Laserfiche WebLink
the climatic conditions of the summer were not conducive to seedling establishment at <br /> this location. <br /> Monitoring of reference areas should continue for at least the next four years. Chemical <br /> treatment will also continue for at least three years. The site is probably not conducive <br /> to the use of grazing in the future as a biologic control. <br /> The cost of weed control on approximately 35 acres was $13,890. <br /> Tree Planting Project <br /> Planting of seedling trees completed the 2000 reclamation construction. The permit <br /> requires that 100 trees per acre be planted on disturbed areas. In order to account for <br /> mortality, 150 trees per acre were planted on 125 disturbed acres, for a total of 18,750 <br /> trees. The cost of the Tree Planting Project was $57,684.50. This cost averages <br /> about $3.00 per tree, provided and planted. <br /> Four species were planted; Engelmann Spruce, Sub Alpine Fir, Colorado Blue Spruce <br /> and Douglas Fir. In most areas, tree planting was accomplished in groups of thirty <br /> trees per group, with an eight foot spacing of trees within the group; and five groups per <br /> acre, with a minimum spacing of thirty five feet between each group, edge to edge. <br /> Along the reclaimed roads, the trees were planted from the outside toward the inside <br /> margin of the road prism, with the spacing between groups increased to fifty feet. <br /> Where horse trails are present on Roads E, F, G, the trees were planted so that a gap <br /> of five to ten feet on either side of the trail was maintained. <br /> Grants <br /> Funds from all but two grants has been exhausted. Two Grants are still funded, the <br /> Non-Point Source Grant from the Colorado Department of Public Health and <br /> Environment, and the Upper Old Refuse Pile Grant from the Office of Surface Mining. <br /> Upper Old Refuse Pile Grant <br /> This Grant is in the amount of$65,000, and was provided by the OSM for the purpose <br /> of removing coal refuse from the western most portion of the Old Refuse Pile <br /> immediately south of the former Warehouse location. In this area, the upper cut bank of <br /> Dutch Creek is eroding toward the toe of the Old Refuse Pile. The estimated cost of <br /> accomplishing the needed work is $125,000, so a match from other sources is <br /> necessary for this work to be undertaken. This property is currently owned by MidCon, <br /> LLC. A determination as to whether MidCon should be approached for the purpose of <br /> partially funding this Project should be made by mid - 2001, as the Grant money will <br /> need to be returned at the end of this year if it has not been encumbered for <br /> construction in 2002. <br /> 10 <br />