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• INTRODUCTION <br />During the 1985 growing season vegetation studies were conducted <br />on seven reclaimed areas on the Seneca II Mine permit area. The age <br />of the areas ranged from areas seeded in 1977 to areas seeded in <br />1983. In addition to sampling the reclaimed areas, reference areas <br />for the upland sagebrush and mixed mountain shrubland vegetation <br />types were also sampled. The purpose of conducting the studies was <br />to evaluate various vegetation parameters in order to measure the <br />success of vegetation establishment on the reclaimed areas and to <br />compare cover and production values from the reclaimed areas to <br />values obtained from the native vegetation types. The study was also <br />• designed to serve as a pilot study that would provide useful <br />information regarding methods, study designs, and appropriate sample <br />sizes that would be needed when formal requests for bond release are <br />prepared in the future. <br />METHODS <br />The vegetation studies were designed to provide information on <br />cover, production and shrub density for each of the separate areas <br />that were studied. The reclaimed areas were grouped on the basis of <br />the year in which they were reclaimed. The seven areas consisted of <br />areas reclaimed in 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, and 1983 <br />• (Plate 1). Using the map of the reclaimed areas, sampling locations <br />