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Conclusions <br />Three reclaimed areas at the Southfield Mine, Vento Reclamation, Corley Reclamation and <br />Loadout Reclamation were sampled in 2006 during this interim reclamation monitoring effort. <br />As recommended by the Division, a total of 15 cover transects, 30 production and 30 shrub <br />density transects were sampled on each reclaimed site. Sample adequacy was achieved for plant <br />cover for the Vento Reclamation, Corley Reclamafion and Loadout Reclamation sites sampled <br />during this monitoring effort. On the Vento and L.oadout Reclamation, the plant total plant cover <br />growing on the revegetated sites exceeds the probable revegetation success standard and it can <br />be determined that the total plant cover growing on these sites is considered successful with <br />respect to the revegetation success standard for plant cover. The total plant cover an the Corley <br />Reclamation was less than the probable revegetation success standard, but this is not to be <br />unexpected since this site was last reseeded in October 2004 and the results herein represent only <br />two full growing seasons of plant growth. <br />Sample adequacy was achieved for total herbaceous production on the Corley Reclamation and <br />Loadout Reclamation sites, but was not achieved on the Vento Reclamation with the <br />recommended 30 transects sampled. The forage production values on the Vento Reclamation <br />exceeded the probable revegetation standard with respect to total herbaceous forage production, <br />while the forage production on the Corley Reclamation and Loadout Reclamation sites, was <br />below the probable revegetation success standazd. <br />• Sample adequacy was not achieved for shrub density on any of the three reclaimed sites <br />sampled. However, in most instances the Pernut standards for shrub density were achieved. For <br />those portions of the Vento Reclamation located in the immediate vicinity of the Refuse Pile the <br />permit standard for shrub density was achieved. However, for those portions of the Vento <br />Reclamation, located in the vicinity of the old mine portal shrub density was obviously not <br />achieved and cannot probably ever be restored to the Mine Portal Reference Area shrub density <br />value. Shrub density was achieved for the Loadout Reclamation. <br />Species diversity was achieved for the four dominant plants on all three reclaimed sites, wherein <br />they could not contribute more than 80 percent of the total relative cover, but the Permit standard <br />that the two dominant warm season species comprise at least 50 percent of the total relative <br />cover was not obtained for any of the reclaimed sites sampled. In fact, this Permit standard <br />appears to be totally inconsistent with the existing undisturbed vegetation found adjacent to these <br />reclaimed areas. For example, the original baseline vegetation sampling completed in 1980 <br />documents that the two dominant warm season species for the Mine Portal Reference Area, <br />accounted for only 34.43 percent of the total plant cover on this site. For the Refuse Pile <br />Reference Area, the two dominant warm season species accounted for only 58.80 percent of the <br />total plant cover of this site. While for the Loadout Reference Area, the two dominant warm <br />season species contribute only 43.93 percent of the total relative cover of this area. <br />Sampling of the Refuse Pile Reference Area in 1987, wherein sample adequacy was achieved, <br />documented that the two dominant warm season species contributed only 19.6 percent of the <br /> <br />t3 <br />