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2.10 CSU Shrub Plots <br />The Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology (CDMG) and Colorado State University (CSU) Shrub <br />Establishment Plots were established in the fall of 2000 to aid in the reclamation and revegetation <br />planning at Colowyo. Historically, shrub establishment on revegetation at the Colowyo Mine has been <br />largely unsuccessful due to two limiting factors: browsing by elk and deer, and competition from <br />aggressive herbaceous grasses. Five demonstration plots were established to observe how much of an <br />effect these limiting factors play in the eventual composition of the revegetation. To demonstrate the <br />effects of ungulate grazing, a 2.7 acre area of reclamation was fenced in the spring of 2002 to exclude <br />elk and deer, while the remaining 4.7 acres was not fenced (see Map 17). The five different treatments <br />within this study area are as follows: <br />1. 20 inches of live haul topsoil over spoil with strip seeding. The strip seeding would include a <br />strip of native shrubs and native low-competitive forbs (Seed Mix #1) that would alternate with a <br />strip of native grasses, forbs and shrubs (Seed Mix #2). <br />2. 6 inches of live haul topsoil and seeding with native shrubs and low-competitive native forbs <br />(Seed Mix #1). Include some surface manipulation to create depressions for enhanced soil <br />moisture conditions. <br />3. 6 inches of live haul topsoil over spoil with strip seeding. The strip seeding would include a strip <br />of native shrubs and native low-competitive forbs (Seed Mix #1) that would alternate with a strip <br />of native grasses, forbs and shrubs (Seed Mix #2). <br />4. Non-topsoiled spoil with strip seeding. The strip seeding would include a strip of native shrubs <br />and native low-competitive forbs (Seed Mix #1) that would alternate with a strip of native <br />grasses, forbs and shrubs (Seed Mix #2). <br />5. Non-topsoiled spoil seeded with relatively unpalatable native shrubs, low-competitive native <br />forbs, and low-competitive native grasses (Seed Mix #3). <br />Sampling of the CSU shrub plots was conducted by Colorado State University from 2001 through <br />2004. In 2005, Cedar Creek undertook vegetation cover and woody plant density sampling using <br />comparable, but significantly upgraded methodologies. Given the value of the data collected in 2005, <br />Cedar Creek determined that a second tier of 0.1-acre plots (6-10) both within and exterior to the fenced <br />exclosure was warranted. The second tier of plots was established some distance from the first tier (see <br />Map 17) to provide additional representation of the overall area. This brought the total evaluated area to <br />approximately 2.0 acres (two 0.1 acre plots within each treatment area both within and external to the <br />fenced exclosure) or a total of 20 plots. <br />Rio 71MO Energy America I Colowyo Mine Page 69 Revegetatlon Monitoring - 2006 <br />