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It is believed that planting the trees at the start of the first <br />spring following grass and forb seeding is useful as it allows grass <br />• and forb seed to germinate and pass through the cotyledon si;age before <br />the minor disturbances that occur during tree planting. 7h:;s also <br />allows the trees to become established in the first year without <br />excessive moisture competition from the grasses. <br />No irrigation or shingle protection is considered necessary to <br />establish the trees. On the Visual Berm 450 trees and shrut~s were <br />planted as bare root stock. No irrigation or protection wa=_. provided <br />and only one fertilizer tablet was placed in the planting hole. After <br />6 years, approximately 60'l. of the original planting is still alive and <br />all but a half dozen or so are strong, healthy plants, some having <br />reached heights of nearly 8 feet. Those areas are east facing whereas <br />this area is north facing. It is well documented that tree growth, <br />keeping species constant, tends to be strongly controlled by aspect. <br />This is only marginally true of grasses, fortis, and most shrubs. <br />Fertilization of the trees will be limited to the inclusion of a <br />' fertilizer tablet in the bottom of the planting hole plus possibly the <br />application of Biosol organic soil amendment to the top of the <br />i <br />• planting medium. It is also possible a small amount of polyacrylamide <br />will be included with the planting to help counteract the effects of <br />dry periods, but this may be limited to only sites where dryness is <br />expected. Polyacrylamides show considerable potential for u~~e in <br />revegetation, particularly in the elimination or reduction of a need <br />to use irrigation. However, the verdict is still out as to iaxactly <br />how useful it is in plantings on semi-arid land. Castle Concrete has <br />already initiated some literature and hydrating studies of this <br />material. Planting trials are being planned for a very harsh sandy <br />soil site south of Colorado Springs in the area of the sand Fait <br />operations. It is reasoned that if the material works on a steep, <br />south facing slope composed primarily of Blakeland loamy sancl blended <br />with virgin sand it probably will work anywhere. <br />• <br />Page 7 of 8 SNYDER RDAD CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN <br />