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3.1.3 Species Composition <br /> Cover sampling identified three lifeforms and forty plant species within the reclamation <br /> areas. One forb species was not able to be positively identified. The lifeforms included ten <br /> species of perennial grass, no annual grasses, eighteen perennial forbs, two biennial forbs, <br /> five annual forbs, and four perennial woody plants. Of the species encountered on the <br /> reclaimed areas, twenty-eight were native and eleven were introduced. Perennial species <br /> outnumbered annual species by thirty-two to five, with two biennial species. All species <br /> were cool season. The woody plants were all perennial and deciduous. <br /> Quantitative vegetation cover sampling this year revealed six species contributing greater <br /> than three percent relative cover. Those species included five perennial grasses and one <br /> perennial forb. The species and their relative cover included Agropyron smithii (35.97%), <br /> Festuca arizonica (9.49%), Bromus marginatus (8.50%),Agropyron trachycaulum (7.91%), <br /> Agropyron dasystachyum (5.93%), and Aster glaucodes (3.75%). <br /> Fifteen additional native forb species were encountered in the cover sampling accounting for <br /> an additional 11.28 percent relative cover and 37.5 percent of the total number of plant <br /> species sampled. Three additional native graminoids provided an additional 3.56 percent <br /> relative cover and 7.5 percent of the total number of species encountered. The four <br /> additional woody species accounted for 4.55 percent of the relative cover and ten percent of <br /> the total number of species. <br /> Two native graminoids, thirteen of the native forb species encountered, and the four woody <br /> species encountered were volunteers (not in the seed mix), accounting for 47.5 percent of all <br /> species sampled. This indicates that the reclamation practices employed are favorable for re- <br /> establishment of volunteer species from adjacent undisturbed areas. <br /> 3.2 COMPARISON OF RECLAIMED AREAS WITH FINAL REVEGETATION <br /> SUCCESS CRITERIA <br /> Comparison of the reclaimed areas values for total vegetation cover, total herbaceous <br /> production, and species composition with the final revegetation success criteria indicates <br /> whether revegetation has been successful and compliant with requirements for Phase III bond <br /> release. <br /> CDRMS Rule 3.03.1(2) provides for release of bond, "upon the establishment of <br /> vegetation which supports the approved post-mining land use and which meets the approved <br /> success standard for cover pursuant to 4.15.8..." The tables below allow the comparison of <br /> the parameter values from this years sampling at the reclamation areas with the final <br /> revegetation criteria to be achieved. <br /> Mountain Coal Company,LLC West Elk Mine Page 8 <br /> 2022 Vegetation Report:West Bench,Sylvester Gulch,Shaft Canyon Road,and Saddle Road Reclamation Areas <br />