Soil and moisture conditions are key factors for vegetation establishment in reclamations of lands after mining. These factors play a more important role if the area is under extreme environmental conditions. Záhorská lowland belongs to the most extreme areas in Slovakia and it is characterized by drought and warm climate.Besides high average temperature and precipitation deficit this area is negatively affected by wind. Light sandy soil is damaged by wind erosion (Serdel 1973). These factors affect artificial forest regeneration and reclamation. Therefore it is needful to draw up new or modified procedures for the improvement of soil moisture conditions. The aims of these procedures should be to increase planting stock survival and field performance after planting.In the last years, a new generation of hydrogels was developed, highly cross-linked polyacrylamides with 40% of the amides hydrolyzed to carboxylic groups. According to Bouranis et al. (1995) these hydrogels are able to absorb and store water up to 400 times their own weight, and consequently, reduce water stress for the trees. Hydrogels of STOCKOSORB belong to these new hydrogels.Different hydrogel fractions are used commensurate with an application -STOCKOSORB Powder (fraction size < 0.2 mm, for the root system protection during planting, handling, storing and transporting). STOCKOSORB AGRO and MICRO (0.2-0.3 mm) are used for direct application to planting holes before planting. These hydrogels are frequently used for afforestation in semi-arid areas (Roldan et al. 1996;Tognetti et al. 1997). On the other hand, little information is available about the use of these hydrogels under environmental conditions in Central Europe.The aim of this study was to determine the effect of hydrogel STOCKOSORB application on the survival and growth of pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedlings in the reclamation of a sand pit. MATERIAL AND METHODS Pieskovňa I -Plantation 2002On In this study results of hydrogel application in reclamations are presented. The application of hydrogel affected the survival of pine seedlings during two vegetation periods after planting. Double application of STOCKOSORB AGRO (gel) on the root system after lifting caused an about 19% higher survival rate compared to control variants. The application of 7 g/planting hole of STOCKOSORB MICRO granules caused overdosage and plant mortality. The application of hydrogel granules is simple but it is very complicated not to cause the overdosage because of the very high swelling capacity of hydrogel. Research should be carried out to determine suitable hydrogel application rates for different environmental conditions and tree species. To design a technology with regard to the economic effectiveness of application will be a very important task.