The study areas currently support good populations and numbers 

 of species of raptors, songbirds, and sraall-mammals . Fifteen 

 species of special interest or concern currently breed on or 

 adjacent to the study areas. Efforts should be made to minimize 

 the impacts of coal development on nongame wildlife through 

 protection, restoration, and enhancement of habitat. Protection 

 of feeding and roosting areas was important as well as protection 

 of nesting areas. 



The following measures should be undertaken whenever possible 

 to maintain, enhance or protect wildlife populations: 



1. Exclude from leasing all sharptail and sage grouse 

 breeding areas and appropriate buffer zones. These 

 buffer zones should be at least one-half mile in 

 radius or more to include nesting cover and wintering 

 areas. 



2. Exclude from leasing all major mule deer and antelope 

 winter ranges. 



3. Exclude from leasing all creekbottoms and associated 

 "riparian" habitat types. Protection of "riparian 

 habitat" which is defined as mesic areas with deciduous 

 trees and shrubs, is very important. A large proportion 

 of the riparian vegetation on the study areas is found 

 on side drainages that are not currently protected 



as floodplains. Two very important examples are Home 

 Creek (on the Otter Creek study area) and Prairie Dog 

 Creek. Many other small patches of riparian vegetation 

 are scattered on smaller drainages and by stockponds. 



Riparian vegetation comprises the smallest area of 

 native vegetation types on the study areas. Its 

 importance cannot be understated. It plays an extremely 

 important role during the hot and dry summer and fall 

 seasons in eastern Montana. In most instances, these 

 riparian areas are the only source of water to both 

 wildlife and domestic livestock. All of the animals 

 congregate on these bottom lands at this tine. During 

 this period of intra and interspecific competition for 

 forage and water, all might be lost if this habitat 

 type were altered or destroyed. 



Riparian vegetation supports the highest densities 

 and diversity by far, of songbird and small mammals, 

 and supported nearly a third of the raptor nests. This 

 habitat was also heavily used by migrating songbirds, 

 and roosting raptors. Restoration of riparian habitat 

 after mining may be difficult due to the slow growth 

 of trees and shrubs (compared to grasses) and high 

 sensitivity to damage from livestock grazingo Most 

 of the riparian habitat on the study areas are already 



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