Thirty‐four 10‐yr‐old white pines (Pinus strobus L.) growing on reclaimed minesoils in Virginia were selected to evaluate the effects of selected minesoil properties on tree growth. A 1‐m deep backhoe pit was dug at the base of each tree to determine rooting depth, and surface soil samples (0–10 cm) were collected for analysis of selected physical and chemical properties. Multiple regression analysis was used to model the combined effects of minesoil properties on tree height. The minesoil variable that had the greatest influence on tree growth was rooting volume index, defined as depth to a restrictive layer times the soil‐sized fraction (%) of the surface 10 cm. The next most influential minesoil property that affected height was soluble salt content; an inverse relationship existed between tree height and electrical conductivity of a 1:5 soil/water extract. A linear regression equation describing white pine site index (SI50) as a function of the square root of depth to a restrictive layer was highly significant.

The Forestry Reclamation Approach is a five-step system for reclaiming mined lands to forests.Step 1 of the FRA involves creating a suitable rooting medium for good tree growth using topsoil, weathered sandstone and/or the best available material. Several types of overburden types can be selected to place on the surface as growth media. These spoil types include weathered brown sandstone and unweathered rock materials including sandstones, siltstones, shales, and mixtures of these materials. When sufficient topsoil is not salvageable, reclamation scientists often recommend that, when available, weathered sandstone should be considered as the 'best available' topsoil substitute material. Here, we review the scientific evidence that supports such recommendations. Several studies have shown that tree survival was not significantly different among spoil types. Weathered brown sandstone, unweathered gray sandstone, siltstone and shale materials all produced good tree survival (>70%) when compaction and competitive ground covers were reduced. However, growth for most trees (as measured by height, diameter, and volume) was usually significantly greater in weathered brown materials than in unweathered sandstones, siltstones, shales, and mixed spoils. At one site in West Virginia five years after planting, a 10-fold difference in tree volume was found between these two spoil types. Similar results have been found with other studies across Appalachian surface mines. Based on the results of studies summarized herein, the use of weathered brown sandstone is generally recommended, along with topsoil materials when available, to be placed on the surface on sites where hardwood tree species are being planted for forestry post-mining land uses. Weathered brown sandstone spoil materials have a pH, soluble salt content, fine earth content well suited for trees, and sufficient nutrient supplying and water holding capacity that results in superior tree growth compared to other spoil types. The brown sandstone material more closely resembles the native forest soil than the unweathered gray materials.

This paper presents an overview of forestry reclamation research conducted within the Forestry Department at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University since 1980. Research indicates that coal mining and subsequent reclamation in the Central Appalachian region of Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky presents a good opportunity to create productive forests on land that is often too steep or remote to be used for crop production, grazing, or commercial development. Unfortunately, coal companies seldom reclaim these lands in a fashion that will result in productive forest land. Overburden selection, surface grading, and ground cover establislunent are usually oriented towards producing a hayland/pasture land-use. In order to develop productive forest land, special considerations need to be given to the requirements of forest tree species as opposed to agronomic forages. Preliminary results from our research program indicate that for best tree establislunent and long-term growth, moderately-acidic sandstone overburdens should be used as topsoil substitutes when real topsoil is not recoverable, grading and tracking-in should be minimized to avoid compaction, and a tree-compatible ground cover of acid-tolerant, short grasses and legumes should be used for revegetation.

Abstract. More than 600,000 hectares of mostly forested land in the Appalachian region were surface mined for coal under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. Today, these lands are largely unmanaged and covered with persistent herbaceous species, such as fescue and serecia lespedeza, and a mix of invasive and native woody species with little commercial or ecological value. Some landowners and surrounding residents would like to restore native forests on some of these lands for the valuable products and services they provided prior to mining. For these lands to become productive forests, intervention is needed to loosen compacted mine soils, correct chemical or nutrient deficiencies, and replace the current vegetation. Reforestation guidelines to restore native forests on mined lands that are unoccupied, unmanaged, and unproductive were developed. Practices include land clearing, mine soil tillage, fertilization, tree planting, weed control and monitoring. The recommended practices were tested on a 35-ha mine site, originally reclaimed to grassland and bond-released in 1997. After the second growing season mean stocking of 885 ha -1 was achieved. Five of the six primary planted species (black, white, and red oak, tulip poplar, black cherry) had statistically equivalent stocking, but tulip poplar and black cherry had the highest mean height and biomass. Volunteer trees occurred on most measurement plots; most volunteer trees were native but invasive shrubs were also present. The pre-existing vegetation proved to be persistent and competitive, demonstrating the importance of vegetation control and strategic nutrient application to reforestation success.Under leadership provided by the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative, a group formed by the Office of Surface Mining and seven state regulatory authorities, these procedures have been adopted and applied by watershed improvement groups, forestry and fish/wildlife agencies, coal companies, environmental groups, and an electrical generating company pursuing carbon credits.

Abstract. In the past five years there has been a major resurgence in the hardwood timber and wood-using industries throughout the Appalachian coalfield region. Major forest companies are investing heavily in the Appalachian hardwood resource, and they are interested in reforestation of mined land with commercially valuable hardwoods. However, post-SMCRA reclamation creates sites that are difficult to reforest due to inappropriate mine spoil chemistry, excessive compaction, and competing ground cover vegetation. A study was installed across the three-state region of Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky to test the survival and growth of commercially valuable hardwoods across factorial gradients of mine spoil chemistry, grading intensity, and slope aspect. A total of 10 treatment blocks, each 1 ha in size, were installed over a 3-year period beginning in 1994. Tree survival and growth were measured across the study each year. Green ash survival and growth was relatively unaffected by the site factor gradients, but white oak was influenced by all gradients. Survival and growth was poorest and unacceptable on sites with southwest aspects and soils made up of compacted, finely textured alkaline parent material. Survival and growth of white oak was best on sites with northeastern aspects and loose soils made up of weathered sandstone spoil materials. Site mapping of forest site quality for site-specific species prescriptions appears to be a promising approach for successful reforestation of native hardwoods on mined land. Additional