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v o Transit Mix Concrete Co. <br /> parameters. Proposed species are based upon vegetation sampling conducted onsite by BIO- <br /> Logic during preparation of Exhibits H and J with input from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service <br /> (USFWS), USFS, CPW, Colorado Forest Service (CFS), and technical mining industry <br /> documents, which consultation informed Transit Mix in developing its reclamation plan and <br /> enhancing wildlife habitat. <br /> Once topsoil is redistributed, the affected areas will be revegetated with native grasses and then <br /> shrubs and trees. This mix establishes the initial ground cover with the grasses and the long- <br /> term canopy cover with the trees or shrubs, as recommended by surface mine reclamation <br /> practices (WDNR, 1997). Shrub and tree species were chosen based on existing site conditions <br /> as discussed in Exhibit J; the species were also selected based on input from NRCS, USFS, <br /> USFWS, CPW, and El Paso County. Additional species were added specifically to encourage elk <br /> and turkey habitat. All areas will be seeded with the grass seed mix included in Table E-3 to <br /> provide a base revegetated cover. The basis for this seed mix was provided by NRCS for the <br /> project area to provide a seed mix conducive with site conditions in order to achieve the final post <br /> mining land use. The seed mix was then combined with the CPW seed mix for tallgrass prairie <br /> and revised based on the results of communications between CPW and the Wildlife Habitat <br /> Council (WHC, 2017). The list was further revised to only include species available from local <br /> seed distributors. Similarly, tree and shrubs species lists were revised to include <br /> recommendations from the City of Colorado Springs and then further revised to only include <br /> species available from local nurseries. As recommended by WHC, Transit Mix will work with seed <br /> distributors in attempts to increase the species available to better match the CPW seed mix. Seed <br /> coatings and other seed treatments may be required to promote germination (USDA, 2001). All <br /> seed will be applied with a seed drill. Drill seeders create small furrows on the contours which <br /> help trap precipitation and reduce runoff and erosion thereby promoting seed growth (Vogel, <br /> 1987). <br /> Mixed Conifer <br /> A mixed conifer forest will be replanted reestablishing a Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga <br /> menziesii)/ponderosa pine (Pseudotsuga menziesii) forest. Mixed conifer will be planted at 70 <br /> stems/acre on north facing slopes and the highwall benches with a preponderance of Douglas fir <br /> at 85% and ponderosa pine at 15%. The trees will be planted at approximately 25-foot spacing <br /> considering that Douglas fir are 20 feet wide and Ponderosa pine are 25 feet wide when fully <br /> grown (Cox and Klett, 2005). The trees will be plants in random manner to mimic the existing <br /> vegetation and tree spacing on north facing slopes as shown in Exhibit J. This will include <br /> planting clusters of trees with tight spacing (as low as 5 ft) and open areas (20-ft) of grassland <br /> between the clusters at the recommendation of CPW (WHC, 2017). Mixed conifer planting <br /> locations are shown on Figure F-1. <br /> Hitch Rack Ranch Quarry Permit Application <br /> October 3,2017 E-8 <br />