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Coal Methane Drainage Projert - Panek 16-24 Wert E!k Mine • Page 3-12 more intensive management systems have been implemented. Within the project azea, stringer meadows and riparian habitats are the highest productivity habitats. These habitats have a large number of palatable woody plants and high yield and diversity of grasses and forbs. Elk and livestock both favor these habitats and localized areas can show signs of relatively high use. The project azea has been mapped by the CDOW as elk winter range. Forest Plan designated Management Area SA, Big Game Winter Range, occurs within and adjacent to the project azea. The south and southwest facing slopes and drainages aze most likely to be used during mild winters. Transition and winter range on National Forest lands, private lands, and BLM are generally in a declining condition due to natural aging (lack of disturbance has resulted in forage and browse in a mature, decadent stage) and the effects of human development in some of the most productive range sites. Human activities within the analysis area are highest during the big game hunting seasons (August through October). Human activities in proximity to the azea have included road and trail construction in conjunction with coal exploration and mining since the late 1960's, grazing on the Dry Fork allotment, operation of the Minnesota Reservoir and Deep Creek ditch system, and recent methane drainage activities beginning in spring of 2001. Widespread use of ATV's in the last 10 years has resulted in user-created roads and trails and an overall increase in road and trail densities. These routes often tun along drainages or ridges, which are important elk travel corridors and security azeas. Moderate levels of human activity occur in the Minnesota Creek drainage. USFS traffic counter data from 1998 -2000 indicates use in the analysis area is low to moderate in summer months, then doubles during September and October. In 2000 there was an overall decrease in use of the area from 1999. Some of the decrease in use may be attributed to MCC activities in the azea. Summer use of the area is expected to increase as the community of Paonia continues to grow and residents use public lands for recreation. Human activity on public lands can cause elk to move to lower elevations eazlier than normal (CDOW 1990). Studies indicate that elk respond to human activity by moving out of active drainages to other portions of their home range. This behavior is more pronounced the longer the duration of the acdviry. Big game impacts can be reduced by conning activities to a single drainage at a time, completing the activities in the shortest time possible, and scheduling activities during periods when elk aze not present. Displacement of elk from public to private lands reduces hunting opportunities and creates conflicts with landowners and livestock. Displacement from selected habitats over time is a serious impact to elk. Vehicle traffic on forest roads establishes a pattern of habitat use in which areas neazest the road are not fully utilized by elk. With only two miles of road per square mile, more than half of the available elk habitat can be affected (Lyon, 1983). Currendy, road densities are approximately 2.2 miles per square mile within the cumulative analysis azea and 4.35 miles per square mde within the project azea. During the hunting seasons ells seek security azeas where geography, topography, vegetation, or a combination of these factors, will hold elk under the stress of hunting. The effectiveness of these areas is influenced by their size, type of cover, topographic chazacteristics, and distance fzom roads. Potential elk security areas occur in the Sunset Tzail, Coal Creek Mesa, Muddy Fork, and Ravens Gulch areas. Elk populations within the boundazies of the West Elk Data Analysis Unit (DAU) E-52, which includes CDOW Game Management Units 53 and 54, averaged around 4,176 for the last five years. The current CDOW population objective for this DAU is 2,350 elk. Mule deer are found throughout the general azea in both forested and open shrub habitats such as oakbmsh, sagebrush, and mixed browse habitats. The CDOW has mapped this area as summer range for mule deer. Mule deer fawning occurs near the upper limits of their winter range, in lower elevation brush fields, and forest ecotones. No specific fawning grounds have been identified in the project area. Winter range for mule deer is not mapped within the analysis azea. Current deer Environmental Arte.rrmenl Y~:IOP/Mrv. Gd GlFil/n~iil~l0)F.I utFt J/S/OSd