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Of the four listed sensitive species that could potentially occur in the project area during the <br />winter only two are known to occur. These are the American marten and northern goshawk. The <br />limited amount of, and habitat type, predominantly oakbrush/mountain shrub to be removed will <br />have very little affect on any members of these two species that might winter in the area. <br />During the winter surveys elk, northern goshawk and American marten were the only <br />management indicator species observed in the project area. <br />During average winters a few elk remain in the area to winter, but most move to lower elevations <br />in the North Fork Valley to winter. The amount of disturbance associated with the proposed <br />mining activities would be expected to have very little effect on what few elk may remain in the <br />area to winter. <br />Activities associated with the proposed operations during the winter would not affect deer as <br />they all move to lower elevations along the North Fork Valley to winter. <br />Only one additional raptor nest that was not observed during the baseline studies in 2007 was <br />observed during the winter surveys. This nest was located in an aspen stand did not appear to <br />have been active during the 2007 nesting season. <br />The large expanses of suitable habitat in comparison to the small amount of habitat that will be <br />disturbed by the proposed operations means that the viability of the wintering species within the <br />project area will probably not be affected. <br />23