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• <br />species could be strengthening their hold in locations where they alrady exist or they <br />could he expanding their ranges. By establishing a series of permanent plots in each <br />reclaimed area and monitoring them each year for several years, one is better (and <br />more efficiently) able to address these questions. <br />In the first year of sampling, it is tempting to lay out enough plots to adeyuately <br />ICJ <br />estimate community parameters. However, estimating vegetative cover using plots is <br />too subjective to be an acceptable method (see page 6 of the Divisun's Vegetation <br />Guidelines), and the number of plots required to do so would lead to too lengthy and <br />expensive of a study, especially to be repeated each year. It is easier and still effective <br />to sample a predetermined set of randomly placed plots to determine if' the vegetation <br />within these plots changes in a consistent fashion over the coming years. If the <br />vegetation within the plots changes in a demonstratahle way, one has deteremined that, <br />even if the connection between overall community vegetation and plot vegetation is <br />uncertain, community vegetation is in all probability changing in a similar fashion. <br />SAMPLING METHODS: <br />Sample locations were selected randomly on astratified-random design. In the <br />• <br />Hillside area, two plots were placed in the vicinity of where the mine office used to be <br />and four were placed approximately 150 feet tTOm each other along the reclaimed <br />Ix>rtal access road. The Valley Bottum area has a more regular shape. Plots were <br />placed at regular grid points (100' x 50'). Sample plots were Icxated in the field <br />through the use of compass and pacing. The southeast corner of each 1/4 m~ (1/2 <br />meter x 1/2 meter) plot was placed on the permanently marked point. Using the <br />compass, [he west side of the plot was then aligned to point north. <br />~9~C 2 1 1998 <br />3 <br />l-:~V ~l~0/9~ icy-3ti <br />