STUDY AREA 



Bat surveys were conducted primarily on the Kootenai National 

 Forest in northwestern Montana (Figure 1) . Some surveys were 

 conducted on the Superior Ranger District of the Lolo National 

 Forest. The entire study area is contained within the 

 northwestern forest region of Montana. The northwestern forest 

 region differs from forests in the rest of Montana in its 

 abundance of Pacific Coast species such as western redcedar (Phuja 

 plicata) , grand fir (Abies grandis) , and western hemlock (Tsuga 

 heterophylla) (Arno 1979). Moisture brought by maritime airmasses 

 creates a generally mild and wet climate that favors the growth of 

 these species (Arno 1979) . 



Weather conditions in the study area were unusually cold and wet 

 during portions of the summer. Climatological data from the Libby 

 Ranger Station (elevation 2,096') is indicative of the general 

 conditions experienced in the study area (Table 1) . 



Table 1.-- Climatological data for Libby Remger Station, May- 

 September 1993. 



Source: National Climatic Data Center, U.S. Department of Commerce. 

 Asheville, NC . 



