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~[` <br /> <br />thousand acres. When considering total amount of yeaz around habitat in the area <br />n available to elk, loss of a very small amount of habitat means there is little chance elk <br />L will be adversely affected by the project. In addition, the area already receives a high <br />amount of human activity from eazly summer through late fall. Thus, elk in the area have <br />(j habituated to the presence of vehicular and human activity and the noise associated with <br />~~ both. <br />(~ Project activities will not impact elk reproductive behavior. Long teen and cumulative <br />~J impacts on elk will not occur. This project will not impact the viability of the species. <br />a Abert's Squirrel: <br /> Abert's squirrels are ecologically dependent on ponderosa pines for both nesting sites and <br />' food. Thus they are restricted to open montane forests (Fitzgerald et al. 1994). The <br /> proposed project would not occur within or near late succession ponderosa pine. <br /> According to the 1988 Dominant Covet Type Map included in the 2001 MIS assessment <br />e for Abert's squirrel (USFS 2001 a), no ponderosa pine is located within aides of the <br /> Project Area <br />The Project Area does not provide any suitable habitat for Abert's squirrels. <br />L1 Consequently, there would be no impact on Abert's squirrels or their habitat as a result <br />of the Proposed Action. <br />American marten: American marten were discussed in the BE section of this report. <br />Northern goshawk: Northem goshawk was discussed in the BE section of this report. <br />,_„ Brewer's sparrow: Brewer's sparrow was discussed in the BE section of this report. <br />~ Merriam's wild tnrkey: This bird inhabits mountains and high-elevation mesas <br /> throughout the region. These birds are commonly seen in the North Fork Valley and <br />' have been observed neaz the project area <br /> The project area does provide suitable habitat for the turkey, but the amount of <br />disturbance in habitat used by these birds will be a small percentage of suitable habitatin <br /> the area There are large expanses of suitable habitat throughout the area and the loss of <br /> this minor amount of habitat will have negligible effect, if any, on Merriam's turkeys. <br />Project activities will not impact Merriam's turkey reproductive behavior. Long term and <br /> cumulative impacts on Merriam's turkey will not occur. This project will not impact the <br /> viability of the species. <br /> Red-naped sapsucker: Red-naped sapsuckers are found in mature aspen stands <br />n throughout the area These birds were observed in all aspen stands in the area and in <br />L aspen stands throughout the North Fork V alley. <br />u <br />~! 32 <br />