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n, •5'AT~: OP COLORADO Rlel~ar6 D. Lamm, Oowmor DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION OF WILDLIFE Jaok R. Orlab. Dlreotor 6080 BroatlwaV Denver, Coloratlo 8021¢ (626-1192 M E M O R A N D U M T0: Dan Mathews Mined Land Reclamation FROM: Al Whitaker Wildlife Program Specialist SUBJECT: Shrub Density Performance Standards • III III III IIIIII I III 999 _ cY "o ~ 3~'~ o 'y OF ti '~ ~(~~~~ lf! ~® C1'r C 1 0 1981 MIP~ED LAND RECLAMATION Co!o. Dept. of Alaturzl fiesourcec DATE: December 10, 1981 • I have given considerable thought to the above referenced subject and have searched the available literature dealing with shrub density. It is obvious that (a) mountain shrub habitats have not been measured in terms of a number of stems per acre in the past, and (b) any recom- mendation we could make which would be most beneficial to wildlife would be uneconomical for a coal company to achieve with present tech- nology, within bonding periods specified by law and regulation. Mountain shrub and sagebrush habitats are very important to wildlife in Colorado. In a recent survey of the Williams Fork Planning Unit (Bureau of Land Management), there was a 92 percent overlap of strip- pable coal resource areas and big game winter range. Most of this winter range was mountain shrub and sagebrush vegetation. Shrubs are the most important food source to wildlife species during severe winters for the simple reason that they protrude above the snow and are, thus, available as food. The important game species, the sage grouse, is totally dependent on its sagebrush winter habitats. In short, the state's shrub vegetative habitats are critically important to the wildlife resource. I find the recent letter to you from Kent Crofts a bit misleading, although he does have several good recommendations. From what he has said, it could be deduced that shrub density and wildlife use are inversely proportional. Such is not true and big game only avoid areas of extremely high shrub density, and these dense shrub areas do pro- vide cover and nesting habitat for a variety of wildlife other than deer and elk. One must bear in mind that big game winter ranges are such for several reasons: Elevation, Aspect, Vegetation and Slope. All these components are important to the wildlife utilizing the particular winter range, but • DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, Monte Pascoe, EzecWive Director • WILDLIFE COMMISSION,Wilbur Redden, Chairrnon Donald Fernondez, Vica Chairman • James Smith, Secretary • Jean K. Tool, Member a Vernon C. Williams, Member Michael Higbee, Member • Sam Coudill, Member • Richard Divelbiss, Member w',