Laserfiche WebLink
A. The Division has previously approved the use of introduced species in the <br /> reclamation seed mix. Introduced species are included in cropland, pastureland, <br /> and rangeland seed mixes. The applicant has submitted information which shows <br /> that the introduced species are desirable and necessary to achieve the post-mining <br /> land use, and are not poisonous or noxious (4.15.2). <br /> Methods to measure herbaceous cover and production, species diversity, and <br /> woody plant density are discussed beginning on pages 2.04-52 and 2.05-115 of the <br /> application for all disturbed areas, with the exception of the Fish Creek Tipple <br /> area. These techniques include: <br /> 1. Vegetative cover will be sampled using the point-intercept method on a 50- <br /> meter transect line. "First hit" percent cover at every sample location will be <br /> calculated for each species; <br /> 2. Herbaceous production samples will be taken at the same random sample <br /> points used for cover sampling. Vegetation clipping will occur in one-square <br /> meter quadrants, followed by drying at 105 degrees and weighing to the nearest <br /> 0.1 gram for productivity; <br /> 3. Species diversity success will be demonstrated with no single plant species <br /> exceeding 60%relative cover and at least two of the following tests: 1)total <br /> species density 2) assessment of the distribution of species density among life- <br /> forms in comparison to the reference areas and 3) assessment of the presence <br /> of native species; <br /> 4. Shrub density will be evaluated using a belt transect method with transects 2 <br /> meters X 50 meters in dimension and randomly oriented from the sample point <br /> origin. <br /> For the Fish Creek Tipple area, the methodologies will be: <br /> 1. Cover will be determined using fifty meter transects with ten points every five <br /> meters for 100 "hits"; <br /> 2. Production will be determined from the clipping of three meter squared <br /> quadrants placed randomly along the cover transect; <br /> 3. Woody stem density will be determined by counting rooted shrubs along a 2- <br /> meter by 50-meter transect; <br /> 4. Diversity success will require two perennial grasses to exceed 5% composition <br /> and one perennial forb to exceed 3% composition with no one species <br /> exceeding 40% composition. <br /> Foidel Creek Mine 30 August 4,2023 <br />