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APPENDIX E 

 WILDLIFE ANALYSIS 



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INTRODUCTION 



This analysis is designed to address 

 the public concerns particular to 

 wildlife, as listed in TABLE I-l- 

 SUMMARY AND TRACKING OF ISSUES AND 

 CONCERNS FROM PUBLIC COMMENTS of the 

 EA, and analysis elements considered 

 necessary by the ID Team. 



DNRC attempts to promote 

 biodiversity by taking a 'coarse- 

 filter approach' , which favors an 

 appropriate mix of stand structures 

 and compositions on State lands 

 {DNRC 1996) . Appropriate stand 

 structures are based on ecological 

 characteristics (e.g., land type, 

 habitat type, disturbance regime, 

 unique characteristics) . A coarse- 

 filter approach assumes that if 

 landscape patterns and processes are 

 maintained similar to those with 

 which the species evolved, then the 

 full complement of species will 

 persist and biodiversity will be 

 maintained (DNRC 1996) . This 

 coarse-filter approach supports 

 diverse wildlife populations by 

 managing for a variety of forest 

 structures and compositions that 

 approximate historic conditions 

 across the landscape. DNRC cannot 

 assure that the coarse-filter 

 approach will adequately address the 

 full range of biodiversity; 

 therefore, DNRC also employs a "fine 

 filter" approach for threatened, 

 endangered, and sensitive species. 

 The fine-filter approach focuses on 

 a single species' habitat 

 requirements {DNRC 1996) . 



METHODS 



To assess the existing condition of 

 the proposed project area and 

 surrounding landscape, a variety of 

 techniques were used. Field visits, 

 scientific literature, SLI data, 

 aerial photographs, Montana Natural 

 Heritage Program data, and 

 consultations with other 

 professionals provided information 

 for the following discussion and 

 effects analysis. 



EXISTING CONDITIONS 



COARSE- FILTER ASSESSMENT 



Overview 



The majority of terrestrial 

 vertebrates that were present at the 

 time of European settlement likely 

 still occur on Stillwater State 

 Forest. This includes the large 

 carnivores often displaced by human 

 disturbance, such as grizzly bears 

 {Ursus arctos) , Canada lynx {Lynx 

 canadensis) , gray wolves (Canus 

 lupus) , and wolverines {Gulo gulo) . 

 Species that rely on special habitat 

 elements, such as white bark pine 

 (Pinus albicaulis) , western white 

 pine {Pinus monticola) , or burned 

 areas, may not be present or are in 

 decline due to the decline of these 

 elements across the landscape. 



Wildlife habitats on the main block 

 of Stillwater State Forest benefit 

 from the surrounding relatively 

 undisturbed areas managed by FNF. 

 Other adjacent or surrounded private 

 industrial forests have been 

 harvested intensively, benefiting 

 wildlife species that use early 



