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effort. <br />For each area sampled, a minimum of 30 production transects were used for sample adequacy <br />calculations. Following clipping, the harvested plant materials were dried in a drying oven at 100 <br />degrees C for a period of 24 hours and until a constant ( +/- 0.1 gram) weight was obtained. <br />Shrub Density Starting at each of the 30 transect locations described above for the plant cover <br />and production sampling, a fifty -meter long tape was laid out along a predetermined and <br />randomly selected alignment. Woody plant density was determined using the center of the tape <br />as a modified belt transect. The right -hand side of the transect was called Side A and the left - <br />hand side of the tape was called Side B. Data collected from each side were added into a transect <br />value which represents the number of shrubs sampled in the 100 m sample plot. These data are <br />reported in the Results Section as to the number of shrubs per 100 m as well as the number of <br />shrubs per acre as outlined in the Permit. The revegetation woody plant density success standard <br />is 1,500 stems per acre or 37.06 stems per 100 m for all reclaimed areas at the Marr Mine and <br />Kerr Tipple areas. <br />Species Diversitj. The plant cover data collected in each cover transect yielded data relative to <br />the absolute and relative plant cover. These cover data were then converted into percent <br />composition or relative plant cover by species based upon the total amount of plant cover <br />encountered in each sample transect. The relative importance values of plants growing on the <br />approved reference areas and corresponding reclaimed areas in terms of their value as forage for <br />grazing animals as explained and approved by the CDRMS in TR -25, approved on July 13, <br />2012, contains standards relative to the forage quality of the reference areas and reclaimed areas <br />located at the Marr Mine and Kerr Tipple for grazing animals. <br />As described in TR -25, which has been incorporated into the Kerr Permit document, the species <br />diversity standard for 2010, requires that at the Marr Mine, the reclaimed plant community <br />associated with the 1999 Reclaimed site, shall be composed of species which yield a forage <br />quality index value, as calculated from the Alkali Sagebrush Reference Area which equals or is <br />greater than 199.38. For the Kerr Tipple site, the calculated forage quality index value from the <br />Kerr Tipple Reference Area, shall be equal to or greater than a forage quality index value of <br />189.23. <br />Historical Data. To evaluate vegetation trends over time, we compared data collected during <br />the 1980 baseline period contained in the Kerr Permit as well as previously collected <br />revegetation monitoring data. The Kerr Permit data is referenced by the Permit table number, <br />while the data collected by Rocky Mountain Reclamation (RMR) in 1996 entitled "1996 <br />Vegetation Sampling for Interim Monitoring and Bond Release" is cited as the RMR 1996 data. <br />Revegetation monitoring data collected in 1999 by ESCO and entitled "Report of Findings - <br />Reclamation Monitoring - Kerr Mine - Jackson County, Colorado" was also compared to our <br />data. These data are referenced as the ESCO 1999 data. The revegetation monitoring data <br />collected by HV1E Environmental Consultants in 2005 on these same four areas, was also <br />compared to these data. These data are referred to as the IME 2005 data. The data collected <br />from these areas in 2009 by IlVIE is referenced as the 2009 data. <br />4 <br />