Disturbe d Uplan d Community Type . Historic mining disturbance sites 

 were inventoried to determine the success of natural recolonization by 

 vascular plant species. In the permit area* these included the pit* 

 waste dump and heap leach test site. Species identified at these sites 

 are listed in Table 5. The pit was sparsely vegetated, with best 

 revegetation on the slopes. Woody plants were more diverse than 

 herbaceous species. Two noxious weeds were present, spotted knapweed 

 ( Centaurea maculosa ) and Canada thistle ( Ci rsiu rn aryense ) . Noxious 

 weeds are addressed in a separate section of this report. 



The waste dump was also sparsely vegetated, with steep, unstable 

 slopes.. There were ample fines, and angular coarse fragments ranged in 

 size from gravels to boulders. Herbaceous species were more diverse 

 than woody plants. Spotted knapweed was present. 



The heap leach test site was very rocky with sandy fines, and generally 

 barren with best revegetation on the periphery. Plant cover was 

 greater on 3-inch minus gravel than on 0.5-inch minus gravel. Plants 

 were generally healthy, with slight chlorosis evident. Trees were 

 reproducing most successfully on west slope gravels near the periphery. 

 Spotted knapweed and Canada thistle were present. 



The disturbed upland vegetation type was correlated with portions of 

 the D soils mapping unit (refer to Appendix D. SOILS). 



30 



