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' The areas previously disturbed by the New Elk Mine have not been <br />sampled for baseline vegetation information because operations have been <br />continuous since 1952. Areas to be disturbed during the permit term have <br />been sampled to determine the species cort~osition, cover, and productivity. <br />Woody plant density will be sampled in the refuse disposal azea. <br />Selection of the reference areas has been difficult. No existing <br />undisturbed areas are available in the vicinity of the New Elk Mine which <br />can be used as a grassland type reference area. Therefore, WFC will <br />utilize the Golden Eagle Mine grassland vegetation reference area as the <br />applicable reference for rangeland post mining land use. WFC will also <br />utilize two other reference areas: One in the willow Carr commrnity; and <br />the other a south facing grassland vegetation type for the refuse disposal <br />azea. <br />Sample points were randomly located in each sampling area during <br />the 1980 and 1981 sampling programs (Exhibit 15, Vegetation Information). <br />Cover was obtained with a 20x50 an rectangular plot placed inside a O.Sm2 <br />• production plot. Production was obtained by clipping vegetation within the <br />0.5m2 plot. Density was estimated by counting the number of trees <br />occurring within a 50 m2 area. Sample accuracy during the 1981 study was <br />determined utilizing a level of precision of 0.10 for grassland and 0.20 <br />for shrubland. However, the Division found the studies inadequate because <br />of the precision value used to calculate sample adequacy. <br />the vegetation types sampled included ponderosa-oak, ponderosa- <br />fir-oak, and willow. Mean percent cover for these three types was found to <br />be 4.1, 11.6 and 43.1, respectively. Production was found to be 4.6, 6.9 <br />and 240.0 gm/m2, for the three types, respectively. Mean percent shrub <br />density was 1.7, 4.4 and 3.8, respectively. <br />• 2.04-43 (Revised 11/14/88) <br />