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<br />'" <br /> <br />cover, composition, condition and wildlife use. Permanent photo points, transects, <br />observation records and/or other proven survey techniques would be used for data collection. <br /> <br />o <br />o <br />CD <br />tv <br /> <br />Comment 22: "What sort of monitoring will be conducted to insure that habitat replacement <br />areas are successful and meeting wetland loss mitigation objectives." (BlM) <br /> <br />Response 22: See Response 21. <br /> <br />Comment 23: "What measures will be taken in the habitat replacement to create quality <br />habitat composed of Dative plant communities rather than invasive species like salt cedar and <br />Russian knapweed." (BlM) <br /> <br />Response 23: Development and management plans for replacement lands will include <br />vegetative management measures in accordance with Federal law ,.Reclamation policy and the <br />Colorado Weed Management Act. We do not expect to eliminate all invasive species. <br />However, plantings and integrated pest management techniques will favor establishment and <br />maintenance of communities dominated by native and/or desirable wildlife plant species. <br /> <br />Comment 24: "Replacement of cottonwood tree loss is an excellent feature of the draft <br />plan.... This would appear to require specific coordination with the SCS.... Monitoring <br />criteria and means for insuring the success of this effort should be set out in the draft EA. " <br />(Clark) <br /> <br />Response 24: We are not aware of any programs like the one proposed. Therefore, details <br />on the program, including monitoring requirements, are not known yet. Expertise from local <br />nurseries, NRCS (formerly the SCS), State Forest Service and/or Colorado State University <br />Extension would be obtained. <br /> <br />Comment 25: ".. . describe process for implementation and monitoring of this part of the <br />program [protecting on-farm trees, etc.] in detail in the fmal EA..." (FWS) <br /> <br />Response 25: Details will depend upon specific opportunities encountered as the program is <br />authorized and funded. We would be looking for suitable areas that could be managed for <br />production and transplant of cottonwoods to farms in the east side of the valley. A service <br />contract might be needed to transplant young trees and monitor survival. <br /> <br />Comment 26: "When replacing lost cottonwood trees due to construction, would <br />replacement trees be placed outside the right-of-way of the newly constrocted pipeline?" <br />(UVWUA) <br /> <br />Response 26: Cottonwood trees would be planted in suitable locations, considering such <br />factors as water availability. Transplant sites that interfere with O&M of project facilities <br />would not be considered suitable sites; it is doubtful they would be within the right-of-way of <br />the pipeline. <br /> <br />37 <br />