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7. 1 VEGETATION RESOURCES <br /> The landscape in the Climax area is generally composed <br /> of three contrasting bands of vegetation communities ( see Vege- <br /> tation Map, Appendix H and at the end of Section 7 . 1 ) , willow in <br /> the valley bottoms, the spruce-fir forest on the slopes, and <br /> alpine-tundra above. The willow (Salix spp. ) communities are <br /> predominately located in the Arkansas River valley and most <br /> bottom lands of tributary streams to the Arkansas River, Eagle <br /> River, and the Tenmile Creek. Assorted grasses , sedges (Carex <br /> spp. ) and forbs grow amongst the willow shrubs. <br /> The spruce-fir forest lies below 11 ,800 feet elevation <br /> in the subalpine zone and is dominated by Engelmann spruce <br /> (Picea engelmanni) and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) inter- <br /> spersed with communities of quaking aspen (Populas tremuloides) , <br /> lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and of willows and open meadows. <br /> Understory and open meadow plants include grasses, such as sheep <br /> fescue (Festuca ovina) , timothy (Trisetum spicatum) , forbs , such <br /> as western yarrow, (Achillea lanulosa) , pyrola (Pyrola spp. ) , <br /> ragwort (Senecio spp. ) , strawberry (Fragaria spp. ) , and <br /> soft-haired Arnica (Arnica mollis) , and shrubs such as whortle- <br /> berry (Vaccinium spp. ) , commun juniper (Juniperus communis) , <br /> rose (Rosa spp. ) , and shrubby cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa) , <br /> and sage (Artemisia spp. ) . <br /> Early land uses of the area are still evidenced by <br /> large clearcut and burned sections which have not had opportun- <br /> ity to reforest due to any or all of various factors like severe <br /> climate, unprotected windblown slopes , solarization, seedling <br /> dessication, lack of proper seed source due to destruction or <br /> distance, and competition with other vegetation, especially <br /> grasses. Tree stumps remain in many of the openings while <br /> others appear as alpine tundra invasions with plants such as <br /> tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia caespitosa) and willow. Lodgepole <br /> pine has not been an aggressive invader, but does dominate <br /> scattered areas . <br /> 7-1 <br />