REV05290 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

We have previously tried alfalfa and have found summer drought periods reduces its presence to a very minor component in the vegetation. After about two years it is gone. It never becomes large enough to do any good for nitrogen incorporation into the soil or for forage. We have dropped alfalfa from consideration until sane variety is produced which is more drought resistant. Mountain Mahogany can only be seeded with commercial seed if the seed is drilled. In this rocky soil medium drilling is out of the question. Native collections of seed and planting of uncleared seed is possible, but is only beneficial where soil is not being replaced. Where the native soil is replaced, this shrub appears as seedlings in the second season. Its source is undoubtedly from seeds in the soil rather than root sprouts as this species does not exhibit suckering. In general, we feel that planting a shrub species which is going to invade quite readily is rather pointless and can actually be harmful. It could easily increase shrub seedling density far beyond the ability of the environment to support them. Oak Hrush does not appear to be capable of very successful seeding and we have never found a source for Gambel Oak seed. This species seems to be quite particular about where it lives and seems to invade much later in the successional sequence. It can be transplanted, provided the soil it grew in goes with it. Otherwise, transplants seem to generally fail. Also, when transplanted it seems to need prodigious quantities of water to become established. ITF]M 8 - In the same letter, the DW also recalculated placement of fill along the backwalls every 20C`300 feet to provide escape routes for deer and bighorn sheep from coyotes, bears, and mountain lions. The DOW recamerided the escape routes be staggered between terraces for maximum effectiveness. Please incorporate these in the final land use configuration or discuss why they should not be. RESPQ~6E: We are aware of this approach. In this amendment that approach was not recommended by the DOW. This is because the bench lengths will be so short escape ramps are unnecessary. ITEM 9 - Dn page 34, it is discussed that in lieu of fertilizer application on test plots, "the greatest benefit came from a secondary seeding at a rate of about one- half the normal rate." Does the operator commit to this reseeding for revegetation success? RESPOND: Secondary seedings are highly beneficial where the first year seeding success is below expectatim. A5 a rule, in semi-arid lands, if the seeding produces about 4 to 6 plants per square foot (or more) secondary seeding will not be beneficial and can induce excess moisture competition. Where the seeding success is below about 4 plants per square foot then a secondary seeding can be helpful, unless the environment cannot sustain more than 3 to 5 plants per square foot in the first place. In most situations at this quarry, the environment should ultimately be capable of supporting 6 to 12 mature grass plants per square foot, so if a particular seeding only produces about 3 or fewer plants per square foot a secondary seeding would be done. SNYDER NW ANQmhETfl ADE(aIIACY RESPQJSES MAY 22, 1989 PACE 9