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$12,238/shrub clump - 46 acres/shrub clump = $266/acre <br />Desirable forage shrubs planted between clumps cost $103/acre <br />Total cost/acre for shrub reestablishment = $266/acre + $103/acre = $369/acre <br />• <br />The total estimated cost/acre to satisfy a minimum wildlife cover need with mature <br />shrub clumps (without considering mortality) is about $370. This compares favor- <br />ably with an estimate of from $530 to $620/acre to reestablish 400 shrub stems/acre <br />(without considering mortality) (Table 4). <br />The costs in Table 4 were darived from historic costs at Trapper Mine and costs <br />prcvided by plant material vendors. At 400 shrub stems established per acre <br />(disregarding r_crtality) the cost to reestablish shrubs is from 67% to 85% of the <br />total seeding and planting costs. <br />Satisfying a shrub clump standard would cost about $81,000 less per acre at Trapper <br />Mine than reestablishing premine shrub densities on the two different mountain <br />shrub range sites. <br />The proposed shrub establishment standards based on wildlife cover needs provide a <br />raasorable and practical approach for the Trapper Mine.. They should benefit wild- <br />. life and domestic Livestock producers while enhancing watershed management and con- <br />trolling costs. 4~ere pre and post-mine land uses and conditions differ from those <br />at Trapper Mine, different standards may be more appropriate. <br />It is important to keep in mind that the objective of any reclamation program <br />should be to serve the defined post-mining land use, not to reestablish a vegeta- <br />tion type. Moreover, while incidental wildlife use may occur, it should not be <br />considered a basis for modifying the reclamation program for areas where population <br />limiting habitat does not exist. <br /> <br />• <br />-23- <br /> <br />