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R 2INCORPORATED GEORGE ML ROBINSON,P.G. <br />1. ERICH RAUBER,P.E. <br />ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENGINEERING SERVICES <br />STRATEGICALLY POSITIONED-TECHNICALLY PREPARED ANDREW HARLEY,PH.D <br />GINNY KING <br />MAY DAY IDAHO MINE COMPLEX <br />WILDCAT MINING CORPORATION <br />ORIGINAL 112(d) PERMIT <br />EXHIBIT J <br />Vegetation Information <br />Rule 6.4.10 <br />6.4.10 Introduction <br />The May Day Idaho Mine Complex lies within an intricate mosaic of mixed coniferous and de- <br />ciduous forest vegetation types. This landscape is predominantly mixed coniferous (Douglas fir <br />dominant with ponderosa pine, limber pine, and white fir present) and aspen forest with a mod- <br />erately dense mountain shrub layer (gambel oak, snowberry, Utah juneberry, western mountain <br />maple, serviceberry) and understory of grasses and herbs. The La Plata River riparian zone of <br />cottonwood and blue spruce trees with a willow and wild berry shrub mid-story traverses through <br />a small section of the southwestern portion of its approximately 275-acre permit area. <br />The climate of this western slope of southwest Colorado in the Rocky Mountains consists of <br />cool, moderately dry summers and cold winters with snowpack (Exhibit K). The site is within <br />the montane elevation (8,000 to 10,000 feet above m.s.l.) and is relatively warm (46°F mean an- <br />nual temperature) and dry (18" annual precipitation; Exhibit K). This region of the western slope <br />of the southwestern Colorado Rocky Mountains is a transition zone between the ponderosa pine <br />cool and the moist mixed conifer. In addition, on a smaller scale, this site is also a transition <br />zone between the lower (foothills) and higher (subalpine to alpine) elevation aspects of mountain <br />vegetation types, with elements of both. The wildlife present is typical to the steep slopes, mid- <br />montane elevation, and transition between the upper foothill and subalpine habitats (Exhibit H). <br />The surrounding landscape and within the permit area is relatively undisturbed by human devel- <br />opment and therefore the vegetation is native and forms a healthy, natural ecosystem with a high <br />degree of natural resources. Human disturbance present includes current and historic mining, <br />limited recreational hunting, and historic timber logging operations. Evidence of past forest fires <br />was found, but not recent. The majority of the area is in late successional condition. The small <br />community of Mayday is located to the west, across the La Plata River. Most of the surrounding <br />property is public land under jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service, San Juan National Forest, <br />Columbine Ranger District (Exhibit E, Section 6.4.5(2)(b)). <br />Further evidence of the health of this native forest ecosystem is the abundance of aspen, both rel- <br />atively solid aspen groves and aspen mixed with coniferous forest. Aspen has long been recog- <br />nized as an important indicator of ecological integrity and ecological biodiversity in the western <br />United States (Kay, 19971). Aspen is often the only deciduous tree in a landscape of conifers, <br />1 Kay, C. E. 1997. Is aspen doomed? Journal of Forestry 95:4-11. <br />May Day Idaho Mine Complex 112(d) Permit Application <br />September 21, 2010 <br />"Strategically Positioned - Technically Prepared" <br />5555 DTC Parkway Suite A-4000, Greenwood Village, Colorado 80111 <br />Phone: (303)832-7664, Fax: (303)832-7469