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DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT <br />pipes (Botelho and Arrowood 1996). In certain circumstances, these features may be <br />emphasized in management and mitigation efforts. <br />Recommendations: <br />Avoid disturbance to raptor habitats. <br />2. Retain or increase snags within and adjacent to project areas as hunting perches for <br />raptors. Prey species also utilize snags as nesting areas, food sources, and overwintering <br />habitat. <br />3. Minimize impacts over broad areas, to the extent feasible. Place proposed new <br />construction and human activities within already disturbed areas whenever possible. <br />4. Limit the project footprint to the smallest area necessary to meet project needs. <br />5. Reclaim disturbed areas and obliterate roads as soon as possible following construction, <br />operation, and completion of project activities. <br />6. Close or reduce use of roads within known high-use raptor areas, particularly during <br />crucial raptor breeding periods. <br />7. Increase prey habitat through measures such as vegetation plantings or thinnings, <br />depending on the target species, and with consideration and planning for other species <br />that may use the project area. <br />Nesting and Roosting Habitat <br />Preservation of nesting and roosting habitat is important to maintaining raptor populations. <br />Where feasible, activities should be managed to improve the nest stand structure and roosting <br />habitat for raptors. <br />Recommendations: <br />1. Place proposed project developments to avoid direct or indirect loss or modification of <br />nesting and roosting habitat. <br />2. Enhance nest and roost site availability to increase attractiveness to raptors. For some <br />species, artificial nest sites can be constructed to enhance use of previously or currently <br />disturbed areas. In some situations, natural substrates can be modified or developed to <br />attract nesting raptors. <br />a. Plant trees to expedite replacement in areas suffering effects of habitat <br />degradation. Trees commonly utilized by nesting raptors include aspen, <br />cottonwoods, willows, junipers, ponderosa pines, and other conifers. Where <br />livestock grazing occurs, plantings may need to be protected from livestock <br />12