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EXHIBIT J - VEGETATION INFORMATION <br />The site is about 42 percent composed of pinon juniper community. Major plant species include <br />pinon pine (Pinus edulis), Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma), one-seed juniper (Juniperus <br />monosperma), Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentada wyomingensis), and mountain <br />mahogany (Cercocarpus montanus). There are significant areas of bare ground throughout <br />scattered pinon juniper clusters due to current recreational use and past mining activities. <br />Washes and slopes have a higher percentage of juniper cover, while hilltops have more sparse <br />vegetation. Some open patches have a higher percentage of grasses and forbs. On the site tree <br />cover is about 20 percent, shrub cover approximately 11 percent. The remaining 58 percent of <br />the proposed permit area is open meadow with sage and grassland. (Map J-1). <br />From a previous weed survey conducted in the late summer of 2008, a population of Russian <br />Knapweed (Centaurea repens) and Musk Thistle (Carduus nutans) was found interspersed with <br />sagebrush to total about one acre in the southwest portion of the project area. About 15 to 20 <br />musk thistle plants were located near the trail on the northeastern edge of the Russian knapweed <br />population (Map J-1). Typically there are some cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) populations in the <br />disturbed areas along with field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis). Soil disturbance associated <br />primarily with cattle grazing, plus some mining activities may promote the spread of invasive <br />noxious weeds. The application of an aggressive weed management plan approved by the BLM <br />at the Last Chance project area is recommended to: 1) prevent the invasion and expansion of <br />noxious weeds and 2) ensure the establishment of desirable plant communities upon <br />rehabilitation of the site. See also field notes in Appendix F-1. <br />Most of the site has a Rock outcrop- orthents soil complex resulting in relatively low <br />productivity. Classically, this entisol has very shallow A horizon with low soil development and <br />minimal organic matter. The carrying capacity for livestock on this site is less than 5 AUM's, <br />minimal because of the low amount of understory growth and low development of soil. <br />The aerial photographic basemaps (see maps C-2 and C-4) and photographs in Appendix A <br />provide a visual representation of the Last Chance site. <br />Last Chance Mine - April 2009 <br />J-1