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1 INTRODUCTION ' This report presents the results of the second year of final bond release sampling ' for cover, production, shrub density and species diversity data for reclaimed and reference areas at the Walden Coal Company Mine site located northeast of Walden, Colorado. First year sampling for bond release was conducted in 1997 (Keammerer ' 199'x. The reclaimed areas at the site consist of two parcels: one that was reclaimed in 1984 and a second that was reclaimed in ]988. Two reference areas (one in a big sagebrush shrubland type and one in a mixed grassland type) were also sampled. ' Sampling results are presented for each of these areas. The reclaimed areas were also sampled (for cover data) in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1996. Tabular summaries of mean cover data for the earlier sampling years are presented as a means 1 of evaluating vegetation changes that have occurred over the past nine growing seasons. Field sampling for this project was conducted during August 1998. METIIODS Sam~line Locations. Random sampling locations were obtained by superimposing a grid over a topographic map (1 inch = 200 feet) depicting the ' reclaimed areas. Grid cells (one-half inch by one-half inch) in each of the reclaimed areas were numbered. Random numbers within the ranges of the numbered cells were ' then drawn from a random numbers table. These cells then became the sampling locations. Initial estimates of the number of samples needed to obtain sample adequacy were based on the results from the 1997 study. For certain measured parameters, 15 ' locations represented an adequate number of samples. For other parameters (notably shrub density in the 1988 area and production in the 1984 area), additional sites were needed to obtain sample adequacy. ' Sampling locations in the reference areas were also randomly established. The reference areas are essentially rectangular. Sampling sites were obtained using pairs of random coordinates. Actual sites in the field were obtained by pacing distances from ' one comer of the reference area. Cover Data. Vegetation cover data were obtained using a point transact ' method. With this approach, observations on plant cover were made at one-half meter intervals along a 25-meter transact. At each observation point either in the reference areas or in the reclaimed areas, cover was evaluated using an optical sighting device. ' The device consists of an objective lens equipped with sighting cross-hairs, a focusing tube, and a reflecting mirror. The device was mounted on a tripod and was oriented parallel to the ground at each observation point. The sighting device was attached to a ' bar that is 0.5 meters in length. Observations were made by recording what was observed at the point of intersection made by the cross-hairs. Two observations were made at each half-meter along the transact (one on either side of the transact tape), for a ' total of 100 points per transact. The number of samples in each area is shown in Table 1 .