1986-05-16_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - M1981302

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• I Ms. Peggy Schlagel - 2 - May 15, 1986 XI and XII. Mountain and Pike' s Peak Mixtures 1 . These could be good mixtures for selected special applications. General : Most of these seed mixtures are more diverse than what we usually see. However, they are comprised of non-varietal species which do not have guaranteed viability or gerninability. According to the Mined Land Reclamation Act, a seed mixture should try to approximate what vegetation was present on the site prior to mining and blend in with the surrounding vegetation. In most cases, these seed mixtures will not accomplish that purpose to the degree that a well planned, site specific mixture will . Diverse, effective, and long-lasting plant communities in Colorado always seem to contain some forb (broadleaf) and shrub or tree component in them except in some small parts of the eastern plains. My feeling is that operators should commit to putting at least a few forbs and one or two shrubs in every seed mixture depending on planned end use and location of the mine site. A company the size of Flatiron Paving should be able to plan two or three seed mixtures for most of their sites which Arkansas Valley could mix up at reduced cost. The mixture could include several grass species, some forbs, and one or two shrubs (if desired) . If forbs and shrubs are used, you may want to reduce the fertilization rate. I strongly suggest that known varieties with guaranteed viability and germinability be used in all seed mixtures to enhance reclamation success and, therefore, improve chances of faster financial warranty release. Thank you for allowing us to comment on these seed mixtures. If you have any further questions, please contact myself or Jim McArdle. Sincerely, C4_A_ r Carl B. Mount Reclamation Specialist Range Ecologist CBM/dlm 020OF