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The locations of the 250 shrub density transects sampled at the Raton Creek Mine aze shown on <br />Map 1, Raton Creek Mine - 2004 Vegetation `Transect Location Map.. Copies of the individual <br />field data sheets for the woody plant density sampling for this site are found in Exhibit C - <br />Copies of the Raton Creek Mine - 2004 -Shrub Density Field Data Sheets. Examination of the <br />sample adequacy calculations in Table 2, Raton Creek Mine Sample Adequacy Calculations, <br />reveals the number of samples required to describe the shrub density on this area at the 90 <br />percent confidence interval was 225.1 transects. <br />Species Diversity. The percent relative composition or cover values for the 30 cover transects <br />sampled at this site are found in Table 3, Raton creek Mine - 2004 -Plant Cover. The <br />revegetation success standazds for species diversity at the Raton Creek Mine aze found on page <br />522 of the Raton Creek Mine. Grasses aze to contribute at least 60 percent of the total vegetative <br />cover with no single grass species contributing more than 50 percent of the grass cover. Fortis <br />are to contribute at least 10 percent of the total vegetative cover and shrubs are to contribute at <br />least 5 percent of the total vegetative cover on this site. <br />Examination of the percent relative composition values found in Table 3, Raton creek Mine - <br />2004 -Plant Cover document that Perennial Grasses contributed a total of 52.62 percent of the <br />total cover at the Raton Creek Mine and Perennial Fortis contributed a total of 21.08 percent and <br />Shrubs contributed a total of 3.07 percent of the relative reclamation cover at this location. <br />These data suggest that the Species Diversity standard has been satisfied but that the Grass and <br />Shrub Species Diversity standards have not been satisfied. Additional discussion on this <br />deficiency in the revegetation of the Raton Creek Mine is found in the Conclusions and . <br />Recommendations section of this report. <br />Conclusions and Recommendations <br />Shrub Density. The monitoring data document that the revegetation success criteria for plant <br />cover and forage production on the reclaimed azeas sampled at the Raton Creek Mine have been <br />satisfied and that these two parameters satisfy the first of the last two years of final bond release <br />monitoring. However, shrub density and species diversity standazds have not been satisfied. <br />Examination of the predisturbance woody plant density sampling found on page 228 of the Raton <br />Creek Mine Permit contains documentation suggesting that prior to mining the shrub density of <br />the Pinyon-Juniper Vegetation Type averaged only 17.3 stems per 100 squaze meters or 700 <br />stems per acre. The shrub density for the Bottomland Vegetation Type was 5.2 stems per 100 <br />squaze meters or 210 stems per acre. Upon using a weighted average of these two vegetation <br />types based on the azeas contained within the Permit Area the average predisturbance shrub <br />density was 16.695 stems per 100 squaze meters or 675 stems per acre. The Permit commitment <br />to restore 500 stems per acre is totally contrary with the Division's regulations, these baseline <br />data and numerous other mine permit woody plant density standards in the state. For example at <br />the Trapper Mine in Northwest Colorado, where shrubs and wildlife habitat use are significantly <br />higher than at the Raton Creek Mine, the approved shrub density standazd on highly valuable <br />