YCT Multi-state Assessment 



February 10,2003 



Abundance information for YCT occupying 4,427 miles of habitat on federal lands indicated that 

 approximately 1,373 miles (31%) were rated as abundant. YCT in another 2,021 miles of 

 occupied habitat were rated as common. YCT in approximately 697 miles of stream were rated 

 as rare and YCT abundance was unknown in approximately 335 miles of habitat (Table 1 1 ). 



The spatial arrangement of YCT whose abundance was deemed "abundant" and "common" were 

 obviously clumped and appeared related to the presence of areas designated as wilderness, road- 

 less, or national parks (Figure 5). About 306 miles classified as "abundant" (28% of all miles in 

 this category) were in wilderness and about 739 miles (29% of all miles in this category) were 

 within the road-less category that included wilderness (Table 1 1). Because assessments of 

 abundance, regardless of data quality, were likely linked to quality of habitat, it is not surprising 

 that many populations located in wilderness and road-less areas would be designated as being at 

 or near capacity. Except where empirical observations of abundance indicated otherwise, nearly 

 all habitats in Forest Service road-less areas (wilderness) and National Parks were presumed to 

 have abundance levels (abundant or common) consistent with pristine conditions. 



Table 1 1. Miles of habitat occupied (% occupied by Federal land category) by abundance rating 

 for Yellowstone cutthroat trout in Forest Service designated road-less areas (including 

 wilderness). National Parks and within all federal lands. 



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