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Sections that follow (3.2 and 3.3) provide a brief narrative of the results from each individual area <br />evaluated by Cedar Creek. Summary tables and charts and raw data tables for cover, production and <br />woody plant density are presented in Appendix A. <br />3.2 Reveoetated Areas <br />3.2.1 Gressland Community <br />The revegetated grassland community is comprised of approximately 12.6 acres of moderately to <br />sleepy sloping revegetation that has a predominately westerly aspect. An additional 3.0 acres of this <br />community will likey be transferred to the Oxbow permit, and therefore, samples taken in this area were <br />eliminated from the data set (see Map 1). This unit was originaly seeded in 1986 and therefore, has <br />undergone 18 growing seasons prior to sampling in 2004. A total of 39 plant taxa were observed in this <br />community (see Table 1). <br />Current annual herbaceous production across the unit averaged 432 pounds per acre in 2004 (see <br />Table 2 and Chart 1). Ground cover in the grassland consisted of 47.2% live vegetation, 9.1% rock, <br />27.8% litter, and bare soil exposure of 16.0% (Table 7 and Chart 2). Herbaceous cover across the unit <br />averaged 45.4% with noxious weed and shrub cover averaging 1.7% combined. Dominant taxa were <br />western wheatgrass (Agropyron smithiQ, cheatgrass (eromus tectorum), slender wheatgrass (Agropyron <br />trachycaulum), thickspike wheatgrass (Agropyron dasystachyum), and Kentucky bluegrass (Poa <br />pratensis) with 11.0°k, 9.3%, 8.2%, 2.8%, and 2.7% average cover, respectivey. Woody plant density <br />was determined from 25 belt transacts and totaled 104 young and mature plants per acre with <br />ornamental rose (Rosa sR) and mountain snowberry (Symphoricarpos rotundifolius) the dominant woody <br />plants (Table 13 and Chart 5). <br />With regard to diversity, the grassland community exhibited five perennial, cool-season grasses with <br />between 3% and 50% relative cover, which curcenUy passes the bond release diversity standard (four <br />perennial cool-season grasses). The total relative cover of perennial, non-noxious fortis was 9.89%, <br />which easily passes the present and proposed success standards (5% and 3%, respectivey). In addition, <br />seven shrub species were observed in the grassland community easiy passing the success standard of <br />three species. This community also passes both present (standard of 44.3%) and proposed (reference <br />area comparison) herbaceous cover bond release comparisons. To the contrary, this community does not <br />pass the present production standard (1,784 lbs./acre) and will likely never meet this standard. <br />However, this community does pass the proposed standard (reference area comparison). This unit <br />"directly" exceeds the woody plant standard of 90% of 100 plants per acre, however, it cannot pass the <br />c~~ ~~~ msa®cuAV~ rnc. Page 12 Blue Ribbon Mine - Revegetatlon Evaluation <br />