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Revegetation <br />Local, native seeds were collected from the Mesita Hill area and stored for later <br />distribution on the mine site. During October 2006, local shrubs and grasses had <br />very good seed set and most of the seed was still on the plants. Bulk seed was <br />collected by direct harvesting from plants and from underneath bushes and in <br />depressions that collect wind-blown seed. Three native shrubs - four-wing <br />saltbush (Atriplex canescens), green rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus) <br />and winterfat (Ceratoides lanata) - and one native grass -blue grama (Bouteloua <br />gracilis) - dominated the species from which seed was collected. <br />Approximately 443.4 pounds (825 gallons by volume) of bulk seed was collected <br />with pure live seed estimated to comprise approximately 80-85% of the mix after <br />processing. The seed was stored in plastic bags inside 55gallon drums, inside a <br />local building, for two years until the seed was distributed on the mine site. <br />The locally seed was originally intended for distribution on only the newly <br />disturbed portions of the mine site. However, it was decided to seed all portions <br />of the site that had little or no vegetative cover including the flat central portion of <br />the site. Therefore to have an adequate amount of seed, the locally collected <br />seed was supplemented with commercially grown grass seed. This grass seed <br />mix consisted of four species: western wheatgrass (54% by wt.) sanddrop seed <br />(26%) Indian rice grass (17%) and blue grama (3%) at approximately 90% pure <br />live seed. Thus, a total of 513.9 bulk pounds of commercial grass seed were <br />mixed with the approximately 443.4 bulk pounds of collected shrub and grass <br />seed for a total of 957.3 bulk pounds distributed on the unvegetated portions of <br />the 220 acre site. <br />Seed was sown as soon after grading as possible while the surface was <br />relatively loose and irregular, which facilitated seed capture and incorporation <br />into the soil surface. This timing eliminated the need to cover or mulch the seed <br />after dispersal since wind and water splash, which are anticipated for the <br />fall/winter climate, incorporate seed into the soil. Late fall/early winter seeding <br />also allows for the seeds to meet germination or dormancy requirements <br />naturally met by the winter season and to take advantage of any significant <br />winter precipitation. <br />Seed was manually broadcast on October 24 - 26, 2008. The locally collected <br />and commercial grass seed were mixed in five-gallon buckets and hand <br />broadcast on the site. A full crew of four people was utilized during this period to <br />quickly and efficiently cover the main, relatively flatter areas of the mine. Those <br />areas that were deemed to have the best potential revegetation success were <br />concentrated on first for heavier seed dispersal. Ingrid Bamberg of Bamberg <br />Ecological returned on November 8-9 2008 to complete the seeding of the <br />remaining, rougher terrain areas.