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RULE 4 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS <br /> Woody Plant Density—Pre-2008 Reve etg ation <br /> Cedar Creek Associates, Inc.'s recent in-depth analysis of past "shrub conducive efforts" (report <br /> dated April, 2007) attempted by Colowyo on older (pre-2008) reclamation has resulted in the <br /> conclusion that such past efforts can largely be considered a failure and techniques such as bare- <br /> root or containerized plantings should no longer be attempted. It has become obvious to all parties <br /> concerned(including Colowyo,their consultants,the researchers at Colorado State University,the <br /> CDRMS,and the CDOW)that reclamation practices utilized historically were far more conducive <br /> to establishing herbaceous species at the expense of woody species. (It is for this reason that post- <br /> 2008 reclamation, using different reclamation techniques will have a different success criterion.) <br /> Furthermore, the continued existence of herbaceous species at elevated densities, along with <br /> browsing by big game animals, continues to preclude opportunities for establishment and/or <br /> growth of woody species populations. In effect, historic (and expensive) attempts to establish <br /> shrub populations into these "dense herbaceous stands"using the best technology available at the <br /> time have met with nearly complete failure. Only a few remnant plants and "patches" of shrubs <br /> remain in the reclamation, and many of those surviving plants were established from seed in the <br /> mix as opposed to seedling planting. <br /> In this regard, all parties (including the CDOW) are in general agreement that older (pre-2008) <br /> revegetation at Colowyo's operations favors the livestock grazing aspect of the approved <br /> Rangeland Land Use, and that the woody plant density component of those areas is largely <br /> inconsequential for such use. However, it has been noted,that big game use, primarily by elk, of <br /> the pre-2008 revegetation has been at substantially elevated levels over the past several years, and <br /> occasionally has been shown to be problematic to area CDOW managers (as well as contributing <br /> to the impact on shrub establishment. (See Enclosed CDOW letter below, especially the 3ra <br /> paragraph.) <br /> Therefore, the woody plant density success criterion within pre-2008 reclamation at Colowyo's <br /> operations shall be 150 live stems per acre on approximately 3% (or more) of the reclaimed <br /> surface. <br /> Rule 4 Performance Standards 4-67 Revision Date: 11/18/19 <br /> Revision No.: MR-211 <br />