Laserfiche WebLink
RULE 2 PERMITS <br />selection for each reclaimed micro -habitat encountered in the reclaimed areas and contains sufficient <br />sagebrush seed to encourage at least some emergence each year and substantial emergence occasionally. <br />There is potential, that too much sagebrush seed (115 seeds / ftZ) has been incorporated into this mix, and <br />given recent experience with new planting techniques designed for use at Colowyo in and after 2008, the <br />amount of seed may need to be adjusted at some future point. However, present knowledge within the <br />industry dictates that a significant amount of sagebrush seed is necessary to consistently obtain desired <br />emergence. Present knowledge also dictates that special care must be taken to plant sagebrush seed at <br />precisely the correct depth (-1/16`h of an inch) and at precisely the correct time of year (immediately prior <br />to the first major snowfall event of the Fall). The greater the attention given to such details, the greater <br />the potential for successful emergence. <br />As with the reclamation seed mixture for grassland areas, the species and seeding rates indicated on this <br />sagebrush steppe mix resulted from in-depth analyses of past mixes and the resulting emergence and <br />dominance within revegetated areas. Furthermore, it is anticipated that the reduced competition from <br />grasses, especially sod -formers like thickspike wheatgrass, will result in elevated diversity and better <br />performance from certain poor producers such as big bluegrass, Rocky Mountain Fescue, Louisiana <br />sagewort, bitterbrush, and Wood's rose. If performance of any of these taxa remains poor after additional <br />attempts, they would be candidates for removal from the mix. <br />Because the amount of grasses (and all sod -formers) has been substantially reduced for this sagebrush <br />steppe mix, it is possible that on occasion, grass emergence may not be satisfactory for erosion control or <br />life form diversity. In such circumstances a supplemental "inter -seeding" with the grassland mix may be <br />necessary to "bolster" the grass and forb component of the community. This activity is allowed under <br />Rule 4.15.7 (5)(g). Such an inter -seeding would only occur if adequate sagebrush or other shrub <br />seedlings have emerged from the initial seeding, otherwise a "reseeding" or "augmented seeding" would <br />be mandated. Furthermore, such an inter -seeding must occur within the first four years from the date of <br />the initial seeding to avoid circumstances that would "reset the bond release clock". If "inter -seeding" is <br />necessary on any units of land, CDRMS will be apprised in the Annual Reclamation Report. <br />The high rate of seeds per square foot in the sagebrush steppe mix is simply a result of the small seed size <br />for several taxa in the mixture (e.g., sagebrush at 2,500,000 seeds / pound). The individual species have <br />been selected for their habitat forming characteristics for sage grouse during their brooding period. None <br />of the individual seeding rates are excessive given the current state of knowledge, nor is the seeding rate <br />per acre excessive for combination drill / broadcast seeding. However, this mix has not been designed to <br />ensure quick erosion control for immediate stabilization of the topsoil and therefore, should not be used <br />on slopes that exceed 10% without specific attention to managing sheet flow and sediment control. <br />Furthermore, it may need to be planted intermittently (banding) with the grassland mix on long, low - <br />gradient slopes. For additional information regarding this planting technique, see the "Planting and <br />Seeding Methods" section below. <br />The introduced taxon that is included in the seed mixtures (Volume 15, Table 2.05-7 — Table 2.05-9), <br />(Cicer milkvetch), has been retained in the mix to provide forage for both wildlife (elk, deer and sage <br />grouse) and livestock. Furthermore, Cicer milkvetch is an excellent species for providing necessary <br />habitat requisites for a variety of insects that in turn are especially important to sage grouse broods. It is a <br />well-documented observation that insects comprise a very significant portion of young sage grouse diets. <br />t By example, as of 2007 the CSU shrub test plots exhibited an average sagebrush population of 3,500 plants per acre. This <br />population resulted from an initial 0.25 pounds PLS of seed in the mix, following an excellent recruitment year. <br />Collom — Rule 2, Page 94 Revision Date: 11/16/16 <br />Revision No.: MR -166 <br />