REP47864

• Permit No: C1980005
• IBM Index Class Name: Report
• Doc Date: 1/17/1996
• Doc Name: SENECA II MINE HERBIVORY CONTROL STUDY
• Permit Index Doc Type: REVEG MONITORING REPORT
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

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BNG Consultants 999
445 Quart hne • Corvanis, Montana 59828-9406
[phone] • FnX [phone]
Comprehensive Revegetation Planning f> Lnplemer:ratiwr Services
SENECA [I MINE - IIERBIVORY CONTROL STUDY
Introduction: Damage by animal browsing severely limits revegetation success at Seneca [I
Mine. Vendors currently offer several chemical deterrents and physical barriers to herbivores
with varying degrees of cost and effectiveness. The effectiveness of the individual products will
vary with site conditions and the herbivores present. BNG Consultants will develop asmall-
scaleexperiment to determine [o what extent herbivores affect revegetation efforts and if so,
which control method is most effective.
The herbivores of primary concern at the Seneca Mine include Elk, Mule Deer, and Antelope
These animals can substantially disturb a newly planted site by browsing and uprooting small
seedlings. Recently established plantings can also be severely affected by browsing of newly set
buds, leaves, and tender branches. Plant species included in the experiment are Serviceberry
(Anrelanchier aGrlfolra), Chokecherry (Prurr:rs nirgirrrana), and Gambel Oak (O:rercuc ganrbelri).
These three species will form the basis of reclamatio^ plantings at the Seneca II Mine during the
Fall of 1995.
The herbivory deterrents to be tested in the experiment include two chemical applications and
one physical barrier. The chemical treatments consist of spray- applied herbivory deterrents
designed to render treated plants unpalatable and undesirable to big game. The duration of their
effectiveness is from three weeks to reportedly one year after application and can be re-applied if
browsing resumes. The two chemicals to be used are TREE GUARD~~, and DEER-AWAY~B~.
The physical barrier to be tested is TREE PROS, a flexible plastic tube designed to protect
seedlings from herbivory and other environmental conditions. The duration of their
effectiveness is five years unless removed earlier to allow for further plant growth.
Methods: BNG Consultants has developed a randomized block experiment to test the herbivory
deterrents on the three plant species mentioned above. A flat, homogeneous area will serve as
the site to be surveyed and staked. The 16m x 30m test site is divided into 20 plots, each 4 x 6
meters. Each plot is planted with eight seedlings of each of the three species for a total of 24
plants per plot. Each plot (24 plants) is then treated according to a random designation and
flagged for future reference. The four treatments include: application of Deer- Away chemical
deterrent, Tree Guard chemical deterrent, Tree Pro physical barrier, and a control (no treatment).
Five repetitions of each treatment will aid in the statistical analysis of the results of the
experiment.
The plots are to be laid out according to the overall diagram shown in Figure 3. Measuring tape
and wooden stakes will be used to mark off a baseline 30 meters in length from which all other
measurements will be made. Along this baseline, wooden stakes driven at 6 meter intervals will
determine the corners of plots to be demarcated. From each corner stake along the baseline,
other corner stakes can be placed by triangulation of a 4 meter perpendicular offset and a
diagonal offset of 7?5 meters (see Figure I ). Premeasured lengths of string will aid in this
/// A Division of Bitterroot Native Growers, Inc. \\\