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West Elk Mine <br />with 740 individuals per hectare (300/acre). Gambel oak, western snowbeny, and servicebeny had <br />the highest mean cover values with 64.9, 20.6, and 13.8 percent respectively (Exhibit 33). Mean <br />total shrub density in the oakbrush reference azea was 53,320 individuals per hectaze. The most <br />abundant species was Gambel oak with 17,800 individuals per hectare (7,206/acre). Of this total, <br />approximately 49 percent were in the height class 0.25m-0.75m, 18 percent were in the second <br />height class, and 26 percent were in the fifth height class. Western snowberry, servicebeny, <br />chokecherry were the next most abundant species with 12,080 (4,891/acre), 11,240 (4,551/acre), <br />and 9,660 (3,911/acre) individuals per hectare, respectively (Exhibit 33). Most of the individuals <br />(79 percent) of western snowbeny were in the first height class whereas the other two species were <br />variably distributed throughout the five height classes. Three other species, including Wood's rose <br />(Rosa woodsii), hawthorn (Crataegus douglasii), and red cedaz (Juniperus virginiana) had density <br />values of 2,150 (866/acre), 360 (146/acre), and 40 (16/acre), respectively. Gambel oak, <br />servicebeny, and western snowberry had the highest mean cover values with 58.7, 20.4, and 18.0 <br />percent, respectively. <br />Differences between the reference azea and the affected azea were also evaluated using t-tests. The <br />difference in production between the two areas was not significant at the 95 percent confidence <br />level, however, the differences in shrub density and total vegetation cover were significant. <br />The oakbrush reference azea is no longer proposed for determining revegetation success criteria. A <br />historic record approach was initiated in 1996, to determine site-specific revegetation success <br />criteria for the West Elk Mine. <br />1995 Reluse Pile Ernansion (RPE) Area Yenetation Community Sampling <br />In 1995, MCC planned a second coal refuse pile in a location east of Sylvester Gulch on the toe <br />and sideslopes between Sylvester Gulch and an unnamed gulch to the east. The RPE azea was <br />not anticipated during the initial permitting of the mine; therefore, sampling of the undisturbed <br />vegetation communities present within the area proposed for disturbance was required by the <br />CDMG. <br />Vegetation communities were identified through aerial photography and field reconnaissance. <br />Oakbrush dominates the north-northeast facing slopes and toeslopes. A minor wetland <br />community dominated by cottonwoods and willows is present adjacent to Highway 133. <br />Narrowleaf cottonwoods dominate a minor cottonwood seep vegetation association adjacent to a <br />bedrock seep on the slope of the RPE area. Along the sandstone outcrops on the eastern portion <br />of the RPE area slope, a mixed conifer community is present. <br />Oakbrush Vegetation Community <br />The general composition of the oakbrush community was that of a multiple storied low forest. <br />The stories were composed of a tree or tall shrub component (>3 meters in height), a medium <br />height (1-2 meter) shrub component, and a low herbaceous graminoid and forb component. The <br />upper canopy was dominated by Quercus gambelii (Gambel oak) with occasional Juniperus <br />osteosperma (Utah juniper), Amelanchier alnifolia (serviceberry), and Prunus virginiana <br />(chokecherry) individuals present in the canopy. The medium height shrub understory was <br />1.04-/52 Revised November 2004 PRIO <br />