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Plots: native soil, two and one-half feet of processed shale, <br />and~ix__inches of soil over two feet of processed shale. Sixteen <br />grass species, a mixture of forbs, and alfalfa were seeded into <br />the treatments in the fall of 1971, leaving room for a spring <br />comparison planting the following year. Transplants of eight <br />shrub species were also included in the plot. Although the spring <br />planting was noticeably more vigorous than the fall planting, <br />one application of nitrogen fertilizer in midsummer corrected <br />this difference. <br />Western, pubescent and tall wheatgrasses showed the best growth <br />of all species planted in 1008 processed shale. Crested wheatgrass, <br />fourwing saltbush, pubescent wheatgrass, tall wheatgrass, Russian <br />wildrye, big bluegrass, Basin wildrye and streambank wheatgrass <br />all grow more vigorously on the soil/shale treatment than on <br />either the native soil or processed shale treatments. <br />• Continued monitoring and evaluation of the revegetation plots at <br />Colony are providing information about the persistence of vegeta- <br />tion on processed shale. The invasion of plant species and succes- <br />sional trends in the plot communities also are being studied in <br />order to further refine rehabilitation plans. Since 1977, a <br />consulting firm and Colony personnel have collected extensive <br />quantitative data on the status of the revegetation plots. Despite <br />the record drought of 1977, several species, including fourwing <br />saltbush, tall wheatgrass, Russian wildrye, streambank wheatgrass, <br />western wheatgrass, crested wheatgrass, and seepweed, all showed <br />good growth on processed shale and shale-soil mixtures. In addition, <br />it was also observed that fourwing saltbush, tall wheatgrass, <br />Russian wildrye, streambank wheatgrass, and crested wheatgrass <br />had spread by natural seeding. A variety of native forb and shrub <br />species not originally planted in the plots also had invaded areas <br />of the processed shale and shale-soil mixtures. The annual forbs <br />included beardstongue, Bigelow aster, showy goldeneye, narrowleaf <br /> <br />E-22 <br />