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<br />Revegetation Evaluation re: Diversity <br />Powderhorn Coal Co. <br />~ 1.0 INTRODUCTION <br />1.1 General <br />~ Cedar Creek Associates, Inc. (Cedar Creek) was requested in May, 2001 to evaluate expressed <br />revegetation at two sites and provide recommendations to facilitate eventual compliance with Powderhom <br />Coal Company's (PCC) revegetaGon success standards, specifically those addressing diversity. <br />Following asite-specific evaluation by Savage and Savage Inc. (in 1999), the ability of expressed <br />~ revegetation at Cameo Refuse Disposal Area (CRDA) # 1 and CRDA # 2 to meet or exceed the <br />established diversity success standard was deemed questionable, at least in part. Therefore, Cedar <br />Creek was requested to collect sufficient ground cover samples from the two CRDA areas as well as the <br />New Greasewood Reference Area and the established Shadscale reference area to determine if a <br />~ • problem still persists and to effect a solution. <br />Field sampling for the directly measurable variable of ground cover (which can then be converted to <br />determine species composition) was systematically conducted within the two reclaimed areas as well as <br />~ within the two reference areas from June 2 - 3, 2001. Sampling was conducted by and/or under the direct <br />supervision of Cedar Creek's senior Range Ecologist, Mr. Steven R. Vert. Each of the four areas was <br />systematically sampled with 15 ground cover transacts (see Map 1). In addition to the sampling effort, <br />current conditions at the time of the sampling period were documented by a photo of each segregate area <br />~ (see Plates 1 - 4) to provide a visual demonstration of site-conditions. <br />1.2 Background and Standards for Suttees <br />~ The two revegetated areas, which are the subject of this evaluation, were primarily seeded in July, <br />1994 with subsequent seeding efforts on a portion of the area in December, 1994. As indicated on Map <br />1, the revegetated portions of CRDA #1 and # 2 were estimated at 12.1 and 12.0 acres, respectively. <br />~ • According to permit documents, the diversity success criteria as currently established are as follows: <br />Page 1 <br />