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2 <br />5. The pre -mining forest would not be available to wildlife in "50 to 80" years. If <br />wildfire were involved, recovery might occur that quickly. But removal of substrate, <br />even with attempts to replace "topsoil", makes recovery extremely long-term. The Castle <br />Concrete quarry north of Queens Canyon graphically bares that out. Many attempts to <br />establish tree cover there failed. How many decades will recovery of vegetation at <br />Pikeview quarry require? At LTC, the pinyon juniper component now includes trees <br />exceeding 200 years in age (the oldest may exceed 400 years). <br />6. LTC is intermittent; in drought years there is no above surface flow on the <br />permit area. Leopard Frogs do not last long in that environment. <br />7. What is the purpose of "pre -construction" raptor surveys? What if Coopers <br />Hawks or Flammulated Owls were found on nesting territory? <br />VEGETATION <br />8. In the Animal section, mention is made of "seral stages" implying a gradual <br />succession to forest habitat. Yet the reclamation section suggests Douglas Fir will be <br />planted directly after the grasses. What "seral stages" are expected? <br />9. In the foothills setting of the proposed mine site, aspect (orientation in regard to <br />the sun) primarily dictates which plant community or mixture will be naturally <br />established. Orientation far outweighs the effects of the bewildering array of soil types <br />shown in the tables. What is the purpose of this display? Would each soil type be returned <br />post -mining in the original pattern instead of being mixed by machinery? <br />10. At least twice Lodgepole Pine is mentioned in association with Douglas Fir. <br />There is no Lodgepole Pine within many miles of the site. <br />11. Blue Spruce is mentioned several times. There apparently is none on the site. <br />White Fir is very common in all age groups, yet it is not mentioned at all. <br />RECLAMATION <br />12. This statement appears: "Surrounding land uses are wildlife habitat (National <br />Forest) to the west and agriculture to the east". Actually, the land to the west is thinly <br />