20 



locations however, are in close proximity to stock 

 ponds or are on gentle slopes within grazing 

 allotments. These sites include: 



Stag Rock Reservoir Ridges (016) 

 NW Buttress Taylor Butte (017) 

 Sheep Well Road (020) 



There is currently no information available on how 

 grazing affects this species. In areas with heavy 

 stocking rates, long term monitoring plots might 

 help to determine the effects of grazing. 



D. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER ASSESSMENT 



1 . Further surveys in the vicinity of the historical 

 collection near Ekalaka. Areas within the Ekalaka 

 Hills and Chalk Buttes, and in the Long Pines 

 area, may contain suitable habitat for Astragalus 

 barrii . 



E . SUMMARY 



Astragalus barrii is a regional endemic species that is 

 sparsely distributed in 3 counties in South Dakota, 5 

 counties in Wyoming and 4 counties in Montana. Field 

 surveys in Montana in 1988 revealed 10 previously 

 unrecorded occurrences on the Custer National Forest 

 and 1 on private land. It is a Category 2 candidate 

 species, being considered for listing under the federal 

 Endangered Species Act of 1973 by the U.S. Fish and 

 Wildlife Service. It is also included on the sensitive 

 species list for Region 1 of the U.S. Forest Service. 

 This species appears to be restricted to specific rock 

 stratum in and along several major drainages in the 

 various states. This restriction and the fact that 

 many of the larger populations consisted largely of 

 non-flowering mats, indicates a need to monitor 

 populations, and also take these areas into 

 consideration when planning land use activities that 

 may affect these populations. 



