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• While 32.5 % exceeds the success standard, only a little <br />over half of the cover is contributed by perennial, <br />non-noxious plant species. The site has had excellant shrub <br />establishment as indicated by the high amount of shrub cover, <br />contributed almost completely by Four-winged saltbrush <br />(Atriplex canescens). However, perennial grasses and forbs <br />contribute only 4.4 $ total cover. Grasses, while present in <br />8 of the 12 transects, were very dry and small. Grass species <br />noted include wheatgrasses, Smooth brome, and Indian <br />ricegrass. Perennial forbs were encountered only once, and <br />were rarely seen on the site. Annual forb (mainly Pennycress <br />and Clasping pepper-grass) and annual grass cover, while high, <br />will diminish if perennials are able to make gains in coming <br />years. Only three transects encountered noxious weeds. All <br />noxious weed cover was contributed by Field bindweed <br />(Convolvulus arvensis). <br />CONCLUSIONS ---------------------------------------- <br />Two success standards apply to the Red Canyon mine site. <br />Because cover data was collected by growth form, reclamation <br />success with regard to the species diversity standard was not <br />evaluated. The Red Canyon mine site does not presently meet <br />the success standard set for cover. The standard is 23.0 ~ <br />vegetative cover. Ninety percent of that value is 20.7 %. <br />The measured perennial, non-noxious vegetation cover of 17.7 <br />does not exceed this value. <br />r1 <br />LJ <br />4 <br />