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species; 4) severe reduction of grasses in the seed mix; 5) use of only bunch grasses for those <br />taxa planted with sagebrush; 6) sharp increases in the amount of sagebrush seed to be used; <br />7) extra care to obtain the correct subspecies of sagebrush (vaseyana pauciflora) with a seed <br />source as close as possible to the Axial Basin; 8) extra care to place seed at the ideal time of <br />year (immediately prior to the first major snowfall event; 9) placement of thin layers of <br />topsoil over overburden; 10) possible placement of zero topsoil; 11) possible placement of <br />thin layers of overburden over topsoil; 12) use of specialized seed placement equipment to <br />obtain correct planting depths; 13) use of seedbed preparation equipment and techniques to <br />encourage sagebrush emergence; and 14) interseeding of additional grasses and/or forbs <br />(only where necessary) following a period of 2 - 3 years of growth by shrubs. All of these <br />possible techniques / metrics are designed to diminish the competitive advantage of grasses, <br />at least in the early stages of establishment and growth. The primary "foundation-building" <br />element for this approach is the ability to replace variable topsoil depths and/or quality of soil <br />materials depending on site-specific needs, the discretion of the field construction supervisor, <br />and the capabilities (or lack thereof) of available materials and equipment. <br />The following practices will not be promoted or practiced at Colowyo with respect to the <br />topsoil resource: 1) Topsoil will not be "buried in place" within the footprints of existing <br />stockpiles in order to reduce the amount of resource to be moved and placed on reclamation <br />areas. 2) At no time will topsoil be placed without adequate metrics in place to accurately <br />estimate volumes placed within each reclamation unit to ensure an accurate accounting of the <br />topsoil balance. 3) Topsoil will not be placed indiscriminately within reclamation units in a <br />manner that does not serve a specific defendable purpose regarding vegetation type <br />establishment or location within the reclamation unit or localized watershed. <br />In summary, application of PERA on "shrub-favorable areas" would be based on the <br />community development contributory factors of: 1) soil quantity, quality, and replacement <br />depth; 2) aspect, slope, and landform; 3) documented and expected performance of various <br />floral species; 4) revegetation metrics; and 5) the target post-mining land use. In this manner, <br />reclamation and resultant developing communities will be encouraged to follow a more <br />natural path to maturation and successional progression as opposed to more historically <br />utilized grassland favorable approaches that should only be applied to the remaining 60% to <br />80% of reclaimed ground (sloping areas). However, there will likely be instances, if not an <br />overall need, to incorporate managerial practices to encourage or protect positive recruitment <br />to the shrub populations. Such management may include the following steps: <br />• Use of elevated quantities of sagebrush seed within the grassland target areas, and <br />placement of that seed in a manner to encourage sagebrush emergence. <br />• Use of limited livestock (cattle) grazing to select against grasses and for shrubs <br />and forbs. <br />• Use of elk-proof fencing to preclude access into large blocks of maturing shrub <br />populations, especially core areas. <br />2.05-43 Revision Date: 3/14/08 <br />Revision No.: TR-72