CHAJTER 2: AfPECTIi:!) KNVIRONMJNT 



Noxious Weeds 



Introduced plant species often aggressively colonize sites where native vegetation and soils are disturbed. 

 When these plants conflict with, interfere with, or otherwise restrict land management, they are 

 commonly referred to as weeds. A plant that has been classified as a weed, such as leafy spurge or 

 spotted knapweed, only attains a "noxious" status by an act of state legislation. Noxious weeds are 

 classified in one of three categories (Appendix 3). 



Land Management 

 Travel/Access Management 



Responsibility for managing human access and travel on public lands resides with the administering land 

 management agency, whether state or federal. Human access can be managed by time period (e.g. 

 seasonal closures) or by localized area restrictions. FWP closes most WMAs to human access during the 

 winter period to prevent disturbance to wintering ungulates. Outside of Yellowstone and Glacier national 

 parks, USPS manages most federal lands utilized by wolves. Habitat, access and motorized travel are 

 managed to meet resource objectives or legal requirements. Presently, there are no restrictions on road 

 use or road-density on USPS or U.S. Bureau of Land Management lands due solely to the presence of 

 wolves. NFS generally restricts motorized travel to paved routes only, while foot/horse travel is 

 permitted most places. Foot travel is occasionally restricted due to seasonally imposed closures in areas 

 of concentrated wildlife activity. While PWP continues to consult with land management agencies or 

 private landowners about access and travel management, PWP has no legal authority to implement access 

 or travel restrictions on land it does not manage. Instead, PWP works cooperatively with land managers 

 to meet shared objectives. 



Connectivity 



Connectivity implies that wolves inhabiting the Northern Rocky Mountain Recovery Area in each of the 

 three states are functionally connected through emigration and immigration events, resulting in the 

 exchange of genetic material between sub-populations. This functional relationship is consistent with the 

 biological intent of the original northern Rockies recovery plan and is an underlying prerequisite for 

 successful, long term wolf recovery in the northern Rockies. Designating critical habitats or establishing 

 travel corridors were not necessary to successfully recover the gray wolf in the northern Rockies. During 

 the recovery phase, connectivity of the wolf population in the northern Rockies with the Canadian 

 population was assured through legal protections, adequate prey populations, and the network of public 

 lands - all of which facilitate dispersal and maintenance of genetic viability. 



Sufficient dispersal and exchange of wolves between the three sub-populations in the future will be 

 necessary to maintain the high degree of genetic variation of a regional wolf population. In isolation, 

 none of the three recovered populations could maintain its long term genetic viability (USPWS 1994a). 

 Isolation is unlikely if populations remain at or above recovery levels and regulatory mechanisms prevent 

 chronically low wolf numbers or minimal dispersal (Porbes and Boyd 1997). 



Connection between the U.S. and Canadian wolf populations is also an important underpinning of long 

 term wolf recovery. Montana is an important link between Canadian wolves and wolves in YNP, 

 Wyoming, and central Idaho. Canadian packs will likely continue to be a source of wolves dispersing 

 into the U.S. while some U.S. wolves will disperse into Canada. Dispersal events across the international 

 border will contribute to genetic diversity and provide an added measure of long term security for 

 populations in both the U.S. and Canada. 



31 



