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. Shrub establishment at Trapper mine has been relatively slow, likely due to dry conditions after the spring 2001 seeding (plots were scheduled to be seeded in the fall or eazly spring but conditions precluded the seeding operation until April). However, by 2004 shrubs and other seeded species were beginning to appear at the Trapper plots (Tables 9 and ] 0). Most of the vegetative cover in demonstration plots at Trapper continues to be weedy invasive species (Table ]0) such as Russian thistle, tall tumble mustard and Japanese brome. The recent appearance of cheatgrass as well as the persistence of Japanese brome in the Trapper plots may pose a threat to the establishing shrubs. The low levels of phosphorus in the spoil material at Trapper mine may have contributed to the lack of plant establishment in plots 4 and 5, which did not receive topsoil. Of the three sites, shrub establishment has been greatest at Colowyo mine (fable 9). Establishment of mountain big sagebrush, the dominant late-seral shrub in the region, has been very good in all plots at Colowyo (Table 13). Although shrub densities have declined from initial levels, this natural thinning of the shrub population should be expected in this habitat The fenced portion of plot 4 at Colowyo had a dramatic increase in shrub density in 2004 (an increase of about 100,000 shrubs per acre) due to the establishment of seeded silver sagebnuh. This delayed establishment of silver sagebrush illustrates the potential for seeds to persist several years before germinating. Results from Colowyo mine indicate that the autumn 2000 seeding operation was successful as most of the seeded species continue to be found on the site in 2004 (Table I2). Lewis flax, big sagebrush and common yarrow are seeded species, which have established in all plots. The seeded grass species are also well established. The weedy invasive species Russian thistle, which was dominant in previous years, has been reduced to a minor wmponent in 2004. The appearance of weedy invasive cheatgrass and Japanese brome ai Colowyo in 2004 is of concern for arresting development of the native component Shrub establishment at Seneca mine has been intermediate relative to Trapper and Colowyo mines. The decline or elimination of established shrubs in unfenced plots at Seneca between 2002 and 2004 will need to be followed over time to see if it is a real trend or an artifact of sampling (the low • density of shmbs causes variance to be high). While shrub density is relatively low at Seneca, the shrubs aze very robust at this site as indicated by height measures (Figure 6 and Table 9) due to the fact that transplants were used. Shrub tubelings planted in some of the plots continue to show high survival in 2004 (Table 16) and many flowering and fruiting shrubs were observed at this time. Among all of the mines, Seneca was the only location where the tall shrub species such as serviceberry and chokecherry became established. These species did not establish well from seeding on the other mines, whereas they did establish from the transplants at Seneca. The fall 2000 seeding at the Seneca mine appears to have been somewhat successful. Many of the seeded species were encountered in some of the plots at Seneca in 2004 (Table 14). Invasive weeds such as yellow sweet clover and Japanese brome continue to dominate most plots at Seneca. Russian thistle, which was a site dominant in 2003, was not found in 2004. [t is likely that yellow sweet clover will not be a persistent problem, but Japanese brome and cheatgrass are of concern. Fall application of herbicides, as is being done at the mines, should help to reduce the threat from these species if they do become a serious problem in the demonstation plots. 16