use of access routes to those lands across 

 DNRC lands. Since no plans for these private 

 Icinds have been made public, however, it is 

 difficult to be specific, except to note an antici- 

 pated general trend of increased traffic across 

 DNRC and loss of habitat on adjacent lands. 

 Loss of habitat may occur due to road and 

 house construction and logging on winter 

 range. DNRC is planning the Taylor South 

 Timber Sale north of the project area in the 

 near future, but plans are too preliminary to 

 address in this analysis. 



THREATENED AND 

 ENDANGERED SPECIES 



NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN WOLF 



No- Action Alternative 



The No-Action Alternative would see a con- 

 tinuation of high densities of open roads, but 

 thermal cover for big game would continue to 

 improve slowly. 



Action Alternatives A and B 



DNRC will manage its lands to maintain 

 habitat for viable populations of big game 

 (prey) and would temporarily curtail road 

 construchon and harvesting activities if active 

 den or rendezvous sites were discovered in the 

 project area. The Northern Rocky Mountain 

 Wolf Recovery Plan requires the protection of 

 den and rendezvous sites. If either were 

 discovered, a site-specific plan would be 

 formulated in consultation with a Department 

 biologist. The plan would prescribe when and 

 how the management activity could proceed 

 with minimal disturbance to wolves while 

 these sites are active. 



The project alternatives would reduce the 

 miles of open road so that, with the possible 

 exception of the snowmobile season, security 

 would increase. There would be more miles of 

 road, but some reduction of snowmobiling 

 should be attained by sign closures. The 

 question of how effective the closures would 

 be remains. Closures work well in some areas. 



Logging under the Action Alternatives would 

 slightly reduce hiding cover and the winter 

 range of prey. 



Cabinsite leases would affect winter range on 

 the small acreage they occupy. Snowmobile 

 recreation originating from these leased sites 

 would displace big game prey and wolves to 

 an unknown degree. 



GRIZZLY BEAR 



All Alternatives 



Because the area is outside a recovery zone 

 and it receives a high degree of public use, use 

 by the grizzly bear is not promoted. Any 

 grizzly bear that visits the area, however, 

 would receive some benefit from DNRC 

 management because DNRC will manage its 

 lands so as to furnish habitat for viable popu- 

 laHons of prey (big game and fish). As per 

 Appendix A, Stipulations and Specifications, 

 DNRC would also manage contractors so that 

 the chance of negative bear /human interac- 

 tions is minimized through restrictions on 

 firearms and the handling of food and gar- 

 bage, and may curtail operations if necessary 

 in order to avoid conflicts. 



If grizzly bears begin to utilize the area, influ- 

 ences from all alternatives would be similar to 

 that of the wolf. The main difference is that 

 cabinsites can present a great temptation 

 through human and pet foods, garbage, and 

 hunter-killed game carcasses, leading to 

 human /bear conflicts. 



BALD EAGLE 



No-Action Alternative 



All the management guidelines for bald eagles 

 within the home range would be met. 



Action Alternatives A and B 



All the management guidelines for bald eagles 

 within the home range would be met. Roads 

 located near or alongside Beaver, Little Beaver, 

 Woods, Dollar, and Murray lakes would be 

 obliterated. This would decrease disturbances 



W-lOr 



Stillwater State Forest • Beaver Lake Timber Sale Project 



