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warranty currently exists for this proposed disturbance so no additional financial warranty <br />• will be need for this plan. <br />A total of 15 acres of the North Cresson viewshed will be planted with aspen "pads". The <br />pads (containing anywhere from a few to a dozen or more trees) will be spaced 20 to 30 feet <br />apart to provide live root stock and seed sources. Holes will be excavated in the reclaimed area <br />for the mature tree pads. The aspen pads will be dug from nearby aspen stands to recover <br />both mature and younger trees to transplant. The pads will be transplanted immediately (i.e. <br />dug, transported and replanted), which has shown to significantly improve success rates. <br />Holes from the dug areas will be filled with material salvaged nearby and disturbed areas will <br />be seeded to promote quick revegetation. The pads will be irrigated immediately after <br />transplanting and will be irrigated for two growing seasons. <br />CC&V does not feel a detailed drip irrigation system will be needed to irrigate the <br />transplanted aspen "pads". Because of the distance from the existing VLF or other water <br />sources, CC&V proposes to irrigate the transplants with a water truck and laborer. This <br />method was discussed with representatives of the Climax Mine and has been used successfully <br />for several years. Some road network will be required to provide access for the excavations <br />and transport of trees. Appropriate roads will remain and will be utilized by a smaller water <br />truck with hoses to reach all the pads. Even though this is somewhat labor intensive, the <br />procedure has been found (at Climax) to be more efficient that installing, maintaining, and <br />decommissioning (each winter) a drip irrigation system. After two growing seasons, the <br />• roads will be removed and revegetated. As such an alternative plan other than what was <br />presented in the MLE Project Application is not being proposed at this time. Should CC&V <br />modify the proposed irrigation plan in the future, a detailed plan and associated financial <br />warranty will be presented to the DRMS for approval. <br />Again, CC&V has committed to 400 transplanted trees per acre over 15 acres as part of the <br />North Cresson Mine Area Viewshed Conservation Plan.. This establishment will be part of <br />the bond release review for the North Cresson area, as committed to in the financial warranty <br />calculations. <br />J. The DRMS expects CC&V, to continue their noxious weed control plan as approved. <br />DRMS, has never observed a noxious weed infestation on site, and expects that practice to <br />continue. Animal browsing may significantly impact the success of establishing a stand of <br />aspen. It is recommended that a fence be built around the area to help exclude browsing <br />animals. <br />Response. <br />CC&V would continue efforts to control noxious weeds as approved by DRMS and that <br />practice would continue under approval of the MLE Project Application. <br />Fencing off of areas where aspen trees are to be transplanted to exclude browsing by wildlife <br />• does not conform to the Teller County Land Use Regulation, which include wildlife grazing. <br />In addition, excluding wildlife from these areas does not conform with comments received <br />from the CDOW on May 16, 2008, which is promoting and encouraging the use of these <br />2n