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` CWI will consider its reclamation a success if: <br />1) total vegetation ground cover exceeds 40 percent <br />2) total anove ground herbaceous production exceeds 400 lbs per acre <br />3) shrub density ranges between 800 and 1000 stems per acre. <br />A total vegetation ground cover of 40 percent was chosen because it <br />exceeds that of the percent ground cover of the pinyon-juniper type at the OVM <br />which is the major type present. It also either exceeds or equals that of the <br />SCS range sites. It is not, however, greater than the cover of the vegetation <br />' ,.types at either the Somerset or ttt. Gunnison hlines (Table 2). These types, <br />however, both occupy more mesic aspects than occurs at the OVM. <br />A total above ground herbaceous production of x400 lbs. per acre was <br />chosen because it closely approximates the herbaceous production at the <br />Somerset Mine's mountain shrubland type and the Mt. Gunnison Mine's mixed <br />shrub type. Although these types are found on more favorable sites, it is <br />believed that the 400 lbs. per acre production is achievable at the OVM. The <br />400 lbs. per acre production greatly exceeds the original herbaceous production <br />': • by a factor of 10 in the mixed shrub and pinyon-juniper types at the OVh1. It <br />does not exceed the production estimates of the SCS but one must remember that <br />;~ these estimates are based upon a range site in excellent condition. Similarly <br />it does not exceed the production of the herbaceous reference area but this <br />area is greatly dominated by weedy species. A shrub density of 800-1,000 <br />_ stems per acre was chosen because the value of 1,000 stems per acre Baas recom- <br />mended by the Colorado Division of Wildlife and a value of 800-1,000 is <br />•, <br />believed achievable. <br /> <br />-5- <br />