BOTANICAL FEATURES 



Considering the final value class ratings for the 400 sites, 

 18 percent contained botanical features that were considered to be 

 unique or outstanding resources (Table 8). However, 57 percent of 

 all of the sites received either Class I or Class II. This 

 reflects the fact that the inventory effort concentrated on those 

 sites having the highest natural feature values. Only three 

 percent of the sites inventoried were of unknown value. 



The four criteria ratings for each of the 400 sites examined 

 in this study reveal some interesting patterns. About one third 

 of the sites received a rating of Class I or II within either the 

 scarcity criterion or the previous designation criterion (Table 

 9). These two criteria dominate the highest final value class 

 assignments and accounted for 88 of the 100 highest ratings. 

 There is an apparent lack of knowledge about the level of public 

 or recreational use of these 400 sites, as 87 percent of the sites 

 listed an unknown value in regard to public use. Evaluating 

 public use of an area requires sampling a broad audience, and 

 interest in rare plants or unique plant communities is just 

 beginning to surface. The scientific and educational criterion 

 also appears to be under-represented in the highest ratings. Only 

 two percent of the sites received recognition for having exemplary 

 value and 64 percent are of unknown value with respect to the 

 scientific and educational criterion. 



Most of the botanical features and designated areas are 

 located in western Montana. For example, 34 percent of all sites 

 were located in either the upper or lower Clark Fork River 

 drainage, and about 41 percent of the final value Class I rankings 

 occurred in those two drainages (Table 10). In contrast, only one 

 of the 400 sites occurred in the entire Milk River section of the 

 Lower Missouri drainage, far fewer than would be expected on the 

 basis of its length. This pattern can be explained in part by the 

 known high degree of endemism that occurs within the 

 topographically varied southwestern portion of the state. Another 

 possibility is that the pattern is a reflection of a non-uniform 

 distribution of research effort. Therefore, further study in the 

 eastern part of the state is recommended, along with a systematic 

 statewide field inventory to determine the resource value of 

 additional sites throughout Montana. 



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