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The following plan/technique for tree and shrub reestablishment was suggested by Dt. David • <br />Buckner and is directed toward the successful establishment of individual aspen trees in select <br />reclamation locations for the purpose of facilitating the even clonal spread of those aspen <br />individuals and the return of that vegetation type to the reclaimed landscapes. Like many aspects of <br />the return of woody plants to reclaimed areas in Routt and Moffat Counties, the reestablishment of <br />aspen is a goal that, at best, will be achieved over the long term. Like certain of the other prominent <br />woody spades in the pre-nrirting landscapes (especially Gambd's oak) the heart of the presence of <br />aspen in apre-mining landscape is the immense bulk of the underground pazts of the individual <br />clones. The progression from time zero on a geologically "renewed" landscape to mature aspen <br />Bones has never been observed over its full course and so no one really knows what the conditions of <br />establishment and the rates of growth towazd the eventual mature done are. All SCC can do is <br />provide the setting in which we think the tree or shrub in question may evrntually, given favorable <br />climatic conditions, lead to expanding clonal growth. In the short term, we need to give the "mother <br />- plants" that we seek to establish, acost-efficient but effective boost and adequate protection from as <br />many as possible of the environmental stresses tbat we know exist in reclaimed azeas. <br />Suitable re-establishment sites would be those that aze concave (i.e. "low-lying' and can be expected <br />to accutnulate moisture (as well as soil) in the pattern typical of nearly all terrestrial landscapes. It is • <br />proposed to endow these select sites with "over-thickened" topsoil, as is so often the nature of natural <br />locations of vigorous aspen growth, Of course "low-lying" sites along drainages with extensive <br />watershed above are probably not good candidates because of the risk of so$ loss. Places in drainage <br />headwaters with gentle side slopes have been selected. <br />It is believed that the best approach here would be to use'/. to 1'/z inch caliper aspen and plant them <br />very deep, that is place the root ball as it comes from the nursery at a depth of five to sis feet The <br />intent of this seeming inappropriately deep planting is to place the roots in contact with moisture that <br />is stable and predictable. Members of the genus Popular have the capacity to root adventitiously <br />following deep burial. Through their evolution, this has not been a response to deep planting but <br />rather the azrival of deep deposits of soil, gravel or sand azound them during flood events. Dr. <br />Buckner has used this technique with narrowleaf cottonwood (Popular arsgua#folia) with great success. <br />These would be watered well at the time of planting and three or four times during the first growing <br />season. Four square yazds of landscape fabric would be placed azound the base of each tree and <br />wood chips placed on top of that. Cages of 2" x 4" 12 gauge welded wire 72 inches tall would be • <br />placed around each and anchored with three t-posts. <br />PR-03 <br />24 <br />Revised 11/02 <br />