openings, and near big game wintering areas for dens and rendezvous sites. 

 Within the proposed project area, Hmited amounts of these habitat features exist. 



Another important component of wolf habitat is secure areas away from open 

 roads. Roads can increase mortahty risk due to automobile collisions or illegal 

 harvesting. An open road bisects the state section providing for human access to 

 the area. Additionally, ineffective closures on some of the spur roads off the main 

 road have further increased motorized access and subsequently disturbance levels 

 within the proposed project area. 



Wolves have been documented in the vicinity of the proposed project area in the 

 past. Members of the relocated Castle Rock pack moved through the proposed 

 project area on their way to new territories to the south of proposed project area. 

 These wolves have formed the Fishtrap and Hog Heaven packs that occupy areas 

 south of Route 2 in the Browns Meadow area and the middle Thompson River 

 area. (T. Meier, USFWS, pers. comm., March 2003). Reproduction in each of 

 these packs was documented in 2002 (USFWS et al. 2003). Wolves could pass 

 through the area at any time, however extensive use is unlikely due to the 

 surrounding development and level of human disturbance. 



Cumulative effects were analyzed using field evaluation and aerial photograph 

 interpretation within a 32,300-acre polygon. Within this analysis area, some big 

 game winter range exists, as well as numerous meadows and other openings near 

 water and in gentle terrain. The analysis area is largely managed by the USFS 

 (22,300 acres) with some industrial timberland (7,074 acres) and other private 

 holdings (2,006 acres). Factors considered within this analysis area include level 

 of human disturbance and prey availability. 



3. Grizzly Bear 



Grizzly bears are wide-ranging mammals that use forested upland habitats. 

 Preferred grizzly bear habitats are meadows, riparian zones, avalanche chutes, 

 subalpine forests, and big game winter ranges, all of which provide seasonal food 

 sources. The proposed project area is approximately 19 miles southwest of the 

 Lazy Creek subunit of the Stillwater River Bear Management Unit of the North 

 Continental Divide Ecosystem Recovery Area (USFWS 1993). There have been 

 no documented observations of grizzly bears in the general vicinity of the 

 proposed project area (A. Jacobs, USFS-FNF, pers. comm. June 2003). The 

 proposed project area is, however, approximately 2 miles outside of "occupied 

 habitat" as mapped by grizzly bear researchers and managers to address increased 

 sightings and encounters of grizzly bears in habitats outside of recovery zones (T. 

 Wittinger, Unpub Interagency Map). Grizzly bears could, however, show up in 

 the proposed project area at any time. 



Managing human access is a major factor in management for grizzly bear habitat. 

 Presently the proposed project area has 1.3 miles of open road bisecting the 

 section plus several miles of roads behind ineffective closures. Extensive grizzly 



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