Laserfiche WebLink
Introduction <br />The West Elk Mine is located in the valley of the North Fork of the <br />Gunnison River near Somerset, Gunnison County, Colorado. The area is largely <br />vegetated with dense oak-chokecherry-serviceberry brush with some small <br />patches of aspen, Douglas-fir, and Rocky Mountain juniper in the upper gulches <br />and on the higher mesas. Boxelder and blue spruce are also occasional in the <br />gulches with willow and cottonwood in places along the streams, primarily the <br />river. Geologic formations exposed are the Wasatch and Mesa Verde and a very <br />small area of Mancoa Shale at the extreme west edge of the area. Soils are <br />mostly clay. Elevations range from about 1800 to 2800 meters (5900 to 9200 <br />feet). <br />This report evaluates the possibility of ten proposed threatened or <br />endangered species occurring within the area based on literature and herbaria <br />review and three field surveys. Herbaria consulted included the University of <br />Colorado herbarium in Boulder, the Colorado State University herbarium in Fort <br />Collins, and the Rocky Mountain and United States Forest Service herbaria in <br />Laramie. Field surveys were conducted in late April, May, and early July, <br />1994 . <br />Qualifications of Author of Report <br />The author of this report, Robert Dorn, has a Ph. D. in botany from the <br />University of Wyoming and a M. S. in fish and wildlife management from Montana <br />State University. He is author of Vascular Plants of Wyoming, Vascular Plants <br />of Montana, and Flora of the Black Hills, is co-author of Wyoming Birds, and <br />has published numerous other books and scientific papers on wildlife and <br />plants. He has nearly 30 years experience with the Rocky Mountain flora and <br />fauna and has conducted many surveys throughout the region for threatened and <br />endangered species as well as for "migratory birds of high federal interest." <br />Species Evaluations <br />Wolverine, Gulo ulo <br />The Wolverine was never very abundant in Colorado from the time Caucasians <br />first entered the region. Warren (1910, 1942) summarized early reports of <br />their occurrence. He noted that they were "found sparingly through the heavy <br />forests in the high mountains." They continue to be an animal of remote <br />mountain areas. Territories may be as much as 2000 sq. km. or 772 sq. mi. <br />(Clark 6 Stromberg 1987). Lechleitnet (1969) noted that, "Today the wolverine <br />is a rare mammal in our state and I know of no recently taken specimens." <br />Their decline likely has been due to a number of factors including poisoning <br />campaigns against wolves and coyotes, recreational and other mountain <br />developments, and decline of game populations. <br />Although a Wolverine might wander through the West Elk Mine area, it would <br />be an extremely rare occurrence. The habitats here are extremely marginal for <br />the species. Any development in the area would have virtually no impact on <br />the species. <br />Northern Goshawk, Accipiter gentilis <br />The Northern Goshawk is a species of the mountains, particularly where <br />there is heavy timber interspersed with parks. Shuster (1976, 1980) <br />summarized nesting densities and requirements in north-central Colorado. <br />Nests were within 2 km. of main roads. Several were within 0.5 km. of <br />ranches. Live, large trees are used for nest sites, primarily aspen, <br />lodgepole pine, and ponderosa pine. There appears to be a preference for <br />1 <br />