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Woody Plant Density <br />• BACKGROUND DENSITY <br />2008 data from the 2001 reclaimed area estimate the density of woody plants at 1303 stems per <br />acre, and thus a rise of more than 1 Ox in woody plant density has occurred from the four-year old <br />stage to the 7-year old stage (see ESCO 2006). Between 2005 and 2008, big sagebrush <br />proliferation accounted for this increase. This trend suggests that the 200 stems per acre <br />background standard should be attainable by time Phase III bond release evaluation is <br />appropriate (another three years). <br />In the 2004 reclamation area, the 2008-observed woody plant density level of 28.3 stems per <br />acre is under the 200 stems per acre background standard. Comprising this total are big <br />sagebrush, mountain snowberry, and serviceberry. <br />In the 2006 reclamation area, the 2008-observed woody plant density level of 238.8 stems per <br />acre is very encouraging for such young revegetation. Comprising this total are big sagebrush, <br />serviceberry, chokecherry, Gambel's oak, bitterbrush, and silver sagebrush, some of which may <br />have come from nursery stock plantings. However, at least some of the six shrub species may <br />well have developed from seeding. <br />i <br />SHRUB CONCENTRATION AREA DATA <br />Within the areas where supplemental shrub plantings accelerated the rate of natural <br />establishment, the data from 2008 monitoring are as follows: <br />• <br />Yoast 2008 <br /> <br />Shrub Concentration <br />Block Mean Woody <br />Plant Density <br />(stems/acre) <br />% of Affected Aread <br />A 870.1 13.3 <br />B 2460.5 10.0 <br />E 708.2 1.3 <br />F 2662.9 15.0 <br />G 1040.1 7.1 <br />H 477.5 21.7 <br />1 627.3 1.0 <br />19