Laserfiche WebLink
FEB-02-99 10 :25 AM ESCO-ASSOCIATES 303 499 4276 P. 02 <br /> EVALUATION OF 1997 MINE No. 4 STEEP SLOPE REVEGETATION <br /> Based on observations of--- August 1998, 1 believe that the seedings of steep <br /> slopes at Mine No. 4 have reasonable expectation of proving successful. The <br /> prominence of young plants resulting from the seeding is low as would be <br /> expected in the first year. The road cut areas have reasonable stands that <br /> are relatively easily visible. The road fill outslopes are much more difficult to <br /> see the presence/development of small seedlings. The loose fill is in general a <br /> more difficult place to establish as a seedling because the steepness of slopes <br /> limit the degree to which incident moisture can enter the soil. These sites also <br /> tend not to have snow cover as long in winter. Taken together, these <br /> conditions leave available soil moisture at lower levels than less steeply sloping <br /> locations and rates of plant growth are consequently less. <br /> EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL SUCCESS OF REVEGETATION EFFORTS THAT HAD <br /> BEEN PLANNED FOR 1998, BUT WERE NOT CARRIED OUT. <br /> Based on observations of results of 1996 seeding at Mine 1 and adjacent to <br /> Road D, I believe that the prospects for success in establishing the species in <br /> the prescribed seed mix in 1998 work would have been very good, recognizing <br /> that along with any effort to establish plants from seed comes a chance of <br /> failure. The chance f failure that attends any particular reseeding effort in no <br /> way relieves the necessity of ultimate successful re-establishment of vegetation <br /> on that site, and this site is no different. <br /> 2 <br />