The Hub Conservation Area - Montanans 4 Safe Wildlife Passage

GeorgetownSpeciesGeographic BoundaryThe Georgetown linkage encompassesthe south end of the Flint Creek Rangeinto the Pintlers, the territory west toGeorgetown Lake, and as far as the southside of West Valley. The town of Anacondaforms the eastern boundary.Importance of Linkage AreaThe Georgetown linkage providesconnectivity between the Flint CreekRange and the Anaconda-PintlerWilderness Area/Mt. Haggin WildlifeManagement Area.Mountain ranges connected by thislinkage: Anaconda-Pintlers, Pioneers,Flint Creeks, and Mt. Haggin WildlifeManagement Area.Ecological SettingThe general appearance of this linkageis of widespread and intensive timberharvest and road development. Foresthabitat, primarily lodgepole pine (Pinuscontorta) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsugamenziesii) has been broadly fragmented,often on distinct private property lines(checkerboard). Road densities are high,particularly south of Highway 1, oftenextending right to the boundary of theAnaconda-Pintler wilderness area. Somehistoric mining activities are still evidentbut current operations are very localizedand small scale. Residential developmentand limited subdivision has occurredall along Mill Creek and Highway. 1from Anaconda to Georgetown Lake,and bisects this linkage east to west.Discovery Basin ski area and its accessroad adjoin the northwest corner of thislinkage.106WildlifeThe area between Georgetown andAnaconda is particularly good habitatfor a variety of wildlife including grizzlybears, lynx and elk.Bighorn Sheep: The Lost Creek bighornsheep herd lives in the Anaconda areaand appears to be recovering from somedegree of die-off. The herd movesbetween the southern end of the FlintCreek Range, the Anaconda-Pintlers, andwest to Rock Creek. Their core habitatis centered on their winter range in theWest Valley/Lost Creek/Hearst Lakecorridor. The sheep move across StateRoad 1 near West Valley to the Mill Creekarea. There is some interchange betweenthe Lost Creek herd and the Garrisonbighorn sheep herd.Elk winter in the Upper Rock Creek area,summer in the Anaconda-Pintler and FlintCreek Ranges, and calve on the interfaceof forestlands and private lands. ThePorters Corner-Georgetown Lake to eastfork of Rock Creek has a high value for elkconnectivity; this corridor connects elkbetween the Flint Creek and Anaconda-Pintler Ranges.Moose are found around Georgetown Lakeand throughout the Flint Creek area andPintlers. There is a lot of high qualityriparian habitat well-suited to moose andgrizzly bears.Grizzly Bear: The narrow area betweenSilver Lake and Warm Springs Creek hascontiguous forested habitat with low (butincreasing) traffic volumes and could bea linkage area for grizzly bear betweenthe Anaconda-Pintlers and the Flint Creekrange.Wolverines exist in Georgetown linkage.The spine of the mountains between FlintCreek and the Beaverhead Mountains has