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The shrub and tree planting lists contained in Table 22-8 include tree and shrub seedlings <br />• to be used in developed planting sites. The planted species will establish islands that <br />will eventually develop woody plant communities, restore habitat, and enhance plant <br />community diversity, pattern, and structure. The plantings are not intended to restore <br />woody plant communities on a large scale in the mine affected areas. However, the species <br />selected for the various planting areas are native to the area and site-adapted and <br />survivors will be able to spread end colonize new areas over time. The plantings will be <br />concentrated in larger open blocks of the reclaimed area to promote woody plant <br />reestablishment end mitigate uildl ife habitat loss. They will be sufficiently scattered <br />to diversify habitat potential and develop wildlife corridors. Exhibit 22.1 (Sheet 2 of <br />2) shows primary selection areas for planting sites. These areas approximate the minimum <br />area to be established and illustrate the primary areas within which concentrated <br />plantings will be distributed. Final site selection and location of planting sites will <br />be based on field conditions. Sufficient sites will be established to meet the criteria <br />in the woody plant density success criteria. Shrubs and trees will not be planted in <br />disturbances along the haul road corridor because of the narrow width of the corridor <br />(approximately 200 feet) and the potential far shrub invasion from immediately adjacent <br />native shrublands. Shrub seed has been included in the haul road corridor upland mix <br />• (Seed Mix No. 1B). <br />Natural regeneration of shrubs, particularly big sagebrush and mountain snouberry, has <br />played an important role in woody plant reestablishment at the Seneca II Nine. These two <br />shrubs occur in native stands that have a high composition of herbaceous species. IL <br />should be expected that these two species will dominate shrub composition in reclaimed <br />areas which ere inherently comprised of primarily herbaceous species. Complimenting <br />natural regeneration will be the inclusion of shrub seed in the seed mixes and the <br />establishment of concentrated shrub seeding areas where competing herbaceous vegetation <br />will be controlled. The close proximity of undisturbed native vegetation, some of which <br />may occur within the mine affected area, will also enhance woody plant mitigation efforts <br />and provide greater edge than that present in the premine vegetation. <br />Shrub end tree seedlings will be selected from planting stock developed from regional <br />genotypes collected in close proximity to the mine site. Planting stock will primarily be <br />containerized, although bare root stock may occasionally be used. Since 1990, <br />chokecherry, .serviceberry, end Gambel oak seedlings have been developed from seed <br />• collected at [he Seneca II Nine site. This practice will continue; however, poor shrub <br />seed crops, particularly for species such as Gambel oak, ere common and may restrict the <br />19 Revised 06/19/95 <br />