The 1988 Brewer Fire in the Long Pines destroyed large areas of 

 pine forest. The mesa surface now consists of Poa pratensis and 

 Symphoricarpos occidentalis within a matrix of standing dead trees. 

 Some steep slopes subjected to intense fire now contain little 

 vegetation except for clumps of Dichanthel ium wilcoxianum and a few 

 forbs, or Lupinus argenteus with other grasses. Downed timber is 

 often abundant enough to be an impediment to travel (most of the 

 local residents carry a chainsaw when using Forest Service roads 

 and trails) . 



In more mesic settings, other woody vegetation dominates. Shrubs 

 like Shepherdia argentea sometimes forms valleybottom thickets. 

 The prostrate Juniperus horizontalis sometimes forms large hillside 

 patches. In some places Populus tremuloides forms groves of small 

 trees, and other shrubs such as Prunus virginiana , Amelanchier 

 alnifolia, Ribes spp. , and Rosa woodsii dominate locally. The most 

 widespread hardwood dominant is Fraxinus pensylvanica , which occurs 

 along small drainages and other localized sheltered settings. 

 Woody draw ground cover is relatively high, and typically includes 

 Toxicodendron rydbergii , Mahonia repens , Rubus idaeus, Galium 

 boreale, Carex backii, C^. brevior , and C^_ sprengellii . Many of the 

 stands provide sheltering shade from summer heat, and have abundant 

 Poa pratensis under intense grazing. 



The most mesic woodland sites are found on north- and east-facing 

 slopes. They have a rich woodland understory, especially those 

 sites located in sheltered, cove-like areas within drainages. 

 Mahonia repens is often abundant, along with Bromus ciliatus, Carex 

 foenea , C. rossii, and C&. sprengelli . Other species include Arnica 

 cordifolia . Oryzopsis micrantha , Fragaria virginiana . Heuchera 

 richardsonii , Toxicondendron rydbergii , Juniperus communis , and 

 Smilacina stellata . A few stands of Populus tremuloides occupy 

 small areas within the pine forests, and occasional Betula 

 papyrifera are present. 



Springs are present in the study area, representing almost the only 

 stable, season-long water flow in both counties. Most are active, 

 some feed small streams for a short distance, and a few contain 

 remnants of old beaver dams and stagnant pools. The water is 

 bordered by narrow zones of vegetation which grade from emergents 

 in shallow water, to wet meadow, to dry meadow furthest from the 

 water. Emergents include Alisma triviale , Eleocharis palustris , 

 Scirpus spp. , and Typha spp. In some situations Ranunculus 

 aguatilis , a submergent, is present. A wet meadow is typically 

 found at the edge of the water containing Carex spp. , Juncus 

 balticus , Beckmannia syzigachne , Glyceria striata . Veronica spp., 

 Cicuta douglasii . Mentha arvensis and sometimes Bidens cernua . A 

 dry meadow occurs furthest from the water, with the least soil 

 moisture. Some of the same species are present, along with 

 Agropyron smithii . Solidago canadensis . Erigeron glabellus , E. 

 philadelphicus , Viola spp., Thalictrum dasycarpum , and Urtica 

 dioica. There are also species that are usually found on the 



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