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Revegetation success will be monitored qualitatively through visual observations. <br />Quantitative sampling shall occur in the 3rd and 6th years after reclamation (2014 and 2017) <br />for cover, species, production, and woody plant density. <br />Reclamation success will be determined by comparison with associated reference areas. <br />Cover in the reclaimed areas will be estimated by the point- intercept method and shall be <br />deemed acceptable if it is greater or equal to 90% of the cover in the appropriate reference <br />area with 90% statistical confidence. There are four approved reference areas; Dryland <br />pasture, Improved pasture, Rangeland and Meadow. The locations of the reference areas are <br />shown on Map 20 -1 in the PAP. <br />Vegetation production will be measured by harvesting 1/2 m2 to 1 m2 plots in both reclaimed <br />and reference areas. If production in the reclaimed area is 90% or more of the production of <br />the associated reference area at a 90% statistical confidence, it shall be deemed acceptable. <br />Neither dryland nor improved pasture designations will be required to meet a species <br />diversity standard since post - operational land use will be for agricultural use. The rangeland <br />areas will be differentiated by either upland rangeland or lowland rangeland. Upland <br />rangeland will establish 5 perennial grasses with 50% or greater frequency each. Three of <br />these grasses will contribute greater than 1% relative cover. A minimum of two forbs will <br />be established with an occurrence of 50% or greater. At least one shrub will be established <br />with a frequency of 10% or greater. On lowland rangeland, six grasses shall be established <br />each with 50% or greater frequency (with four of the grasses contributing more than one <br />percent relative cover each). A minimum of one forb, with greater than 50% frequency, will <br />be present in the lowland rangeland type. <br />Species diversity in the reclaimed areas along the TAHR corridor will be concentrated on <br />the herbaceous component. The shrub component will rapidly reestablish naturally from the <br />surrounding undisturbed vegetation. In the low sagebrush vegetation type associated with <br />the TAHR, baseline studies identified three grasses with relative cover greater than three <br />percent. No forbs with relative cover values of three percent or more were found in the <br />baseline study. Thus, a minimum of three grasses will be established and each will <br />contribute relative cover values of three percent or greater. Each species will not exceed 40 <br />percent relative cover and the total of the three species will not exceed 75 percent relative <br />cover. In addition, two forbs and one shrub will be established, but no relative cover values <br />are specified. <br />In the meadow vegetation type of the TAHR, four grasses contributed relative cover greater <br />than three percent in baseline studies. No forbs contributed relative cover values of three <br />percent or more, and shrubs were not a notable component of the type. A minimum of four <br />grasses each will contribute relative cover values of three percent or greater in the reclaimed <br />plant communities. In addition, one forb will be established. Each species will not exceed <br />75 percent cover. Species diversity will not be evaluated on areas of the TAHR corridor <br />returned to cropland. <br />Hayden Gulch 31 February 11, 2014 <br />