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• Therefore, baseline and reference area parameters were never sampled more than a few <br />days apart. <br />Total Vegetative Cover: <br />Total vegetative cover was estimated using an optical point frame developed by <br />ESCO Associates. Point sizings were located along a 25 meter transect stretched out <br />either northwest, northeast, southwest, or southeast of the sample location (the <br />direction was randomly selected from among the four possibilities) or at a slightly <br />different direction (e.g., NNE, etc.) when one of these directions was not possible. <br />The 50 points per transect (one point at each half meter interval) comprised a single <br />sample unit. Cover was identified by species, or as rock, litter, or bare ground. <br />Lichens and mosses were not distinguished to species but instead were lumped together <br />• as "CRYPT", for Cryptogams. For the purposes of estimating total vegetative cover, <br />only first hit data were used. (For the purposes of estimating baseline and reference <br />area species diversity, multiple hit cover data were collected). As allowed for on page <br />7 of the Division's Vegetation Guidelines, a height cutoff of four feet was employed in <br />both the baseline and reference areas. Only hits below four feet were recorded for the <br />purposes of determining comparability of baseline and reference areas. <br />Woody Plant Density: <br />Woody plant density was estimated using elongated quadrats. Quadrats were 25 <br />meters by 2 meters, or 50 square meters in size. The number of woody stems that <br />were rooted within the quadrats were counted. Less than fifty samples were collected <br />in each community. It was agreed with Mr. Waldron that 30 samples in baseline areas <br />• <br />3 <br />