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Keenesburg Mine 2018 Vegetation Monitoring Report <br />Figure 8: Absolute Cover of Native and Introduced Species 2016 & 2018 <br />70 <br />60 <br />50 <br />40 <br />O C _ <br />30 <br />20 <br />l0 �. <br />() <br />2016 2018 2015 2016 2018 2015 2016 2018 2015 2016 2018 2018 2018 201 <br />Area 25 Area 29 Area 30 Area 31 Area Area Are <br />32 33 34 <br />C Perennial Desirable rJ Annual Native ❑ Annual Introduced Forbs ®Cheatgrass <br />Figure 9: Cheatgrass Relative Cover 2016 & 2018 <br />70 <br />60 <br />50 <br />L <br />0 40 <br />U <br />30 <br />ce 20 <br />10 <br />0 <br />2016 2018 2015 2016 2018 2015 2016 2018 2015 2016 2018 2018 2018 201 <br />Area 25 Area 29 Area 30 Area 31 Area Area Are <br />32 33 1 34 <br />The decrease in annuals (including cheatgrass) cover is likely due to several factors. CEC has <br />been aggressive with weed control applying a pre -emergent herbicide to Reclamation Areas 25. <br />29, and 30 in the fall of 2015. While the first-year decrease was small, this treatment likely <br />promoted the declining trend observed over the past three years. The climate also likely played a <br />role with below average winter and early spring precipitation, and above average spring <br />temperatures. The dominant annual species observed in previous years including cheatgrass, <br />prickly lettuce, and Canadian horseweed are cool season species that have been able to take <br />advantage of above average spring moisture in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. In 2018, these <br />species likely germinated but did not receive sufficient moisture to flourish and warm spring and <br />summer winds cause much of the surviving biomass to desiccate and blow away before <br />Habitat Management, Inc. 26 October 2018 <br />