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4. Revegetation - No new revegetation was performed this year. <br />A. Acres seeded - None. <br />B. Seeding provided - Not applicable because no seeding was done. <br />C. Special treatments - Not applicable because no seeding was done. <br />D. Status of new seedings as of report date - Although no seeding was done this yeaz, <br />effectively the seeding done in 2006 is a new seeding because nothing of any <br />significance came up in 2006. It appeazs that at least some of the seed planted in 2006 <br />survived and germinated in 2007. At this point it is still too early to determine <br />whether what has germinated is sufficient to be considered a successful seeding, but <br />there are moderate to abundant perennial grass seedlings throughout these planted <br />areas. By the end of the summer the species of at least some of the new grasses can be <br />determined, provided more moisture is received. If moisture remains scant then this <br />determination may not be feasible until next year. Without sufficient moisture the <br />grasses will delay their first flowering until next year, reserving the energy put into <br />flowering for developing a sufficiently large root system to support the larger plant. <br />E. Status of older revegetation as of report date (describe growth rates, cover, invasive <br />species, native invasion, and difficulties) - All the older revegetation areas <br />continue to show excellent growth with a major increase in cover this year as a result <br />of the prodigious moisture received last winter and its recharging of deeper soil <br />moisture. For the most part these older plantings remain comparatively weed free with <br />only occasional weed growth and few noxious weeds. <br />F. Description of animal impacts on revegetation: Without a doubt the best news <br />of the last year is the removal of the cattle from the property. Grazing impacts have <br />always been significant on both the natural vegetation and the revegetation efforts. <br />Overgrazing is evident throughout the property and it has undoubtedly influenced the <br />species composition of the revegetation areas to shift the species balance strongly in <br />favor of species that are most resistant to heavy grazing. These species aze not the <br />species that the Colorado Natural Areas Program study correctly indicates should be <br />there if the land was only moderately grazed. Their report even makes mention of the <br />shifted species composition toward a short grass prairie from the richer and more <br />diverse unit that presumably should exist here. Although the vegetation classification <br />their survey used can be debated, their conclusions that the site is in a "disclimax" <br />condition induced primarily by grazing cannot be disputed. Based upon examination <br />of some of the better and less impacted vegetation, it is clear that needlegrasses <br />should be a much lazger part of the vegetation than it is and because needlegrasses <br />tend to be fairly sensitive to intensive cattle grazing their reduced abundance on <br />heavily grazed land clearly indicates a vegetation condition that is damaged by <br />overutilization. Already the needlegrasses have begun to make a comeback, but it will <br />be a long time before they become as abundant as some appazently think they should <br />be. <br />Status report for 2007 (July 15, 2007) Page 9 of 12 <br />