Laserfiche WebLink
information from vegetation communities. <br />Total Vegetation Cover <br />For total vegetation cover on reclaimed areas, the revegetation success criterion is 53.04 percent total live <br />vegetation cover. This value is derived from the mean of the total vegetation cover values from the 1996, <br />1997, 1998, and 2010 quantitative data obtained from the historic records vegetation community sampling. <br />Reclaimed areas will be considered successfully reclaimed to the final revegetation success criterion if the <br />total vegetation cover on the reclaimed area is not less than 90 percent of the total vegetation cover value of <br />53.04 percent, with 90 percent statistical confidence using a one -tailed "t" test. <br />Total Herbaceous Production <br />For total herbaceous production on reclaimed areas, the revegetation success criterion is 180.38 g/m2 total <br />herbaceous production. This value is derived from the mean of the total vegetation cover values from the <br />1996, 1997, 1998, and 2010 quantitative data from the historic records vegetation community sampling. <br />Reclaimed areas will be considered successfully reclaimed to the final revegetation success criterion if the <br />total herbaceous production on the reclaimed area is not less than 90 percent of the total herbaceous <br />production value of 180.38 g/m2 with 90 percent statistical confidence with a one -tailed "t" test. <br />Species Composition <br />Species composition was evaluated by reviewing the relative cover of species at the 1982 dry meadow <br />affected community, the 1982 dry meadow reference area, the 1995 dry meadow reference area, and the <br />HRSA in 1996, 1997, 1998, and 2010. The number and description of eligible (those species contributing <br />between three and 40 percent relative cover, and not including weedy or undesirable species) has varied <br />from a low of one cool season perennial grass and one cool season perennial forb (1998 HRSA) to a high of <br />three cool season perennial grasses and one cool season perennial forb (2010 HRSA). Based on this <br />information the following species composition criterion was developed. To meet the requirements of the <br />final revegetation success criterion for species composition, species composition on any reclaimed area shall <br />be such that there are at least three perennial species of which two are cool season perennial grasses and one <br />is a cool season perennial forb. No one component of the above three species should comprise greater than <br />40% relative cover nor less than 3% relative cover, during a given year's quantitative sampling. Vegetation <br />species that may be used in the calculation of species composition may be any plant species not defined as a <br />noxious or prohibited plant species, and may be native or introduced. <br />Woody Plant Density <br />The initial revegetation success criterion for woody plant density at the West Elk Mine was 1,000 stems/acre. <br />This standard was taken from the 1981 recommendations of the Colorado Division of Wildlife for the larger <br />disturbances in northwest Colorado typically associated with Surface mines. Since that time, conservation and <br />wildlife biologists have evaluated the relationships between open spaces and densely populated vegetation <br />communities (especially mountain shrub and oakbrush). Studies and communications with wildlife specialists <br />and the land management agencies responsible for the majority of the surface at the West Elk Mine have <br />indicated that establishment of woody species is not a priority for the types of disturbances (narrow linear, <br />small extent pads, and open north -facing) at the mine. Observations by these specialist indicate increased <br />wildlife usage of the relatively small open, herbaceous dominated areas created by the reclamation and <br />revegetation plan for the mine. To this end the wildlife specialists and land management agencies have <br />requested that woody species not be actively re-established by MCC. Therefore, there is no woody plant <br />density final revegetation success criterion for the West Elk Mine. <br />2.05-69 Rev. 11196- PRO 7: 04/06- PR 10; 07/11- TR 125 <br />