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Cou/ Alethane Drainage Project - Panek 16-24 Wert E!k Mine • Page 3-1 i shallow beach-like shore seem to be preferred. Surveys have been conducted in the project area, with several occurrences of tiger salamander identified. Habitats for the northern leopard Frog include the banks and shallow portions of mazshes, ponds, lakes, reservoirs, beaver ponds, streams and other bodies of permanent water, including imgation ditches and wet meadows. Rooted aquatic vegetation appears to be an important component of its habitat. Aquatic vegetation (Juncus, Carex) is important in the breeding ponds for egg mass attachment. Limited surveys for this species have been completed, however, not all suitable habitat has been surveyed. Surveys have not resulted in any observations of this species to date, however, occurrence in the project area is considered likely. 3.2.1.3 Special Habitats Riparian ecosystems typically occur along drainages where additional moisture (surface or ground water) is available. They are transitional areas between terrestrial upland habitat and aquatic habitat. There is no "typical" vegetation for riparian areas and vegetation type can change with elevation and exposure. In the project area, riparian zones aze usually limited in areal extent due to the steep topography and narrow drainage bottoms. Riparian areas traverse through all vegetative types, and are the most important single habitat type for wildlife. Riparian azeas aze used as travel routes, foraging areas, cover azeas, and as a source of water. These areas aze extremely important to breeding birds, small mammals, reptiles and amphibians. They remain cooler than surrounding hillslopes and act as important thermal refuges. They are also pazticulady rich in insects and fruit and are important food source areas. Riparian and wetland azeas attract a disproportionately diverse composition of wildlife species compazed to other habitats. Riparian conditions in portions of Deep Creek and Dry Fork Minnesota Creek aze impaired. This is due in part to road or trail placement in the valley bottom adjacent to the stream course. In the case of Dry Fork Minnesota Creek, portions of the stream course aze used as an irrigation ditch, resulting in a very deep, incised channel, reduced flows (compazed to natural conditions), and sediment contributions from the adjacent road. Ripazian areas in Sylvester Gulch have been impacted by ATV traffic, with the existing trail being either adjacent to or in the stream channel over much of its length. The existing trail crosses this small stream in at least three places and crossings can become muddy, affecting downstream water quality, depending on the time of year. Coal exploration in 1995 resulted in riparian disturbance within the northern third of Box Canyon. The area is an isolated canyon with deciduous woodland riparian habitat that is not common in this part of the National Forest. An existing road prism extends approximately 3,000 feet within Box Canyon. The project azea contains mesic aspen stands preferred in summer by beazs. The steeper drainages and shadowed draws with cool air movement provide travel corridors to Lower oakbrush communities where bears prefer to forage in spring and in fall for acorns and berries. Aspen snags ate preferred nesting habitat to the hairy woodpecker, purple maztin, and a number of other primary and secondary cavity nesters. Forested habitats within the project area, including aspen, cottomvood, Douglas fu, and spruce-fir habitats, provide potential nesting habitat for forest-nesting raptors such as Cooper's hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, great-horned owl, northern saw-whet owl and flammulated owl. Edge habitat includes areas where plant communities meet or where successional stages or vegetative conditions within plant communities come together. The area influenced by the transition between cotntnunities or stages is called an ecotone. Edges and their ecotones aze usually richer in wildlife than adjoining plant communities or successional stages. It is also important, however, to note that the number and type of species present is strongly influenced by the size of a habitat, amount of edge, and size of an ecotone. Therefore, more and smaller "islands" creating more edge will favor species adapted for edges and eliminate species that require contiguous and similaz habitat (interior species). I mu-eim...,...ucw~aiw~riiozer wfr EnvironmentalArrerrment flrlarm-