Laserfiche WebLink
• Lnrencira Cum un .llmr - ~~~ildhfr rrduu~cl Rroura <br />SECTION 3 -RESULTS AND DISCUSSION <br />Habitat Types <br />Vegetation habitat mapping consisted of mapping from aerial photography and field verification <br />of the mapping. The following vegetation habitat types were determined to occur within the <br />permit area. <br />The coniferous forest habitat type is dominated by ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir. The ponderosa <br />pine stands occur on drier, warmer slopes. Understory species are sparse within the ponderosa <br />pine type. Cooler, moist slopes are typically dominated by Douglas-fir and contain various shrubs <br />such as serviceberry within the unders[ory. This habitat type occupies approximately 7,390 acres <br />within the permit area, accounting for 41 percent of the area. <br />The oak/pinyon habitat type is the second largest habitat type within the petlrtit area. This type <br />occupies approximately 8.316 acres or 47 percent of [he permit area. Dominant species within <br />this type include Gambel's oak, mountain mahogany. and pinyon pine. The Gambel's oak occurs <br />on warm, moist slopes. while [he mountain mahogany occupies drier, cooler slopes. Pinyon pine <br />is scattered through ou[ [his type and may dominate some si[es. <br />The mountain shrub habitat type is dominated by a variety of species including mountain <br />mahogany, skunkbrush, Gambel's oak, chokecherry, and Wood's rose. This habitat type typically <br />occurs on dry slopes with shallow, rocky, eroding soils. Approximately 766 acres are occupied <br />by this habitat type. This accounts for four percent of the permit area. <br />The grassland habitat type is scattered among the coniferous forest, mountain shrub, and <br />oak/pinyon habita[ types. These areas are generally found in [he valley floors, and mountain <br />benches were soils are deeper. Dominate species include needlegrass, mountain muhly, prairie <br />junegrass, blue gramma, wheatgrasses, and bluegrasses. Forbs include western yarrow, fringed <br />sage, and trailing Fleabane. This habitat type occupies approximately 935 acres within the permit <br />area, this accounts for five percent of the area. <br />Riparian woodland communities lie adjacent to ephemeral, intermittent, and perennial surface <br />water bodies within the permit area. This community is comprised of an overstory of narrowleaf <br />cottonwood. No midstory is present within the permit area. Herbaceous vegetation is dominated <br />by weedy species. This type occupies approximately 75 acres within the permit area. Less than <br />one acre of riparian woodland occurs within the proposed disturbance areas. <br />The hay meadow community type lies within [he tloodplains of the Purgatoire River to the north <br />of the mine area. Approximately 296 acres of this habita[ type occurs within the permit area. <br />These meadows are planed with alfalfa and timorthy. <br />WJJIiI-i::Dn::rher :~ ;ovh 7 (revised 6/30/971 <br />