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WILDLIFE <br /> not be conducted in the area where the better habitats occur and is not occupying land that CDOW <br /> has leased. <br /> As far as the future is concerned, the mining might actually result in some enhancement of <br /> the wildlife habitat on Table Mountain. The reclamation plan for this operation will focus on <br /> establishing primarily grass dominated vegetation on the top of the mountain. This will alter the <br /> habitat characteristics to being more favorable for wildlife on the top of the mountain. Of course <br /> the problem with high exposure to wind and the lack of water will not be altered by the mining and <br /> reclamation, but the opening of the forests and increase in grass forage could result in an eventual <br /> increase in certain species. That beneficial effect though will probably not be long lived as the <br /> invasion rate of trees and shrubs into previously mined areas is rather high. Therefore, it can be <br /> expected that even though grass domination will occur for a few to several decades after <br /> completion of reclamation, eventually the mountain top will return to a habitat similar to what is <br /> there now. This increase in grass forage though could also help increase certain predator species <br /> for some time and thus help maintain those species. <br /> In conclusion, although there are significant wildlife resources on Table Mountain most of <br /> those resources are not associated with the top of the mountain where the mining will occur. <br /> Therefore, impacts of the mining on wildlife resources will be minor because changes on the <br /> mountain side slopes where most of the wildlife lives will be essentially zero. For some period of <br /> time after reclamation, the top of the mountain may become much better habitat than it currently <br /> is, but after several decades of tree and shrub invasion the habitat value will likely decline to a <br /> level similar to its present very limited value. In the final analysis, it is unlikely the mine will have <br /> any long term, adverse effects on the wildlife habitat on Table Mountain. <br /> Table Mountain Quarry - Castle Concrete Company Exhibit H Page H-2 <br />