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1.2 Documentation of Successful Veaetation Establishment <br /> Trapper Mine reclaimed rangelands in Flintlock, East Flintlock (Z) and Lancaster pits, as outlined on Map <br /> 1, were sampled during 2023 to determine the success of vegetation establishment. Canopy cover, shrub <br /> stem density and plant composition were the parameters sampled. The purpose of the sampling was to <br /> 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 2023, 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 />