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operations in order to formulate effective revegetation procedures. <br /> The majority of the revegetation test work has been implemented <br /> on inactive Tailings Pond No. 2, since tailings disposal sites <br /> require the greatest reclamation effort due to extent and inten- <br /> sity of disturbance. Reclamation testing activities have been <br /> implemented on other less severely disturbed sites as well how- <br /> ever, due to topo-edaphic and climatic factors resulting in <br /> varigated microsites with variant floristic potentialities re- <br /> quiring special reclamation consideration. <br /> Reclamation test plot activities were formulated to address <br /> a number of problems requiring elucidation in order to establish <br /> a diverse perennial vegetative cover on the variant disturbance <br /> sites. The first task was to develop methods for ameliorating <br /> inimical environmental conditions existent on disturbed sites <br /> inhibitory to plant establishment by applied techniques or <br /> natural invasion. Environmental factors limiting plant estab- <br /> lishment include: seedbed instability due to erosion by aeolian <br /> or hydrologic forces, droughtiness, chemical toxicity, etc. <br /> Various techniques of site preparation were tested on the multi- <br /> tude of disturbance areas to moderate microclimatic conditions <br /> and increase potential for maximal plant establishment. Optimum <br /> site preparation procedures were selected upon evaluating economics <br /> of application, and success rates, and then integrated into_the- <br /> overall Reclamation Plan. The extent to which site preparation <br /> procedures are required on any particular affected acreage is <br /> dependent on intrinsic microsite conditions, and intensity of <br /> disturbance. In general , however, site preparation procedures <br /> include: <br /> Page 15 <br />