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5. REVEGETATION MONITORING <br />Requirement <br />Section 4.15.1(4) of the Colowyo CDMG Permit contains a plan for monitoring the success of <br />revegetation. <br />All reclaimed azeas surveyed aze shown on Exhibit 9, 2000 Annual Report Map. The data is <br />presented in Exhibit 4 - Revegetation Monitoring. <br />Response <br />During the summer of 2000, Colowyo completed vegetation monitoring on the following azeas: <br />A. Herbaceous frequency and density of the 1999 revegetated azeas found in the East/West, <br />and Section 16 Pits. <br />B. Herbaceous cover and woody plants in the 1996 and 1998 revegetated areas. <br />A. Herbaceous Frequency And Density Of The 1999 Revegetated Area <br />The azea seeded in the fall of 1999 was undergoing the first growing season. Past sampling <br />methodologies continue to be used to obtain vegetation data. Two hundred fifty (250) placements <br />of a 60 cm X 60 cm frame was used, species occurrence was recorded and frequency calculated. A <br />95% confidence interval for the frequency data is calculated and presented in Exhibit 4 for the top <br />twenty species. The East/West pit data is analyzed sepazate from the Section 16 Pit Data. Using a <br />Frequency/Density Relationship table (found in Exhibit 4) the appazent density per quadrat of <br />initial plant establishment is also provided for review. <br />The data has been summarized and the top 20 species by occurrence is presented in Exhibit 4~ <br />Revegetation Monitoring. The data indicates a reasonably diverse, successful establishment of <br />desirable perennial grasses and forbs, as well as the expected number of annual grasses and forbs. <br />B. Herbaceous Cover and Woody Plants in the 1995 And 1997 Reclaimed Areas <br />During the summer of 2000 the 1995 and 1997 reclaimed azeas were sampled for herbaceous cover <br />and woody plant density to monitor the initial success of these revegetation efforts. <br />Exhibit 4, Revegetation Monitoring, contains the results of this sampling. The data indicates an <br />initial establishment of herbaceous species meeting or exceeding our expectations for the <br />reclamation plan and the requirements of the postmining land use. Overall, cover and diversity <br />generally appeaz adequate throughout the various stands. Woody plant establishment continues to <br />be hampered by browsing by wild ungulates. <br />• Note that we separated the data by reclamation yeaz for the purpose of monitoring interest. <br />Monitoring for bond release would not sepazate the reclamation areas by yeaz, rather, it would be <br />our intent that all azeas would be combined together as one potential sampling block and randomly <br />sampled. <br />tl <br />