1995-08-11_REVISION - M1977493 (11)

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Conifer stands that are suitable for the purple lady's slipper are also suitable for the wolverine, lynx, and goshawk. All three of these wildlife species are wide-ranging, and their large home ranges would typically include a variety of habitats associated with montane or subalpine forest. Within the Climax study area, spruce-fir covered most slopes between the valley floors and tundra. Open stands, such as were emphasized during the surveys, are distributed throughout the area but are best developed along the flanks of Mt. Arkansas, south of the Arkansas River; the flanks of Chalk Mountain northwest of Fremont Pass; forested slopes adjacent to the unnamed tributary of the East Fork Eagle River; similar habitats near Robinson Lake; and lower portions of Sheep Mountain and Jacque Peak, west of the tailing areas. 4.2 Alpine Tundra Both Penland's eutrema and the Leadville milkvetch are reportedly restricted to tundra underlain by Leadville limestone and east-facing slopes of the Mosquito Range. Although the study area does not have Leadville limestone at the surface and is on the west-facing side of the Mosquito Range, the documented presence of both species in such relative proximity (as the raven flies) suggested that some surveys above timberline would be prudent. Therefore, selected slopes were surveyed on the flanks of Traver, McNamee, and Jacque peaks, as well as Bartlett, Little Bartlett, and Sheep mountains (Figures 1 and 2). Tundra areas selected for the T&E surveys are characterized by alpine vegetation adjacent to rocky slopes and beneath snowfields. These areas are dominated by alpine grasses and sedges, a variety of forbs, such as alpine avens (Acomastylis rossit), mountain dryad (Dryas octopetala), and alpine clover (Trifolium nanum), and the dwarf shrub snow willow (Salix nivalis).' Cushion. plants are not as well developed on the grassy slopes as on rockier sites. The tundra areas surveyed extended across elevations from 11,600 to 13,000 feet. 4.3 Willow and Grass/Sedge Wetlands Streamside wetlands dominated by willows, sedges, and hydrophytic grasses were surveyed intensively for Porter's feathergrass and boreal toads. Although the toads must return to areas of standing or slow-flowing water to breed, they may move into nearby habitats as adults or recently metamorphosed juveniles to feed. Porter's feathergrass has not been documented from the project vicinity, but it is known to occur in Lake and Summit counties. The most extensive willow and wet-meadow habitats in the Climax study area are along the upper Arkansas River valley upgradient from the mine, along the unnamed tributary of East Fork Eagle River southwest of Robinson Lake, and along Tenmile Creek at the northern end of the site (Figures 1 and 2). Most of the remaining streamside habitats are along fast-flowing streams with rockier substrates. These areas are typically dominated by common streamside forbs such as tall chiming bells (Mertensia ciliata), tall ragwort species (Senecio serra and S. triangularis), bittercress (Cardamine cordifolia), and brook saxifrage (Saxifraga odontoloma). 4.4 Aquatic habitats As described previously, boreal toads breed in areas of quiet water that are free of fish. Suitable habitats for toad reproduction may include abandoned beaver ponds, abandoned stream channels, 4