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Comments on Salt Creek Seed Formula Tt,a goad formula of 2(~ lha/acre is toa high for the precipitation available in khe area, especially in the lower elevations where the majority of the disturbance will take place. A mare reasonable number would he from 10, maybe up to 15 lbe/acre, under dry land conditions. You are propoaing to seed 5poroholus airoides at about 54 seed/sq. ft. Your are proposing to seed 5poroholus cryptandrus at about 65 seeds/sq. ft. The remaining grass species are proposed at about 53 seeds/aq.ft. This is a total of 172 eeedeiaq.ft., and this is just for the grasses. Assuming that one or tvo of the species are aggressive competitors, you are reducing your chances of meeting a diversity goal. These rates are, in my opinion, to high. I have little experience rith the forba you are propoaing, but the Palmer penetemon is to he seeded at 3.5 seeds/eq.ft, and the Rocky Mountain penetemon ie to be seeded at 5 seeds/eq.ft. You are proposing to use containerized planting for the shrub species due to poor survival rates for shrubs planted using direct seeding. The Grand Junction Resource Area has been direct seeding Atriplex canescene, Atriplex canfertifolia, Chryaothamnue naueeoaua, Amelanichier alnifolia, end Cercoceroue montanue for at least the last ten years. We have met rith less than acceptable success in many cases vith the Serviceherry and the mountain mahogany. Hovever, ve have bed very good success with the ealthueh end rabbitbrueh species mentioned. Success, although controlled by many factors seems related to competition vith the aggressive grass species. On the Mancoe desert competition between the aalthuehes and crested wheatgrese is apparent. If the number of individuals of crested rheatgress is limited or eliminated, in general the salthushes succeed much more often. I believe that poor survival rates of other seeded shrubs, such as true mountain mahogany and serviceherry are related to competition as rell. Since mast grass species do very poorly on Mancoe desert and other highly grid areas, they offer little competition to the shrubs and thus the shrubs increase their success (ae noted above crested vheatgrass rill compete in some cases). In the higher elevations and higher precipitation areas the grasses will compete vith shrubs to a greater degree, thus reducing the success of the shrubs. Containerized planting in these areas rill not necessarily prevent the competition. Although the container plantings may survive, competition rill greatly reduce production and grovth of the shrubs in many situations. If your goal ie to have successful shrubs you may vent to reduce the number of individual grass species or eliminate grass species in the immediate area that shrubs are planted. Grose offers a quick cover rhich greatly reduces the rate of erosion, eo it may be a tradeoff betreen soil protection, and diversity and shrub production. Shrub production and diversity may not be as important a goal as soil protection, especially vhere the acres of disturbed area may he smell.