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wildlife and livestock forage, cover land stabilization, and in • general, creating habitat diversity. The proposed seed mix is herein included as Table 4. 4.15.8(7) The density of woody plants on the revegetated area shall be considered acceptable is it is at least 90$ of the approved reference area or standard, with 80$ statistical confidence. A lesser or greater density may be approved by the Division when evidence provided by the permittee demonstrates that such lesser or greater density will better achieve the goals of the approved postmining land use. However, where the reclama- tion plan calls for the placement of predominantly woody vegetation with predominantly herbaceous vegetation, potential adverse impacts on fish, wildlife and related environmental values must be evaluated. Methods for substantial mitigation of these adverse impacts approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Colorado Division of Wildlife must be included in the reclamation plan pursuant to 4.18. For the purposes of 4.15.8, den- sity is the number of stems per unit area and is defined in terms of count- able trees and shrubs. A countable tree or shrub means a woody plant that can be used in the calculation of density under the following criteria: (a) The tree or shrub shall be in place at least two growing sea- sons; (b) The tree or shrub shall be alive and healthy with at least one third of its length in live crown; • (c) Root crown or root sprouts over one foot in height shall count as one stem; and (d) The stem to be counted, where multiple stems from the same root crown occur, will be determined by methods approved by the Division. RESPONSE HG Coal Company intends to density of woody vegetation. reestablish a considerably lower However, sufficient woody vegeta- tion will be established to classify the reclaimed areas as woody vegetation communities. The greater dominance of herbaceous vegetation will improve herbaceous vegetation resources, relative to the premining vegetation and allow for increased habitat diversity to encourage wildlife utilization of the area. 4.15.8(8) The permittee shall be required to demonstrate that annual increases in woody plant cover and/or height have occurred. RESPONSE Periodic measurements will be made on woody plants to determine • if their cover and height are increasing.