The Hub Conservation Area - Montanans 4 Safe Wildlife Passage

PipestoneSpeciesGeographic BoundaryThis linkage area encompasses the areabetween the Boulder Mountains and BullMountains in the north and the HighlandMountains to the south. Interstate 90 runsthrough the linkage area. The easternboundary runs east of the Pipestone HotSprings area. Butte forms the westernboundary. The Continental Divide runsacross this linkage area; thus bothHomestake Pass and Pipestone Pass arewithin this linkage area.Importance of Linkage AreaOn a regional scale, this linkage areaprovides connectivity for wildlife movingnorth to south along the ContinentalDivide between the Sawtooths (BobMarshall Wilderness) in the North andthe uppermost mountain ranges of theHigh Divide. On a sub regional scale, thislinkage connects the Continental Divide/Boulder Mountains/Elkhorns with theHighlands Mountains, which is a gatewayrange into the eastern High Divide region.Mountain ranges connected in thislinkage: Boulders, Sawtooths, Elkhorns,Highlands and Bull Mountains.Ecological SettingThis small linkage centers on theHomestake and Pipestone Passes on theContinental Divide east of Butte. Thearea is heavily forested by lodgepolepine (Pinus contorta) and Douglas-fir(Pseudotsuga menziesii), with someEngelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii)on wetter, colder sites. Infestations ofpine bark beetle and spruce budworm areleaving extensive areas of dead and dyingtrees throughout this linkage. Aspen(Populus tremuloides) is widely scatteredon small, moist sites and in some riparianareas. The western half of this area isvery rugged due to the granite outcrops,boulder fields and monoliths that extendnorthward through Homestake Pass fromthe Highland Mountains. Interstate 90passes over Homestake Pass, along witha railroad, while Highway 2 passes overPipestone Pass along with an abandonedrailroad alignment. Three major powerline corridors pass through the linkage,and a much larger 500kV power line isproposed for construction through thisarea. Dispersed residential developmentis expanding in the east half of thelinkage. Elevations in the linkage rangefrom about 4,800 feet to over 7,500 feet.WildlifeThis area currently functions as amovement corridor for elk, black bear,and moose. Homestake Pass and PipestonePass have natural high potential forwildlife connectivity between the Huband High Divide conservation areas, but isfragmented by I-90. There is a significantwildlife movement area along BlacktailCreek between the Continental Divide andRoosevelt Drive.Grizzly: There is a low, historical levelof occupancy. There is a high potentialfor north-south movement along theContinental Divide, particularly aroundHomestake Pass.Wolves are moving north-south along theContinental Divide. On a regional scale,this linkage is thought to be a potentialnorth-south corridor for wolves movingbetween the High Divide region andNorthern Continental Divide ecosystem.Elk occur throughout the Pipestone areain the winter. They move into agriculturalareas in the eastern parts of the linkagein the dry parts of late summer.142