Laserfiche WebLink
to be affected by rtuning (10.4%) <br />x, = Average reference azea herbaceous production -Aspen type • <br />xb = Average reference azea herbaceous production -Mountain Brush type <br />x,mc = Average reference area herbaceous production -Steep Mountain Brush type <br />x, = Average reference area herbaceous production -Sagebrush/Snowberry type <br />x~ = Average reference azea herbaceous production -Western Wheatgrass/Alkali <br />Sagebrush type <br />Reclamation success for herbaceous production shall be demonstrated when the value of the <br />reclaimed azea is greater than or statistically indistinguishable from 90 percent of the herbaceous <br />production standazd with 90 percent statistical confidence using aone-sample t-test. <br />S~teaes Diversity <br />Since the time that the diversity standazds for the original II-W permit and the South Extension <br />Area were proposed, a more comprehensive consideration of the nature of plant diversity on <br />reclaimed areas as compazed to un-mined areas (reference areas) has been completed. The <br />result is the set of proposed standazds below: • <br />Backgromd <br />The bulk of reclamation sites have used a seeding strategy that emphasized grasses to assure adequate <br />esosioa control, and even when those grasses aze native species, the competitive advantage of this <br />lifefoan over forbs and woody plants is evident at many mine locations. In dte short and medium <br />term, it seems unavoidable that spedes diversity will be less than that of most un-mined comparison <br />sites (or baseline conditions). <br />This is not because of faulty seed mixes, or poor seeding technique, or any particulaz short-coming of <br />planting a regraded/topsoiled site. One of the lessons of the large-scale experiment represented by <br />mine revegetadon since the late 1970's is that given decent topsoil and reasonably favorable moisture <br />conditions, the presence of species other than grasses is not subject to a "plant them and they will <br />come" direct approach. Rather, the rirr„n,stances that lead (or have lead in the pre-existing <br />vegetation) to the opportunity for the firm establishment of these other lifeforms and species aze <br />probably themselves diverse and (at least until we understand more) non-constructible. • <br />TR-50 <br />50 <br />Revised 07/05 <br />