CONCLUSIONS AND 

 RECOMMENDATIONS 



In addition to background and habitat 

 information for each site, this report provides a 

 baseline for assessing the diversity of ecological 

 features and processes represented in Montana's 

 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service RNAs. Together 

 with information on U.S. Forest Service RNAs 

 and BLM "Areas of Critical Environmental 

 Concern" (ACECs), this assessment can be used 

 to help systematically identify protected or 

 unprotected habitats and landscapes in Montana 

 and the region. 



While boundary review per se was not the focus of 

 this project, information we collected suggests 

 some possible changes that would better fulfill 

 establishment or representation objectives for two 

 of the RNAs studied. These comments focus on a 

 landscape perspective, including gradients and 

 processes, which are important to the long-term 

 viability of communities and species within the 

 sites. Some of the RNAs already encompass broad 

 gradients. The Spring Creek RNA encompasses a 

 well-developed ravine system with its full 

 complement of habitats. The Limber Pine RNA 

 encompasses a typical Missouri Breaks cross- 

 section with a complementary suite of plant 

 associations. The Missouri River Bottomland in 

 combination with the Two Calf-Douglas-fir RNA 

 similarly encompasses a cross-section of Missouri 

 Breaks landscape, though the difference between 

 the vegetation on the former with its sandstone 

 and siltstone bedrock is a striking contrast with 

 the vegetation of the latter on Bearpaw Shale and 

 bentonite. 



The value of the Missouri River Bottomlands 

 RNA (representing the valley slope gradient) is 

 enhanced by the adjacent Two Calf-Douglas-fir 

 RNA. However, the boundary may be inadequate 

 to effectively represent the latter forest type and 

 accompanying upland processes, and boundary 

 review for the latter is recommended. 



The Sheep Mountain RNA area is not large 

 enough to represent viable stands and landscape 

 processes, but is surrounded by designated 

 wilderness on the Refuge. The Refuge extends to 



midslope positions in the Centennial Range so any 

 recognition of intact landscape gradients would 

 involve collaboration with other agencies. Sheep 

 Mountain is also in a geographic class by itself 

 among Fish & Wildlife Service RNAs as a Rocky 

 Mountain site rather than a Great Plains site, with 

 intact old-growth plant associations that are 

 otherwise incompletely represented in the Forest 

 Service RNA system in Montana. We recommend 

 that the Service consider expanding the RNA 

 lengthwise on Refuge lands and explore 

 elevational expansion of the RNA to encompass 

 the unbroken ecological gradient that extends into 

 higher elevations onto BLM and USPS lands. 



Though a "gap analysis" and exploration of 

 alternative or additional sites was beyond the 

 scope of this project, some observations emerged 

 from our studies. Most important is that despite 

 the array of plant associations within this USFWS 

 RNA system, it does not include large areas of 

 once-extensive plant associations that covered the 

 Great Plains. However, some RNAs we studied 

 occur within larger areas where these important 

 systems are represented in good condition. The 

 Charles M. Russell NWR offers outstanding and 

 unique opportunities to identify and sustain large, 

 intact plains landscape features not found 

 elsewhere on public lands in Montana. Further 

 field assessment is recommended beyond the RNA 

 boundaries to document the locations and 

 condition of key communities and landscape 

 complexes to provide information that can assist 

 with management and conservation of key 

 ecological features and areas on the Refuge. 



On as smaller scale, the Manning Corral Prairie 

 Dog Town site could include representative 

 south-facing breaklands habitat in addition to 

 prairie dog town succession. We also noted that 

 few, well-developed plant associations or wetland 

 settings with intact hydrological gradients were 

 found, and these represent a gap in types 

 represented within existing RNAs. 



In conclusion, we recommend a "next phase" of 

 effon focussed on identifying areas that would fill 



59 



