Laserfiche WebLink
Baseline Technical Report <br /> ARCADIS Report for Soils and Biological <br /> Resources, MLE2 Project Area <br /> 3. VEGETATION RESOURCES <br /> A qualified ARCADIS biologist mapped and characterized vegetation types within the <br /> survey area from July 19 to 21, 2011. The survey area has been, and continues to <br /> be, disturbed by historic and ongoing mine-related activities (e.g., underground <br /> development rock piles, prospecting excavations, surface mines, overburden storage <br /> areas, roads). However, despite these disturbances, several distinct vegetation <br /> communities persist within the survey area. Field verification and modification of <br /> baseline vegetation information resulted in the identification of nine vegetation <br /> community types within the survey area (Table 3-1). Descriptions of these vegetation <br /> communities are described below. Appendix A includes the common name and <br /> scientific nomenclature for each plant species identified within the survey area. <br /> Taxonomic names conform to Weber and Wittman (1996). Vegetation community <br /> types within the survey are also mapped on Figure 3-1. On Figure 3-1, each <br /> separate section of the survey area is labeled with a unique number (Areas 1-6); <br /> these numbers are referenced in the vegetation community descriptions below. <br /> 3.1 Aspen-Dominated Woodland <br /> Aspen-dominated woodlands account for approximately 60 acres [14 percent of the <br /> total survey area (Table 3-1)]. This vegetation community type can be found in <br /> Sections 1, 2, 5, and 6. Within the survey area, aspen-dominated woodlands have a <br /> somewhat closed canopy of trees, 15 to 65 feet (5 to 20 meters) tall, dominated by <br /> quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides). Conifers are present in this vegetation <br /> community type in the survey area, but never co-dominant. Species include <br /> subalpine fir (Abies bifolia), Englemann spruce (Picea engelmannii), lodgepole pine <br /> (pinus contorta), Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens), ponderosa pine (Pinus <br /> ponderosa), and Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesh). Of these species, Engelmann <br /> spruce and ponderosa pine appear to be the most common coniferous species that <br /> occur in aspen-dominated woodlands. Conifer species may contribute up to 15 <br /> percent of the tree canopy before the community would be reclassified as a mixed <br /> conifer/aspen vegetation community. Shrubs were not common within this vegetation <br /> community, but some that were observed included red raspberry (Rubus idaeus ssp. <br /> melanolasius), wild gooseberry (Ribes montigenum), serviceberry (Amelanchier <br /> alnifolia), common juniper (Juniperus communis), and wood rose (Rosa woodsii). <br /> The herbaceous layer is generally lush, contributing to the majority of understory <br /> cover(approximately 10 to 50 percent cover). Common grasses include blue wild-rye <br /> (E/ymus glaucus), bearded wheatgrass (Elymus trachycaulus), and Arizona fescue <br /> (Festuca arizonica). The most common forb in the understory of aspen-dominated <br /> woodlands in the survey area is golden banner (Thermopsis montana). Other <br /> CCV Baseline Soils Biology Resource Report(11-17-11).doc 11 <br />