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• 1977). For ranges that an: dominated by woody speces, the amount and availability of nutritious and <br />palatable herbaceous spedes is signficantly retluced, affecting the forage available to livestock. The <br />grazing season at Seneca II runs from late spring to fall and during this period herbaceous species are <br />selected by both sheep and cattle. <br />The spedes selected for inclusion in the permanent seed mixes were not only selected for establishment of <br />a predominantly native, diverse, productive, self-sustaining community, but also to diversify dietary intake <br />and meet the nutrient requirements of livestock and wildlife during spring and summer (Cook, et al. 1977). <br />Wildlife can benefit from early green-up of herbaceous species or use standing forage from these species as <br />an energy source when available in the winter (as evidenced by large elk herds on reclaimed areas in <br />winter). Inclusion of forts and shrubs in reclaimed areas and readily available adjacent undisturbed native <br />vegetation will provide ample opportunities for well-balanced diets for both livestock and wildlife. Availability <br />of lands wrfh a palatable herbaceous forage may aid in reducing wildlife impacts to regional agricultural <br />fields, partiwlady haylands and stadryards. Likewise, livestock will concentrate on the open reclaimed <br />areas reducng pressure on adjacent native habitat. <br />As detailed in the following plan, selected areas will receive supplemental shrub seeding or will have shrubs <br />and trees planted. These areas will not be extensive, but will be oriented to enhance habitat and vegetative <br />diversity, mitigate the loss of cover in the larger mining blocks, provide edge in the reclaimed habitat, provide <br />a source of browse for wikil'rfe, and establish areas where woody plants may regenerate or spread. Shrub <br />• and tree plantings are arranged to provide travel cortidors for wildlife where possible. <br />The reclaimed plant communities, with a high composition of herbaceous spedes, will enhance the forage <br />diversity and habitat for wildl'de by increasing the availability of succulent forages. Succulent forages are <br />high in digestible protein and digestible energy and may remain palatable and nutritious even after they have <br />completed their annual growth (Cook et al., 1977). Also, animal performance is related to the amount of <br />digestible energy and digestible protein in forages. This is espedally true for livestock arM big game nearing <br />the end of the gestation cycle (spring), and during lactation (spring through summer). The sutxuleM <br />herbaceous forage in the reclaimed plant communties will provide nutrient levels that meet these increased <br />needs for both livestock and big game better than woody dominated native vegetation, Again, the large <br />numbers of deer and elk present on reclaimed areas at the Seneca II Mine appear to demonstrate the utility <br />of a herbaceous forage resource to big game. <br />Early greening spring grasses contribute significenlly to mule deer diets in the Rodry Mountain and <br />Intemrountain regions (Wiltms and McLean, 1978). Yoakum and Dasmann (197t) also reported pregnant <br />does benefit directly from the availability of green forages during the critipl earty sprirg period. If the winter <br />has been severe, the need for suocrrlent and nutritious spring forage is even more critical. Big game sated <br />out those forages highest in nutritive quality when available acrd also those that are greening and succulent <br />(Mereszczak et al., 1981 and Amnstrong, 1975). To a lesser extent, these berrefrts will benefit other wildlde <br />• spedes. <br />TR-37 13-5 Revised 04/05 <br />