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grazing during the reclamation process to demonstrate the implemented reclamation <br />practices could support the postmining land use. The results show little or no <br />disturbance to perennial plant establishment from livestock grazing, however, wildlife <br />use appears to have been a detriment to shrub establishment. <br />The four major perennial grass species from the reclaimed area (A._SIDithit> A. <br />intermedium, J~jp~~, and P. rap tennis) are all palatable for livestock and wildlife <br />with A,~(hjj also being a good source of winter forage. Upland birds and small <br />mammals also use these species for forage and cover from predators. <br />The postmine vegetation type is classified as a grassland while the premise <br />vegetation types were classified as shtublands. This change in vegetation types allows <br />for a higher degree of use by increasing the overall ecological diversity of the area <br />when included with the adjacent native vegetation types. <br />6.2 SLLSr?cal FyalLation_c <br />The statistical evaluations used to determine reclamation adequacy are lengthy <br />and the formuL~s are defined in the 1995 CDMG Bond Release Guideline. Only the <br />general steps used and final data will be discussed here. The steps in sequence <br />include: <br />1. Collect and compile postmining data. <br />2. Statistical comparison of the acreage weighted means of the reference area <br />were calculated. The parameters that were looked at were the vegetation <br />cover, total ground cover, and production. <br />17 <br />