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2004 Annual Rec/amation Re/xut <br />Southffeld Mine <br />March /4, 2Q05 <br />Page 3 <br />During May 2004, approximately 1,800 plants were purchased from and then planted by the <br />Colorado State Forest Service. Based on a plan approved by the DMG, EFCI established a total <br />of seven (7} shrub clumps on the refuse pile/Ponds 3 and 4 area, and a total of five (5) shrub <br />clumps in the facilities area. The approved shrub clumps were planted based on following <br />composition of seedlings: <br />Refuse Area Shrub Clumps (small) <br />12 Rocky Mountain junipers <br />4 Ponderosa pine <br />48 Skunkbrush sumac <br />Refuse Area Shn1b Clumps (large) <br />(2 times the above seedling numbers) <br />Facilities Area Shrub Clump <br />60 Rocky Mountain junipers <br />20 Ponderosa pine <br />16 Pinon pine <br />4 Red cedazs <br />52 Mountain mahogany <br />48 Skunkbrush sumac <br />Shrub clump planting involved specific methods intended to improve plant survival rates. All <br />seedlings were placed in holes along with a moisture retaining gel to keep the roots moist. On <br />the ground surface, several methods of mulching were installed along with approximately sixty <br />percent of the planted seedlings. In addition, neazly half the plants were wrapped with plastic <br />nets to reduce wildlife browsing damage. By the end of the reporting period the plants exhibited <br />an excellent survival rate and appeazed to be healthy. <br />Previous Rev~getated Areas <br />Previously revegetated azeas at the Mine Site include the main facilities azea, small ancillary <br />facility areas, and the west portion of the refuse disposal azea that were revegetated in 2003. <br />The remaining previously revegetated areas lie primarily on the east portion of the refuse <br />disposal azea. Those areas seeded and mulched in 2003 exhibited adequate vegetative <br />establishment in response to favorable germinating conditions. Existing vegetation appears to <br />provide effective erosion control. Previously revegetated azeas on the refuse pile and in the <br />Loadout Area show effective establishment and erosion control. <br />The Loadout Area was seeded to the permanent revegetation seed mixture in 1997. Poor initial <br />vegetative establishment resulted in the decision to reseed the entire Loadout Area in 1999. <br />Limited topsoil availability and extended drought conditions have hindered effective vegetative <br />reestablishment in the Loadout Area. Through ongoing discussions with the DMG, limited <br />interseeding (25 percent) of the reclaimed Loadout areas was approved by the DMG, with the <br />s <br />