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I • Conclusions <br />Please refer to: Table I: RATING FOR EACH PHOTO-POINT RECLAIMED BEFORE <br />2006, for a summary of each site visited. While the rating method is somewhat <br />subjective, it nevertheless shows trends which may be useful for the current and future <br />reclamation program in this area. <br />For example, Table 3 shows a comparison of ratings in 2005 and 2006. <br />Table 3: Rating Comparisons for 2005 and 2006 from Table 1. <br />• <br />Catagory Site Ratings by <br />Year % by <br />Cata o Site Ratings by <br />Year % by <br />Cata o <br /> 2005 2005 2006 2006 <br />Excellent 8 9 9 9 <br />Good 32 36 53 55 <br />Fair 37 42 31 32 <br />Poor 12 13 3 * 3 <br /> <br />Totals 89 100 96 99 ** <br /> *-Insufficient <br />time for reveg. **-1%dueto <br />rounding <br /> <br />While Table 3 illustrates vegetative improvement over the past year, a percentage <br />comparison of Good + Excellent Site Ratings shows an impressive 65% in 2006 (62 site <br />ratings) as opposed to 45% in 2005 (40 site ratings). This also means that only 35% of the <br />2006 Site Ratings is in the Fair-Poor category as compared to 55% in the 2005 Site <br />Ratings. Please note that the 3 sites showing a poor rating in 2006 are actually the result <br />of having been reclaimed in late 2005 and taking 2006 photos in early spring before there <br />was time for vegetative recovery. These sites (CCC-OS-11-1, FFF-OS-12-1, EEE-OS-1-1) <br />are located in the aspen vegetative type and will likely respond similarly to the aspen <br />sites along Deep Creek Mesa Road, such as DCMR Pt.2 -DCMR Pt. 7. (Refer to Table <br />1) <br />Vegetation on all pre-2006 areas is becoming established, although some specific sites <br />may need additional attention. Reclamation work performed during the 2004 field season <br />is becoming well established while that accomplished in 2005 and 2006 will need another <br />one to three years for vegetation to reach its potential. Invasion by native species such as <br />Gambel oak, servicebeny, snowberry and chokecherry is taking place, especially along <br />disturbed edges. Invasion by noxious weeds such as Canada thistle is also occurring. <br />Even though sites reclaimed between 1994 and 2004 were photographed at <br />approximately the same times of year, spring photos of 2006 sites as opposed to 2005 <br />• sites generally appear drier with grasses being shorter. A good example of this is in <br />photos on the West Point Road. Photos for 2005 were taken 6-30-OS while the 2006 <br />photos were taken on 6-24-05. Not withstanding this year's photographs being taken a <br />week earlier, grass is obviously drier, indicating an earlier orwarmer/drier spring. <br />90 <br />