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species such as serviceberry and chokecherry was accomplished using containerized <br />transplants. Please incorporate planting of containerized tall shrub transplants, including <br />serviceberry, chokecherry, and Gambel oak on at least % of the tall shrub trial plot. <br />Detailed planting practices as described/requested for aspen planting will need to be <br />provided. <br />10. The tall shrub species are in general highly palatable to elk and deer. Given the heavy use of <br />Colowyo reclaimed areas, especially by elk, and given the results observed in past operational <br />and field trial plantings at Colowyo and other northwest Colorado mines, protection from <br />browsing during establishment is critical. The plan to install elk proof fencing if a problem is <br />observed is not sufficient, and could necessitate replanting and associated delays. At least %2 of <br />the trial site should have elk proof fencing installed from the beginning. Colowyo may want to <br />consider use of repellent or other protective products or approaches on non-fenced portions of <br />the field trial site. Please amend the plan as warranted. <br />Tall Mountain Shrub Planting Areas - Thin Topsoil <br />11. Colowyo has provided numerous commitments that will be implemented during the <br />construction of the tall mountain shrub test plots on thin topsoil. One of these commitments, <br />"d", states that "the sagebrush steppe mix will be modified to reduce the volume of "low <br />shrubs" in favor of tall shrub components of the mix. The grasses currently included in the mix <br />will also be reduced to minimize competition..." While the Division agrees with this general <br />plan, more details are required. A revised seed mix with the grass component significantly <br />reduced will need to be included in this technical revision. The revised mix will need to <br />include additional tall shrub species adapted to thin soil conditions (i.e. both Saskatoon and <br />Utah serviceberry, curl leaf mountain mahogany, and true mountain mahogany), and an <br />increased rate of bitterbrush. Big sagebrush seeding rate will need to be reduced, and silver <br />sagebrush and four-wing saltbush should be eliminated from the mixture. Please provide the <br />Division with a chart or table listing the proposed seed mix for the tall mountain shrub <br />thin topsoil planting areas. <br />12. The thin soil shrub seed mixture would be particularly adapted to a sandstone dominated <br />spoil material, with a significant coarse fragment content. Please specify in the plan that <br />the thin soil trial plot would be located on a site with these spoil characteristics. <br />13. Please address measures that will be taken to ensure that the upper four feet of surface material <br />(spoil and/or topsoil) will be replaced to achieve a loose, rough surface, that is not compacted <br />by scrapers or other wheeled vehicles. <br />14. The Division has observed only limited success with respect to establishment of tall mountain <br />shrub species from seed. In the CSU study plots, the only significant success with tall shrub <br />species such as serviceberry and chokecherry was accomplished using containerized <br />transplants. Please incorporate planting of containerized tall shrub transplants, including <br />the serviceberry and mountain mahogany species, on at least V2 of the thin soil tall shrub