Area No. 1 was reclaimed during the summer of 1990. Rock piles were placed randomly <br />on the surface of the reclaimed waste pile in order to add diversity to the topography at the <br />reclamation area. Past reclamation studies have shown rock pile habitat provides shetler and wind <br />breaks for raptor prey base such as rodents and rabbits. Raptors frequently use rod< outcrops as <br />hunting perches. Raptors such as eagles and hawks are present within the permit area of the <br />Deserado Mine. On several occasions, raptors have been noted hunting on Deserado's constructed <br />rods piles at the Refuse Area No. 1. <br />Rock piles increase the habitat diversity of the natural landscape used by wildlife spades. Big game <br />use these areas as wind breaks during extreme winter blizzard conditions and increase their survival <br />1 during winter stress periods. <br />Native vegetation can be enhanced by the natural snow-fence condition that exists on the down <br />wind side of the rods piles. Snow accxtmulates behind these rock structures and holds moisture in <br />the form of snow drifts and thereby increases the soil moisture content of the reclaimed area. This <br />_~ increased soil moisture allows better spring growth of perennial shrubs and grasses. <br />r <br />Rock piles also add nutrients to the topsoil overtime as the rods weathers on to the reclaimed area <br />and nutrients from the rocks are recycled into the existing soils. <br />The Office of Mined Land Reclamation, Division of Minerals and Geology, have documented the <br />wildlife seen utilizing the rods pile areas during their inspection. The following is a list of wildlife <br />species that have been observed by the Western Fuels-Deseredo Mine wildlife biologist during his <br />field inspections: <br />Blg Game Snecles <br />Antelope Anti~aTra am .ri ana <br />Mule Deer Odo ril ..c h . ion is <br />Elk a is .lanhus <br />Small Mammal Steles <br />White-tailed Prairie Dog L1mom;s 9unnisoni <br />Cottontail Rabbit ~vlvilaquc n ~ alli <br />White-footed Deer Mouse PQrom;scuc_ manialatus <br />Kangaroo Rat Dims ordi <br />3 <br />A <br />