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The diffuse layout of the developed area at Buckeye Ranch should have little impact to <br /> movement of most species of wildlife. Forest bird species, for example, will be little <br /> impacted by golfing. At a larger regional scale, the habitats at Buckeye Ranch connect to <br /> other areas. Thus passerine birds migrate up and down the Mokelumne and Cosumnes <br /> Rivers; hawks forage widely throughout the grassland pastures of the Great Valley; and <br /> waterfowl continue their seasonal migrations to the far north and return to the Great Valley <br /> of California. <br /> 8.4 Protecting Habitats From Golfing Activities <br /> Based on experience at Cherry Island Golf Course,damage to habitat occurs when a poor <br /> golf course design results in a high frequency of golf balls landing in sensitive areas, <br /> which golfers naturally attempt to retrieve. Depending upon the habitats and their <br /> sensitivity, it is possible for the vegetation in these natural areas to be trampled or the <br /> underlying soil badly compacted due to golf carts, or to a lesser extent, foot traffic. (It is <br /> important to keep in mind that golfing impacts are likely to result in less erosion and <br /> compaction compared to current impacts caused by cattle grazing on the project site.) The <br /> presence of humans in certain areas can also frighten away certain wildlife. While the <br /> proximity of certain natural features in a golf course design can make the game challenging <br /> and dramatic, it can also present indirect environmental impacts. <br /> Golfing activity -- golf traffic, walking, hitting balls--is not equally damaging to all <br /> environments. Since some compaction of soil and direct damage to plant life results from <br /> these activities, the potential impact should be assessed according to particular <br /> environments. <br /> Buckeye Ranch Resource Plan (November, 1993) <br /> 217 <br />