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woody plants in areas used by livestock. This allows plant growth resources to be directed <br />towards the herbaceous component, thus increasing total useable forage production for <br />livestock. It also improves accessibility and utilization by removing dense and many times <br />impenetrable thickets of brush. Colorado Division of Wildlife ICDDW) personnel agree that <br />these dense shrub communities could be thinned or "opened up" using various means including <br />mining, thus providing benefits to wildlife at the same time (Whitaker, 19821. Analysis of data <br />in Tab 10, Vegetation, and determination of range condition for the mixed brush and sagebrush <br />types provide strong support for reducing these densities, as mentioned earlier. It should be <br />noted that a total elimination of shrubs is not suggested, but a reduction in shrub density in the <br />postmine environment is desirable. Successional time frames, applied reclamation practices, <br />and the inherent developmental patterns of native woody vegetation types all restrict the <br />development of reclaimed woody plant densities during the liability periods and so lower <br />densities are inevitable Isee Revegetation Monitoring Reports for the Seneca II Mine, years <br />1987, 1988, and 1989). <br />For adequate livestock performance on rangeland, including lactation and daily gains, a <br />balanced forage diet is necessary. The herbaceous component will provide the majority of <br />forage and adequate nutrient quality (digestible protein, energy, phosphorous and carotene) <br />during the major part of the grazing season, but the availability of browse species will aid in <br />meeting nutrient requirements during the latter part of the grazing season (Cook, et al., 19771. <br />For ranges that are dominated by woody species, the amount and availability of nutritious and <br />palatable herbaceous species is significantly reduced, affecting the forage available to <br />livestock. The grazing season at Seneca II-W runs from late spring to fall and during this <br />period herbaceous species are selected by both sheep and cattle. <br />The species selected for inclusion in the permanent seed mixes were not only selected for <br />establishment of a predominantly native, productive, self-sustaining community, but also to <br />best meet the nutrient requirements of livestock and wildlife during spring and summer (Cook, <br />et al., 19771. When livestock are not using the range, wildlife can benefit from early green-up <br />of herbaceous species or use standing forage from these species as an energy source when <br />available in the winter. Inclusion of fortis and shrubs in reclaimed areas and readily available <br />adjacent undisturbed native vegetation will provide ample opportunities for well-balanced diets <br />for both livestock and wildlife. Undisturbed native shrublands are not much more than one-half <br />mile from the center of the south mining block, <br />6 Revised 1/99 <br />