27. Shoshone Wildlife Ponds
Land Manager: Sawtooth National Forest
Legal Location: T 14S R 18E Section 8 Cassia County
Forest Division: Cassia
Dominant Plant Community Type: Shrub-Grass/Aspen-Conifer
Impacts: The Shoshone Wildlife Ponds have been protected from most livestock utilization for some time. One wild or domestic ungulate has been inside the exclosure and caused some trampling impacts earlier in the fall. Although not protective of the stream course, this exclosure has protected a large amount of water resource and associated habitat. A variety of bird species were present on the day of survey. Impacts from utilization prior to protection are still visible, but the area is in recovery at this time. Livestock are utilizing the adjacent habitat and creek. Original planners of the Ponds intended that livestock use be prohibited throughout the drainage above this site, forming a wildlife corridor of beaver ponds and associated riparian habitat.
Recommendations: Livestock should be permanently withdrawn from the remainder of the drainage and beaver pond habitat as was originally intended by forest personnel and incorporated into forest plans some years ago.
List of Figures:
1. Shoshone Wildlife Ponds, exclosure area.
2. Utilization impacts to willows and channel outside fence, old trough.
