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• determination of whether the revegetated area mean is significantly less <br />than the criterion. When the revegetated area means in all categories are <br />not statistically significantly less than those for all cover criteria, the <br />revegetation will have been demonstrated successful. <br />Success Criterion: Species Diversity <br />Species diversity success criteria for revegetated parcels are based on the <br />species numbers, richness and relative abundance in native vegetation <br />communities. Baseline vegetation cover data for the rabbitbrush/big <br />sage mixed shrubland community were employed to determine the <br />dominant plant species of the community, as well as their lifeforms and <br />seasonality. Dominance was determined through selection of species <br />that contributed relative cover of three (3) percent or more relative cover <br />in the baseline sampling. Six species contributed this amount of relative <br />cover; one introduced annual cool season grass, two native cool season <br />grasses, one introduced cool season grass, and two shrubs. <br />Discounting the desirability of re-establishing an annual introduced <br />grass, and in order to reflect more typical species diversity in the <br />revegetated area, a total of six perennial plant species should be <br />• reestablished. Of these species, three should be graminoid, one a forb, <br />and two shrubs in life form. All of the qualifying species should be cool <br />season, deciduous, or evergreen. A minimum of four species should be <br />native. Both bunchgrasses and sod-forming grasses should be <br />represented, though no specific number of each is necessary. No single <br />species should contribute more than 40 percent mean relative cover or <br />less than two percent mean relative cover for graminoids or one percent <br />relative cover for the forb in the revegetated area. Species diversity will <br />have been successfully achieved when the above specifications are met. <br />Success Criterion: Woody Plant Deasity <br />Current woody plant density within the rabbitbrush/big sage mixed <br />shrubland is 2977 individuals/acre. Observation of the community <br />indicates that the current density (particularly of rubber rabbitbrush) is <br />overly high for the post-mining use of rangeland. Neither rubber <br />rabbitbrush nor big sage is particularly desirable for livestock. For this <br />reason, woody plants are not proposed for re-establishment within any <br />area identified as within the rabbitbrush/big sage mixed shrubland <br />vegetation community of the mine site. Woody plants are proposed to be <br />re-established within all areas disturbed and subsequently reclaimed <br />National King Coal, LLC King II Mine <br />Section 2.05.4 <br />Page 11 May, 2006 <br />