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1.2 Documentation of Successful Vegetation Establishment <br />Trapper Mine reclaimed rangelands in Ashmore, Flintlock, East Flintlock (Z) and Kimber pits, as outlined <br />on Map 1, were sampled during 2020 to determine the success of vegetation establishment. Canopy <br />cover, shrub stem density and plant composition were the parameters sampled. The purpose of the <br />sampling was to evaluate the readiness of reclaimed parcels/blocks for Phase II bond release. <br />1.2.1 Methods <br />Vegetation transects were systematically located on the Trapper Mine rangeland block evaluated for <br />Phase II bond release during 2020, as outlined on Map 1. A grid system utilizing 400 -foot vertical and <br />horizontal spacing was overlaid on 1"=400' topography maps to establish systematic transect locations. <br />Transect starting points were field located using a G.I.S. satellite survey system in combination with large- <br />scale topographic maps. Transects were 50 meters in length and run in a random direction from the <br />starting point. All transects were kept within reclaimed parcel boundaries. If the randomly selected <br />transect direction resulted in the possibility of the transect line crossing a parcel boundary, the transect <br />line was turned 180 degrees to avoid crossing the boundary. <br />Plant canopy cover and plant species composition were estimated by using the point -hit technique (Optical <br />Point Bar). Each 50 -meter line transect was monitored at each site with 10 observations recorded along <br />each line transect at 5 -meter intervals (total 100 contacts/transect). <br />Woody stem density was calculated using belt transects. All woody stems located within one meter of <br />either side of the 50 -meter transect line were counted and tallied by shrub species. <br />Transect data were designed to be summarized by individual transects and by reclaimed land "parcels" <br />and "blocks." Parcels were delineated on the basis of: 1) reclaimed pit area, 2) initial year of seeding and <br />3) range site. Blocks consist of a logical grouping of parcels lumped together for bond release evaluation <br />purposes. Plant cover sample adequacy (i.e. number of transects required) was determined by block for <br />Phase II bond release criteria using equations specified by the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining <br />and Safety (CDRMS). <br />1.2.2 Results and Discussion <br />Postmine ground cover and woody stem density data for all reclaimed rangelands sampled are <br />summarized by reclaimed block and compared against Trapper's bond release technical standards (Table <br />1.2-1). Tables 1.2-2 and 1.2-3 summarize reclaimed block ground cover and woody stem density, <br />respectively, by life form and by plant species. A complete list of plant species encountered on reclaimed <br />2 <br />