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No willows were found in this year's sampling. The ones that were counted last yeaz mostly <br />died, but a few were just beyond the sampling zone in this year's transect. So the complete loss of <br />willow shown in the comparative data is not actually con-ect. Nevertheless there was a decline. It is <br />suspected that this is a competition effect. <br />The cottonwoods aze generally concentrated on a slightly elevated and fairly dry shelf. But <br />the willows are down in the thick rush and grass growth. As seen in the large wetland next to <br />Exclosure 2, woody plants are very rare in the dense vegetative growth and those occur on slightly <br />elevated microsites. The vegetation of the lower elevation azeas of Exclosure 2 is similar to the lazge <br />wetland, although here there is a bit more grass and a bit less rush. Because of competition, it is <br />likely the willows cannot do well in that habitat. <br />However, there aze a few of the smaller cottonwoods in this habitat. If those can survive and <br />become large enough they maybe able to alter the environment enough to allow for more willow <br />invasion and establishment. But the cottonwoods that grow in this wet environment are not doing <br />well and are not likely to become fully developed. The soils here are probably too wet and anoxic to <br />support much, if any, lazge cottonwood growth. It is likely that the cottonwoods will be restricted to <br />the drier portions of the exclosure with only a little willow along the fringe areas of the cottonwoods. <br />Cover: Cover in the woody vegetation portion ranges from about 10 to 20 percent. This is <br />mainly due to the small height of the plants and the fact that most have not developed much spread <br />yet. This will undoubtedly increase in the next couple of yeazs as the trees begin to spread their <br />branches more. <br />TABLE 4: Exclosure Analysis Results for 2007 - Exclosure 4 (middle of 3 northern) <br />parameter Transect 1 <br />(southern) Transect 2 <br />(middle) Transect 3 <br />(northern) All Transects All Woody <br />Plants <br />ttl transect ingth 126 feet 136 feet 134 feet 396 feet 396 feet <br />veg transect ingth 33.5 feet 67 feet 67.5 feet 168 feet 168 feet <br />transect width 6 feet 6 feet 6 feet 6 feet 6 feet <br />ttl transect area 756 sq ft 816 sq ft 804 sq ft 2376 sq ft 2376 sq ft <br />veg transect azea 201 sq ft 402 sq ft 405 sq ft 1008 sq ft 1008 sq fr <br />Report Coal Creek Wetland Mitigation Permit DA 198811488 Page 19 <br />