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2006 Climax Mine: Tree Planting Report <br />In September 2006, 95% of spruce transplants and 100% of the fir, pine, and shrub <br />transplants were still alive (Error! Reference source not found. and Error! Reference source <br />not found. ). Trees were counted as alive if they had any green needles at the end of the growing <br />season. Of the 22 spruce that died, 5 were likely killed by elk (a115 showed signs of elk damage <br />in fall of 2005). Of the living spruce 17 were damaged (broken limbs or torn bazk) and 10 of <br />these can be definitely attributed to elk. Seven of the 103 willows planted (6.8%) showed <br />significant die back, but did have new growth in 2006. <br />While 95.5% of all trees were still alive in 2006, 10.8% of those still living had greater <br />than 50% needle death most likely due to sun scalding (Figure 3). When the sun reflects off the <br />snow onto branches at snow level, it can burn the needles and kill them, None of the 4.5% of <br />transplants that were dead after 1 yeaz were likely killed by scalding, so this effect will probably <br />be more obvious in 2007. An estimated 32.8% of the fir still alive at the end of 2006 and 8.8% of <br />the spruces are likely to die from scalding in the future. <br />2/27/2007 <br />