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• Section 2.05.4(2,(e) Reveeetation (continued) <br />"The reclaimed vegetation surface shall include at least three herbaceous <br />species with relative cover equal to or greater than 3%, two of which are cool <br />season grasses, and one forb. The combined relative cover of these species <br />should not exceed 80%, and no one species should comprise greater than 60%." <br />The Bear 1 & 2 disturbed azea was about 2.5 acres in size. Apex # 2, which is about 4.5 acres <br />in size and has apost-mining land use of grazing and wildlife habitat, has the following species <br />diversity standard: <br />"Using relative cover or production values for each species, the reclaimed areas <br />will have at least four perennial species with relative importance equal to or <br />greater than 30%, but with all species combined not to exceed 75% in relative <br />importance. Any one of the four species cannot exceed 40% in relative <br />importance." <br />Blue Ribbon mine, which has approximately 20.4 acres of disturbance, has this species <br />diversity standard: <br />"A minimum of one cool season sod forming grass, and three cool season bunch <br />• grasses, with each species having a minimum relative cover of five percent. <br />Perennial fortis (all species combined) must provide a minimum of five percent <br />relative cover. No individual herbaceous species which provides in excess of 60 <br />percent relative cover can be counted toward the diversity standard. A <br />minimum of three woody plant species must be present in the reclaimed <br />community." <br />Although the above three mines do not represent an exhaustive search of all mines in Colorado <br />that qualify for Rule 4.15.7(2)(d)(vi), they are believed to represent a good cross section of <br />what typically happens in the state with regard to species diversity standards. They indicate <br />that the previous diversity requirement of the Rimrock mine was high. The present standard <br />ensures that the reclaimed community will not simply be a monoculture. Additionally, the <br />emphasis on grasses reflects the agriculture/rangeland post-mining land uses that presently <br />applies without sacrificing with regard to the wildlife habitat land use. As is noted below, <br />small herbaceous dominated areas within a matrix of woody dominated plant communities <br />serves to enhance local wildlife habitat diversity. Also, portions of the Rimrock Mine area <br />were disturbed years ago by activity from the pre-law Engleville Mine. <br />-4a- <br />. Revised tt/7/97 <br />7R-Ib <br />