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Colowyo's new reclamation plan, includes management and revegetation specifications <br />(e.g., shrub species in the seed mix) for use on the "grassland" targeted areas that will <br />facilitate additional shrub establishment when climatic or other conditions are favorable. <br />In this manner, small and/or scattered patches of additional shrubland may be established <br />that will provide improved habitat diversity, especially for sage grouse. However, since <br />this type of reclamation is entirely dependent on the vagaries of nature, dependence upon <br />such techniques cannot be relied upon. <br />Where shrublands evolve on these "sagebrush community attempts", they will be <br />segregated into "core" areas and "ecotonal" areas (as is typically evident in nature), each <br />with a separate woody plant density success criterion. Furthermore, it has been noted <br />repeatedly in the industry that the 10-year bond responsibility period is insufficient for <br />the adequate development of shrub populations. In this regard, flexibility must be built <br />into the success evaluation process (and/or criteria) so that if a positive recruitment rate to <br />the shrub population can be documented on Colowyo revegetation, there would be no <br />need to achieve elevated densities within a modest time-frame such as the 10-year <br />responsibility period. <br />Given these points, the following woody plant density success criteria will be applied to <br />Post-2008 revegetation efforts: On grassland communities (approximately 60% to 80% <br />of reclaimed acreage (>10% slope) targeting the post-mining land use of grazing-land), <br />zero woody plant density will be required. However, if shrub communities evolve in <br />these areas this acreage will count toward the wildlife habitat acreage and be subject to <br />the appropriate standards. On manifested shrublands (approximately 20% or more of <br />reclaimed acreage targeting the post-mining land use goal of wildlife habitat - sage <br />grouse brooding habitat), the following criteria will be applied depending on shrubland <br />classification. On "core areas" (areas of shrub concentration and comprising no less than <br />one-half the total shrubland acreage), the eventual desirable goal shall be 1000 plants per <br />acre, but the standard shall be 375 live plants per acre after 10 years, or 200 live plants <br />per acre with documentation of a positive recruitment rate (within Colowyo reclaimed <br />shrub communities). At least one-half of these totals shall be sagebrush species. <br />Similarly, in "ecotonal areas" (comprising no more than one-half of the total acreage), the <br />eventual desirable goal shall be 500 plants per acre, but the standard shall be 200 plants <br />per acre after 10 years, or 100 plants per acre with documentation of a positive <br />recruitment rate (within Colowyo reclaimed shrub communities). The 375 and 200 plants <br />per acre standards translate to approximately one plant for each 10.4ft. x 10.4ft. or 14.8ft. <br />x 14.8ft. area, respectively. Furthermore, Colowyo makes the commitment to establish <br />sagebrush steppe (comprised of both core and ecotonal areas) on approximately 250 acres <br />of the post-2008 reclamation for the original and South Taylor permit areas, or as <br />otherwise agreed upon between Colowyo and CDRMS. This acreage is based on the <br />following rationale: 1) delineation of all post-2008 post-mining acreage exhibiting slopes <br />10% or flatter; 2) elimination of all small, isolated, or impractical areas for targeting this <br />community; 3) implementing "banding" (alternating strips of grassland versus shrubland) <br />4.15-23 Revision Date: 3/14/08 <br />Revision No.: TR-72