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(' 3 ACEC /Research Natural Area (RNA), a part of the Honeycombs Wilderness Study Area (WSA), ten miles north of Leslie Gulch. The Honeycombs WSA population is outside the scope of this agreement. All known populations and habitat areas are small and highly localized to outcrops of light - colored ash -tuff. A hardy perennial, the plant roots in shallow weathered surface soil and cracks in the underlying bedrock. Inventories for all three species have been conducted within the last 15 years. An aerial survey was made via helicopter in 1977 of the Honeycombs /Leslie Gulch region, during which Dr. Patricia Packard, well - known local botanist from the College of Idaho, searched the -vicinity for likely habitat for all three species. In 1990, a status report for Senecio etterae was prepared by the Oregon Department of Agriculture as a Section 6 project with the USFWS and included field inventory for the species. The BLM conducted an inventory for Mentzelia packardiae in 1991 during a particularly favorable rainfall period. Extensive finds as a result of additional inventory efforts are unlikely for any of the three species. V. Problems Facing the Species A. The Present or. Threatened Destruction. Modification or Curtailment of Habitat or Range Mining: No mining claims have been filed on BLM land within the Leslie Gulch ACEC which supports the three rare plant species. No claims have been filed over any known population or locale of Senecio ertterae or Mentzelia packardiae. One locale of the Honeycombs Ivesia rhypara var. rhypara population has been claimed for mineral development, although the minerals for which the claim has been made are unknown. Both picture rock jasper and microscopic gold deposits are sought after in this area. No Notices of Intent or Plans of Operation to conduct mineral exploration have been received by the BLM for this immediate vicinity. Noxious weed invasions and their control: Leslie Gulch is being invaded by both whitetop (Cardaria draba) and Scotch thistle (Onopordum acanthium). To date, neither species has been observed to occupy any of the rare plant sites, although both are aggressive exotic weeds which are able to colonize a wide variety of disturbed soil types. The threat no doubt exists that these species could displace the rare species at certain locales. Noxious weed control techniques have the potential to damage the populations also. Cattle trailing: The area encompassed in the Leslie Gulch ACEC is grazed annually for a two month period in early spring. None of the three species under consideration appears to be grazed by livestock. However, cattle have been observed to trail over one Ivesia rhvpara var. rhvpara site and at the lower edges of the loose talus rubble which support Mentzelia packardiae and Senecio