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4.0 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS <br />The reclaimed areas were quantitatively sampled in 2015 to evaluate whether they would <br />qualify for CDRMS Phase III bond release. <br />4.1 TOTAL VEGETATION COVER <br />Mean total vegetation cover (69.10%) of the reclaimed areas exceeded the final revegetation <br />success criterion for vegetation cover (53.04%). Of the species encountered in cover <br />sampling, thirty-eight were perennial and biennial species, accounting for 90.48 percent of all <br />species encountered. Perennial and biennial species provided 9$.40 percent of all total <br />relative cover (66.01% graminoids, 22.49% fortis, 9.90% shrubs). Of the total vegetation <br />cover, native species contributed 71.07 percent relative cover (41.07% graminoids, 20.04% <br />forbs, 9.90% shrubs). These results indicate the establishment of a predominantly perennial, <br />native vegetation community at the reclaimed areas, with total vegetation cover greater than <br />that of the final revegetation success criteria. <br />4.2 TOTAL HERBACEOUS PRODUCTION <br />Sampled total herbaceous production on the reclaimed areas this year (239.3 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 Poa pratensis, Bromus marginatus, Agropyron smithii, and Agropyron dgrsystachyum <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 and <br />Thermopsis montanus accounting for between three and forty percent relative 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 />2015 Vegetation Report: Deep Creek, Long Draw, Long Draw Saddle, West Point Road Reclamation Areas <br />