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Colowyo, C1981 -019, PR3 adequacy No. 3 33 July 22, 2011 <br />2. Pages 30 and 31, bullet It — Please include a timeline as to when the "elk proof' fencing will be <br />erected around the perimeter of the trial area to protect it from ungulates. <br />This item has been adequately resolved. <br />3. Pages 30 and 31, bullet i — ht the event of a stand failure in the field trial areas, the Division <br />agrees with Colowyo that the area will revert back to sagebrush steppe for the purposes of <br />Phase III bond release. The requirement that 50% of the 375 shrubs will be sagebrush <br />however, needs to be maintained for wildlife and sage grouse habitat. The Division feels that <br />this low standard is achievable due to the fact that sagebrush will be seeded between the <br />planted rows. Please rephrase this sentence so this standard will be maintained rather than <br />"dropped." <br />Pages 30 and 31, bullet i — In the event of a stand failure in the field trial areas, the Division <br />agrees with Colowyo that the area will revert back to sagebrush steppe for the purposes of <br />Phase III bond release. These 2 -one acre areas will be counted within the entire sagebrush <br />steppe community and there is not a need for them to have their own separate standards. Please <br />amend bullet I i) and 2i) in the Field Trials section by removing `with the exception that the <br />requirement for 50% of the required 375 shrubs in this area be big sagebrush, this requirement <br />will be reasonably dropped." Removing this part of the sentence will prevent confusion and <br />not require these areas to be individually sampled, meet sample adequacy and be compared to <br />the reference areas by a separate set of standards at bond release. <br />C( Cs responsc and Chance to the test iS udcqu:oe. <br />4. Page 31 — The diagram illustrates that the planting arrangements and density for containerized <br />plant stock is 550 plantslacre. The planned area is shown to be 220 feet by 220 feet or 48,400 <br />f<z. An acre is actually 43,560 if, —10% less than the diagram illustrates. This difference in <br />square footage lowers the actual stem count per acre resulting in a perceived mortality rate. <br />Please adjust the planting densities to 43,560 fi per acre to reflect this difference. <br />This item has been adequately resolved <br />4.15.7 Determining Reveeetation Success: General Requirements and Standards <br />1. Page 33, last paragraph — Please explain in greater detail the method used to determine the <br />weighted reference areas and justify the results. <br />This item has been adequately resolved. <br />2. Page 33, footnote at bottom of page — The response provided by Colowyo does not address the <br />need for a comprehensive shrub establishment plan. The Division feels that it is not best <br />practice to wait several years for a seeded area to "evolve into a sagebrush steppe community" <br />or to let "Mother Nature... determine the plant community expressed..." as explained in <br />Colowyo's response to adequacy review. To meet the standards of Rule 4.15.8(7), the Division <br />