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grazing, (Fort Howes Ridge (Oil) , Taylor Butte Rim 

 (012) , Stag Rock Cliff Tops (013) , Lyon Creek Ridge 

 (014), King Creek Well (015)). Several sites are 

 located in areas easily reached by cattle, and it is 

 not known how grazing might affect populations in these 

 areas (Stag Rock Reservoir Ridges (016) , NW Buttress 

 Taylor Butte (017)). Also, several of the sites on 

 private land (Miller Coulee (005) and Colstrip (004)) 

 are potentially threatened by their proximity to 

 current coal mining activity. 



B. MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND RESPONSE: There are 

 currently no known means of enhancing populations of 

 Astragalus barrii . It is possible that the intolerance 

 of competition, prevents it from establishing in 

 habitats that are in a more advanced successional 

 state, but which might otherwise be suitable. 



A number of the areas searched appeared suitable but 

 did not contain populations. This may be due to 

 unknown soil components that are not readily apparent 

 but are a factor in the distribution of this species. 



C. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MAINTAINING VIABLE POPULATIONS: 

 The following recommendations are made to insure the 

 long-term persistence of viable populations of A. 

 barrii on U.S. Forest Service lands in Montana: 



1 . Protection of natural habitats that currently 

 support large populations. The following 

 populations on U.S. Forest Service lands should be 

 considered in any habitat alteration projects that 

 may occur in or near these sites: 



Fort Howes Ridge (011) 

 Taylor Butte Rim (012) 

 Stag Rock Cliff Tops (013) 

 Lyon Creek Ridge (014) 

 King Creek Well (015) 



Proposed disturbances within or near any of these 

 populations should be preceded by detailed surveys 

 of the populations in these areas. Also 

 mitigation measures should be developed to reduce 

 or eliminate the impacts of management activities. 



2 . Regulation of livestock grazing in native habitats 

 supporting large populations. A majority of the 

 sites where A. barrii grows are on steep slopes or 

 cliff tops inaccessible to livestock. Some of the 



