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RECOMMENDATIONS 



If any of these potential coal lease areas are leased, the 

 following measures should be taken to protect and maintain the 

 wildlife resource: 



1. Exclude from leasing all sharptail and sage grouse breeding 

 grounds and appropriate buffer zones. Buffer zones should 

 be a minimum of one-half mile, or more if necessary, to 

 include nesting cover and wintering areas. 



2. Exclude from leasing all ma.jor mule deer and antelope winter 

 ranges and other seasonal concentration areas. Traditional 

 wintering areas could not be delineated during the unusually 

 mild and short winter of 1980-81. Therefore, prior to 

 further consideration for leasing, these study areas should 

 be monitored during a winter season for the purpose of 

 identifying big game winter ranges. 



3. Exclude from leasing all creek bottoms and associated riparian 

 habitats. As used here, the term "riparian habitat" includes 

 all mesic areas supporting deciduous trees and shrubs. A 

 significant proportion of the riparian vegetation on the 

 study areas is found on side drainages and mesic draws away 

 from the ma.lor flood plains. 



Although riparian vegetation comprises the smallest portion 

 of active vegetation on the study areas, its destruction 

 would have a devastating impact on the wildlife resource. 

 Riparian habitats play an extremely important role for 

 livestock as well as wildlife species during the hot and 

 dry summer and fall seasons in eastern Montana. In addition 

 to providing succulent forage, security cover and a favorable 

 thermal environment for relief from the heat, they are often 

 the sole source of water. Riparian vegetation supports the 

 highest density and diversity of resident songbirds and 

 small mammals and a large proportion of known raptor nests. 

 These habitats are also heavily used by roosting raptors and 

 migrating songbirds. 



4. Maintenance or enhancement of habitat diversity should be 

 addressed in mining and reclamation plans. Habitat diversity 

 and favorable intersoersion of habitats is the key to 

 maintaining or restoring current diversity of the wildlife 

 resource. 



5. Protect or enhance cliff and rock formations, particularly 

 those made of sandstone. Cliffs with suitable potholes 

 and ledges are used by raptors for roosting and may be used 

 as nest sites in the future, even if they are not currently 

 used. 



6. Preserve nest sites used by golden eagles and other "special 

 interest" raptors, with an appropriate buffer zone. Raptors 



