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<br />G92-080: TR-03, ad~oue~v ieamnua: Ham Kenney <br />Loamy Foothills Range site description that these native communities <br />correspond with. <br />The post-mining land use for the reclaimed areas that were mountain shrub <br />and Pinyon/Juniper communities pre-mining is wildlife habitat. The Colorado <br />Division of Wildlife identified the mine area as critical Mule deer and elk <br />winter range. <br />In light of these facts, the Division considers a warm season grass component <br />on integral part of the reclamation success measure. Strict comparison of the <br />reclamation vegetative community makeup to the pre-nursing community is a <br />bit erroneous since OEI even states that the reclaimed community will not be <br />typical of the pre-mining community. Of primary note will be the drastic <br />reduction in the tree and shrub component. In the pre-mining Mountain <br />shrub community, 81% of the relative cover was attributed to shrub species, <br />and 5.1% relative cover ascribed to tree species, at a density of 3725 woody <br />stems per acre. In the pre-mine Pinyon/Juniper Woodland community 58%a <br />of the relative cover was contributed by tree species, and 20.6% relative cover <br />by shrub species. OEI has indicated that the reclaimed community will be <br />dominated by herbaceous vegetation instead of woody species as were present <br />in the pre-mining communities. Hence, the diversity of herbaceous lifeforms <br />will be of greater importance. <br />The Division will entertain a diversity standard consisting of: <br />1 warm season perennial grass species <br />2 cool season perennial grass species <br />2 perennialforb species <br />each species contributing a minimum of 3% relative cover, but not <br />greater than 40% relative cover. <br />Woody stem density shall remain at 1000 stems per acre. (For <br />perspective this is the equivalent of 1 shrub every 44 sq.ft.) <br />A new question comes up during this review. The only reference area for the <br />native vegetation type has been disturbed for the creation of a golf course. <br />What does OEI propose to compare the post-mining reclaimed vegetation to <br />achieve vegetation success? <br />12.a) The approved woody plant density standard for the non-agronomic reclaimed <br />lands is 1000 stems per acre. This is not equivalent to what existed pre- <br />mining considering that the pre-mining Woody Shrub cottununity had a <br />density of 3725 woody stems per acre. The Division encourages the <br />