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Western Energy Company (WECo) has operated a surface coal mine in
Southeastern Montana since 1968. Located
in Rosebud County near the town of Colstrip, WECo's mine produces approximately
10 million tons annually. The mine typically disturbs and reclaims approximately
350 acres per
year. For its exemplary reclamation program successes, the Rosebud Mine was
presented the Office of Surface Mining's 1999 Excellence in Surface Coal Mining
Reclamation Award.
Prior to large-scale mining activities, wildlife surveys conducted at
Colstrip documented the area to be excellent sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus
phasianellus) habitat. In addition to being an important game bird, this
grouse is also of interest because of its "communal" courtship
display, which is very unique in nature. Typically the dancing ground is on a
slightly elevated knoll giving the birds a stage to attract the attention of
females. When displaying, the male grouse appear like wind up toys, whirling in
full and half circles with wings outspread, heads lowered and tails pointed up.
They stomp their feet in rapid succession and seem to dance with their rivals.
Dancing grounds and the habitat needs of grouse were an important permitting
issue for WECo in the mid 1970's. There
were questions about the effect of mining through a dancing ground and whether
dancing grounds could be re-established on reclaimed mined land. Studies had
been conducted on sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) to determine
the birds' response to a relocated dancing ground. These studies documented some
success.
Efforts to re-establish sharp-tailed grouse on reclaimed mine lands at WECo
have used the following three components; luring, habitat re-establishment and
rangeland management.
Luring - In 1975, a
professional quality tape recording of sharp-tailed grouse display vocalizations
from a dancing ground was acquired. This tape was the basis of an innovative
approach to acoustically lure the sharp-tailed grouse to a predetermined
reclamation site or "dancing ground". Styrofoam decoys depicting
displaying male sharptailed grouse were used to provide additional stimuli at
the dancing ground.
WECo has involved the local public in the appreciation of the
"reclamation" resource by providing a bird watching tour van and
interpreter to observe the courtship display of the grouse on reclaimed mine
lands. The first van hosted people coming as far away as 120 miles before
sunrise.
Western Energy is committed to protecting Montana's sharp-tailed grouse
population by returning them to reclaimed land. This effort will ensure that
sharp-tailed grouse will remain a part of Montana's natural heritage for the
community and future generations.
The grouse luring technique developed by the surface mining industry has been
a positive innovation for the management of grouse in other wide ranging
applications. The Colorado Division of Wildlife, the State of Missouri's
Department of Wildlife, and the Nature Conservancy have all used WECo's system
for relocating grouse. The Nature Conservancy presented Western Energy with a
Certificate of Appreciation for the outstanding cooperation in the conservation
of the Columbian sharp-tailed grouse on the Montana's Tobacco Plains and at the
Montana Nature Conservancy's Dancing Prairie Preserve. These are examples of an
innovative method developed by the coal mining industry that has transferred
positive value to other agencies with public benefits as well.
Habitat - WECo has reclaimed nearly 6,000 acres of rangeland, and plants
approximately 20,000 shrub and tree tublings each year. A diverse mixture of
native grass, forbs and shrubs is required for grouse. Grouse have responded
positively to these reclaimed habitats by the spontaneous establishment of
dancing grounds on the reclaimed lands. WECo's use of both warm and cool season
grasses has improved the reclamation for grouse by providing a diversity of
grasses that respond differently to climatic variations.
Management - Once a diverse mixture of vegetation has been established,
proper management is critical to maintain and improve good habitat components.
Proper management benefits both sharp-tailed grouse and wildlife in general.
WECo's most important management tool is a well planned and implemented grazing
plan. Grazing is important because it removes, at regular intervals, the
accumulated standing litter which would eventually reduce diversity by choking
out plants that are not adapted to the thatched conditions. WECo grazes
approximately 600 head of cattle each year, utilizing a modified rest-rotation
grazing system. Pastures are generally grazed two years out of three and rested
the third year.
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