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naturally devoid of tree and shrub vegetation and possessed a higher canopy <br />coverage and production of fortis and grasses than the pinyon-juniper and <br />mixed-shrub plant communities. It will be referred to as the herbaceous <br />reference area. <br />Tables 1, 2 and 3 present the species diversity information (i.e. relative <br />cover, vegetative class, longevity, seasonality and origin) for the <br />dominant plant species of the pinyon-juniper, mixed-shrub and herbaceous <br />reference areas. The pinyon-juniper and mixed-shrub reference areas will <br />be considered indicative of the area's wildlife habitat and will be <br />compared to CWI's revegetation plans regarding their wildlife post-mine <br />land use goal. The herbaceous reference area will be compared to CWI's <br />revegetation plan concerning the rangeland post-mine land use goal. <br />Wildlife Post Mine Land Use Goal <br />The pinyon-juniper and mixed-shrub reference areas are dominated by an <br />overstory of shrub and tree species, including: Utah juniper (Juniperus <br />osteosperma), Gambel oak ( uercus gambelii), Utah serviceberry (Amelanchier <br />utahensis), antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata), true mountain <br />mahogany (Cercocarpus montanus), pinyon (Pinus edulis), whortleleaf <br />snowberry (Symphoricarpos oreophillus) and squawapple (Peraphyllum <br />ramosissimum) (Tables I and 2). The understory of these reference areas is <br />dominated by cool season annual grasses, cheatgrass brome (Bromus tectorum) <br />and bromegrass (Bromus squarrosus). Colorado Westmoreland proposes to <br />reestablish a suitable habitat for wildlife through the use of planted tree <br />and shrub species, including (in order of abundance) true mountain <br />mahogany, antelope bitterbrush, squawapple, skunkbush sumac (Rhus <br />trilobata), pinyon, and Utah juniper. These species, with the exception of <br />skunkbush sumac, are identical to the existing dominant tree and shrub <br />species of the reference areas. Colorado Westmoreland, however, is <br />intentionally increasing the relative abundance of true mountain mahogany, <br />antelope bitterbrush, squawapple and skunkbrush sumac over the relative <br />cover of Utah juniper and Gambel oak in the reference area because this <br />better suits a wildlife post-mine land use goal. Colorado Westmoreland <br />proposes that the species diversity evaluation ranking follow that of the <br />planting mix rather than that of the reference areas. <br /> <br />