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this community does pass the proposed standard (reference area comparison). The reclaimed riparian <br />area presently meets the woody plant standard of 90°k of 1000 plants per acre and should easily pass <br />this again in 2005 and 2006. Noxious weeds appear to be well controlled in this unit, and there are only <br />a few patches of annual brumes scattered throughout the unit. <br />At present, the riparian community is a good example of a reclaimed riparian community that should <br />contribute to the local system as foraging habitat and cover for wildlife as well as providing hydrologic <br />stability to Hubbard Leek. <br />3.3 Reference Areas <br />3.3.1 Grassland Reference Area <br />The Grassland Reference Area is comprised of approximately 6 acres of moderately to steeply <br />sloping undisturbed land that has a predominately westerly aspect. It is located approximately 0.5 miles <br />southeast of the Blue Ribbon Mine on a relatively open hillside (see Map 2). This location was selected <br />for two reasons. First, it is the only undisturbed herbaceous dominated area that could be located within <br />reasonable proximity to the mine area. Second, it exhibits a low density of trees (Pion"on and juniper), and <br />a more elevated stand of herbaceous species (contrary to the oak brush and Pinn"on-Juniper woodland <br />throughout the area). This elevated herbaceous component provides a more appropriate target for the <br />ecological rnnditions present in the revegetated grasslands of the Blue Ribbon Mine. A total of 20 plant <br />taxa were observed in this community (see Table 1). Current annual herbaceous production across the <br />area averaged 232 pounds per acre in 2004 (see Chart 1). Ground cover in the grassland consisted of <br />28.9% five vegetation, 9.6% rock, 17.7% litter, and bare soil exposure of 43.8%. Herbaceous cover <br />across the unit averaged 28.4% with noxious weed and shrub cover averaging 0.5% combined. <br />Dominant taxa were prairie pepperweed (Lepidium densiHorum), cheatgress, and western wheatgrass <br />with 13.3%, 7.2%, and 4.1% average cover, respectively. There are a few patches of annual brumes <br />scattered throughout the reference area. No noxious weeds were observed. <br />With regard to diversity, the grassland reference area exhibited one perennial, cool-season gress <br />with between 3% and 50% relative cover, and the total relative cover of perennial, non-noxious forts <br />was 4.61%. Furthermore, seven shrub species were observed in the grassland reference area. This <br />undisturbed reference area would not pass the present mver (44.3%) or production (1,784 lbs./acre) <br />success standards. <br />~~~ ea~cc A§s®cnav~z~ uvc Page 14 Blue Ribbon Mine- Revegetation Evaluation <br />