The Hub Conservation Area - Montanans 4 Safe Wildlife Passage

SulaSpeciesGeographic BoundaryThe Sula linkage area encompasses thesoutheast end of the Bitterroot Valley(south of Rye Creek). The Lost Trail Passlinkage area is to the south. The SapphireMountains are to the north, and theAnaconda-Pintler Range is to the east.Importance of Linkage AreaThis area connects the southeast endof the Bitterroot Valley and John Long/Sapphire Mountains with Lost TrailPass-Beaverhead Mountains. It alsoconnects the west end of the Anaconda-Pintler Range with the West Fork of theBitterroot linkage area.Mountain ranges connected in thislinkage: Sapphire Mountains, Anaconda-Pintlers, and Bitteroots.Ecological SettingThis linkage area represents the foothillsintersection of heavily forested,mountainous habitat extending downfrom the Continental Divide and lowerelevation shrublands and grasslandsat the head of the Bitterrroot Valley.Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) andDouglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)dominate the forested habitat that ismostly limited to north-facing slopes,with Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperusscopulorum), big sagebrush (Artemesiatridentata spp.), mountain mahogany(Cercocarpus ledifolia) and antelopebitterbrush (Purshia tridentata) occurringon south-facing aspects. Understorygrassland communities in much of thearea are dominated by cheatgrass(Bromus tectorum) and spotted knapweed(Centaurea stoebe). The East Fork of theBitterroot River area has been heavilylogged historically, resulting in high roaddensities. Much of this linkage areahas burned in recent years, removing174large areas of the shrub understory andexpanding cheatgrass communities.Salvage of standing dead timber has alsooccurred on many of these burned areas.Expanding residential developmentis occurring in the East Fork of theBitterroot River around Sula and in FrenchBasin in the southern and central portionsof the linkage area. Highway 93 and theE.F. Bitterroot River border the westernedge of the linkage. The eastern edge ofthis linkage area adjoins the Anaconda-Pintlar Wilderness Area. Elevations in thisarea range from about 6000 feet in theheadwaters of the E.F. Bitterroot River toabout 4300 feet at Connor.WildlifeThe entire area between the towns ofConner and Sula, and down to Lost Trail,are important for carnivore connectivitybetween the Beaverheads, Sapphires,Bitterroots, and Anaconda-Pintlers.Wolverine and wolf occur within andmove through this linkage are. A residentwolf pack lives within this linkage inthe East Fork of the Bitterroot area,and wolves are moving through Darby,this linkage, and into the BeaverheadMountains and Big Hole valley. Wolverinesare known to move from Lost Trail,through the Sula linkage, and into theBitterroots. The unique vegetation makesthis linkage attractive to ungulates, andtherefore the carnivores that follow theprey. This area is winter range for elk,mule deer, and bighorn sheep, especiallyin the valley/mountain interface of RyeCreek; the Middle Fork of Rock Creek andEast Fork of the Bitterroot are importantareas for elk movement. Moose arenumerous in the French Basin area. Thereare bighorn sheep populations, includingthe East Fork of the Bitterroot herd,which is currently about 200 animals.