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Perennial grasses and perennial forbs dominate the reclaimed area, which has <br />significantly increased the vegetative production of the area compared to the pre- <br />mining production. It would appear that this shift from an area with higher shrub <br />concentration to an area dominated by grasses and forbs has provided <br />acceptable cover and biomass production, controls erosion, and is able to <br />support the post-mining land-use of rangeland. The presence of some shrubs in <br />the reclaimed area, and the dense pinyon-juniper community adjacent to the <br />reclaimed area, seem to indicate that succession will trend toward re- <br />establishment of a shrub and tree community. Natural succession typically <br />trends from early successional open grass and forb dominated communities to <br />later successional dense tree and shrub-dominated communities with little <br />herbaceous production below the canopy. Establishment of fewer woody plants <br />on this small reclaimed mine would appear support the post-mining land-use. <br />IV. Conclusion <br />Vegetation data collected in June 2003 on the reclaimed New Pryor Mine shows <br />that an effective self-sustaining, diverse permanent community has been <br />successfully established on the mine site. For 2003, the reclaimed area <br />exceeded the cover and production standards by comfortable margins. <br />Measured cover was 30.93% compared to the minimum acceptable cover <br />standard of 20.97%. Production was measured at 808 Ibs/acre, exceeding the <br />minimum standard of 213 Ibs/acre. The reclaimed community exhibits plant <br />species representing diverse life-forms and includes both warm season and cool <br />season plant species. Evidence suggests that the reclaimed area is being used <br />for domestic grazing which demonstrates effective post-mining land-use. Even <br />more significant, the reclaimed community appears to have recovered from the <br />severe drought experienced statewide in 2002. Based on the 2003 vegetation <br />sampling results, the Division believes the New Pryor reclaimed area is capable <br />of self-regeneration and plant succession in accordance with the requirements of <br />the Colorado Surface Coal Mining Reclamation Act. <br />s <br />