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Baseline Technical Report <br />ARCADIS Report for Soils and Biological <br />Resources, MLE2 Project Area <br />3. VEGETATION RESOURCES <br />A qualified ARCADIS biologist mapped and characterized vegetation types within the <br />survey area from July 19 to 21, 2011. The survey area has been, and continues to <br />be, disturbed by historic and ongoing mine - related activities (e.g., underground <br />development rock piles, prospecting excavations, surface mines, overburden storage <br />areas, roads). However, despite these disturbances, several distinct vegetation <br />communities persist within the survey area. Field verification and modification of <br />baseline vegetation information resulted in the identification of nine vegetation <br />community types within the survey area (Table 3 -1). Descriptions of these vegetation <br />communities are described below. Appendix A includes the common name and <br />scientific nomenclature for each plant species identified within the survey area. <br />Taxonomic names conform to Weber and Wittman (1996). Vegetation community <br />types within the survey are also mapped on Figure 3 -1. On Figure 3 -1, each <br />separate section of the survey area is labeled with a unique number (Areas 1 -6); <br />these numbers are referenced in the vegetation community descriptions below. <br />3.1 Aspen- Dominated Woodland <br />Aspen- dominated woodlands account for approximately 60 acres [14 percent of the <br />total survey area (Table 3 -1)]. This vegetation community type can be found in <br />Sections 1, 2, 5, and 6. Within the survey area, aspen- dominated woodlands have a <br />somewhat closed canopy of trees, 15 to 65 feet (5 to 20 meters) tall, dominated by <br />quaking aspen (Popu/us tremuloides). Conifers are present in this vegetation <br />community type in the survey area, but never co- dominant. Species include <br />subalpine fir (Abies bifolia), Englemann spruce (Picea engelmannii), lodgepole pine <br />(pinus contorta), Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens), ponderosa pine ( Pinus <br />ponderosa), and Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesh). Of these species, Engelmann <br />spruce and ponderosa pine appear to be the most common coniferous species that <br />occur in aspen- dominated woodlands. Conifer species may contribute up to 15 <br />percent of the tree canopy before the community would be reclassified as a mixed <br />conifer /aspen vegetation community. Shrubs were not common within this vegetation <br />community, but some that were observed included red raspberry (Rubus idaeus ssp. <br />melanolasius), wild gooseberry (Ribes montigenum), serviceberry (Amelanchier <br />alnifolia), common juniper (Juniperus communis), and wood rose (Rosa woodsh). <br />The herbaceous layer is generally lush, contributing to the majority of understory <br />cover (approximately 10 to 50 percent cover). Common grasses include blue wild -rye <br />(Elymus glaucus), bearded wheatgrass (Elymus trachycau/us), and Arizona fescue <br />(Festuca arizonica). The most common forb in the understory of aspen- dominated <br />woodlands in the survey area is golden banner (Thermopsis montana). Other <br />CCV Baseline Soils Biology Resource Report (11- 17- 11).doc 11 <br />