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4.0 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS <br />The reclaimed areas were quantitatively sampled in 2014 to evaluate whether they would <br />qualify for CDRMS Phase III bond release. <br />4.1 TOTAL VEGETATION COVER <br />Mean total vegetation cover (69.04%) of the reclaimed areas exceeded the final revegetation <br />success criterion for vegetation cover (53.04%). Perennial and biennial species accounted for <br />96.83 percent of all total relative cover (59.72% graminoids, 27.88% forbs, 9.23% shrubs). <br />Of the total vegetation cover, native species contributed 80.85 percent relative cover (45.53% <br />graminoids, 26.09% forbs, 9.23% shrubs). These results indicate the establishment of a <br />predominantly perennial, native vegetation community at the reclaimed areas, with total <br />vegetation cover greater than that of the final revegetation success criteria. <br />4.2 TOTAL HERBACEOUS PRODUCTION <br />Sampled total herbaceous production on the reclaimed areas this year (226.8 g/m2) exceeded <br />the final revegetation success criterion for total herbaceous production (180.38 g/m2). <br />4.3 SPECIES COMPOSITION <br />The CDRMS considers species composition of the revegetated and reclaimed areas to be an <br />indicator of successful vegetation establishment and a diverse vegetation community. The <br />species composition standard requires that there be at least three perennial species, of which <br />two are cool season perennial grasses and one is a cool season perennial forb. No one <br />component of the above three species should comprise greater than 40% relative importance <br />nor less than 3% relative importance. Relative importance will be measured by calculating <br />relative cover of the revegetation species. <br />The reclaimed areas exceeded the required number of perennial cool season grass species <br />with Agropyron smithii, Poa pratensis, Agropyron dasystachyum, and Bromus marginatus <br />accounting for between three and forty percent relative cover. The reclaimed areas exceeded <br />the required number of perennial cool season forb species with Achillea lanulosa, Pteridium <br />aquilinum, and Thermopsis montanus accounting for between three and forty percent relative <br />cover. <br />No pests or diseases were present within the reclaimed areas, nor were there annual or weedy <br />species that would negatively impact the longevity of the reclaimed vegetation community. <br />Mountain Coal Company, LLC West Elk Mine Page 10 <br />2014 Vegetation Report: Phase III Bond Release Eligible Areas <br />