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• trees. Transplant candidates were four to six feet in height, without forks, disease, or damage that <br />might affect survival. The trees were monitored throughout 2005 to obtain data for comparison <br />between watering treatments using analysis of variance. Initial data from this study suggests that <br />aspens can be established with a high survival rate using as little as Y. gallon of supplemental watering <br />per day over the dry months of June, July, and August A complete analysis of the data collected and <br />the results of this study will be available by the fall of 2006. <br />Monitoring of Mined Land Revegetation <br />Monitoring of revegetated areas at the Seneca II-West Mine consists of both qualitative <br />evaluations and quantitative measurements. Qualitative evaluations aze carried out at least <br />annually during the growing season, while quantitative measurements and evaluations on each <br />reclamation block are conducted during years two, four and seven and during the final two <br />years prior to final bond release. <br />Qualitative evaluations consist of visual observations of newly seeded azeas to evaluate seeding <br />success, monitor fox excessive riling and gullying, determine the success of applied reclamation <br />practices, identify potential noxiaus weed problems, and estimate the degree of spedes establishment <br />through natural regeneration. Qualitative evaluations extend past the first several years for azeas of <br />new rill and gully repair, azeas of noxious weed control, azeas requiting restricted inter-seeding or <br />reseeding, or areas that have been planted to trees and shmbs. <br />Revegetation monitoring of a given area of reclamation is identified by year of initial seeding, and <br />conducted during the second or third growing season, and periodically thereafter (every 2-4 years) <br />until bond is released. Reference azea sampling is conducted coincidentally with revegetation <br />monitoring. <br />The following discussion details parameters to be sampled, sampling methodologies, and sampling <br />intensity far the revegetation monitoring program. <br />Sampling Parameters <br />Cover. Cover data includes "first-hit" and "all-Mt" cover by spedes (both absolute and relative <br />values), total vegetation cover and cover values for litter, rods, and baze ground. If present, cover by <br />mosses and lichens will also be tallied. <br />Production: Production data is collected as total current yeaz's herbaceous standing crop biomass. <br />In sampling for bond release, harvested biomass is separated by life form. Shmb or tree production <br />will not be sampled Values aze expressed as gm per 0.5 sq. m. and lbs/ac, oven-dry weight. <br />Woody Plan[ Density: The density of shrubs and trees is sampled in reclaimed azeas. Concentrated <br />shrub and tree planting areas aze delineated and sampled separately from the general reclamation. <br />Values aze presented as stems per 100 sq.m. and stems per axe. <br />Species Listt A list of all plant spedes observed during sampling is developed. <br />Species Density: A measure of the number of spedes per 100 sq.m. determined at the cover <br />sampling locations is developed and referred to as "spedes Density." <br />• <br />