Abstract:The rehabilitation of forest and other woody vegetation ecosystems on mineral extraction sites is common place and a major post-mining land use throughout Australia. Owing to the need for government certification (under Australian Government and State legislation) for mine closure, monitoring of the establishing forests or other woody ecosystems is typically undertaken using agreed completion criteria which are predictive of rehabilitation future achievement. The collation and review of the monitoring results for the early development of the rehabilitated forests at three surface mines provide an opportunity to identify key processes and practices that might be used to enhance the achievements in Australia and elsewhere. The monitoring results for two rehabilitation schemes in subtropical Queensland (mineral sand and coal) and one in Western Australia (bauxite) were examined. Whilst it is evident that woody vegetation comprising several native tree and shrub species can be readily established, the resulting vegetation communities in the early development of the forest vegetation can be notably different in their composition and structure to the target and/or locally occurring native types. It is concluded that forest structural formation in combination with species composition, are of importance in establishing the predicted trajectory of the developing forest type, ecosystem, functioning, and sustainability. Species composition is likely to influence initial forest structure and the need for intervention practices, such as thinning, that may be required to achieve the necessary structural formation and ultimately the targeted native forest types. The principles established are likely to universally apply irrespective of the mineral and climatic types examined.

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The restoration of colliery wastes and open pit coal sites in the United Kingdom (UK) is undertaken according to a land use strategy plan and detailed specifications that have been agreed upon with the planning authorities.For two of the major land uses in the UK, agriculture and forestry, data on physical criteria (climate, site features and soils) are available to assist in the planning and design of land use strategies and specification of restoration treatments. Similar criteria could also be developed for the restoration of semi natural vegetation and habitats for landscape, wildlife, and amenity uses.Three examples are described illustrating the use of the physical criteria in the design of schemes, the specification of treatments, and the assessment of achievements. AdditionalWhy Criteria?The restoration of colliery lagoons and spoil heaps, and of open pit coal sites in the UK is undertaken according to a land use strategy plan and detailed specifications. These are usually prepared by the industry in conjunction with consultants. The restoration plan shows the location and types of land use and is accompanied by detailed specifications for all aspects of the treatment and management work to be used to achieve the strategy. Both the strategy and the specifications have to be agreed upon with the local government planning authorities. Usually the strategy is agreed upon during early consultations and the application stage of the process. In long-term developments, the principles of the strategy may be outlined and, by agreement, modified according to changes in local and national land use policies. The details of the specifications may be agreed upon at the same time or delayed until just before restoration commences.

There is currently much interest in the re-establishment of native (semi-natural) vegetation in mineral workings in the UK. It is expected that future planning consents will have conditions attached which require evidence that the proposed communities have been achieved. At present there is no standard approach. This paper describes a formal sample based method which enables assessment of plant community, species richness and species of particular interest at any point in time and their course of development. The method is illustrated by use of data collected for sown grassland on a restored opencast coal site in South Wales. Further development work is likely to be necessary and comparison with other recently recommended methods is suggested.

S U M M A R YThe ettects of temperature, date of sowing and the presence or absence ol light on the percentage germmation by seeds of Lvchitii visitirin L. {Viscaria vid^aris Bernh.), Potetitil/a rtipestris L. and Veronica spicata L. were studied. It was found that both in controlled environments and in the open, the order of time-to-germination was the same, nameK-L. z-israiia, V. spiiata and finally, P. rupestris. The latter species reqinred a temperature in e.vcess of 10 °C to germinate and V. spicata required light to germinate. A small (< 5"'o) number of V. spicata seeds did, on occasion, germinate in the dark and the seeds of this species whether fully imbibed or not, required a shorter period in the light than P. rupestris. Because the seeds used were stored and germinated under artificial conditions these findings can only serve a.s a first, btit important, stage in understanding how the seeds germinate iti nature.

Since the l 930's there has been a loss of some 6. 7 million hectares of lowland semi-natural grassland in the UK. As a consequence many of the remaining grasslands of nature conservation importance have been given statutory protection. However, planning pennission can be granted for developments such as mining, and as a result transplantation may be undertaken as a mitigation measure.TI1ere has been concern and debate about transplantation, because of significant changes in botanical composition and loss of important plant species.An investigation of a number of transplant schemes in 1991 indicated that the physical conditions, particularly soil wetness, of the donor and receptor sites need to be sufficiently similar to prevent major changes. However, the investigation also indicated that pre-and post-transfer management was a key factor and could be of over-riding importance. It was concluded that traditional grazing and cutting management practices· is essential for the maintenance of the nature conservation value of transplanted grasslands.

The UK Government was a signatory in 1992 to the Rio Earth Summit and is committed to sustainable development. Cnrrent planning policy for developments involving mineral e'.\iraction embodies this principle. In order to achieve sustainability, it is essential that appropriate and adequate techniques are used, and that successful reclamation is achieved. At present. there is no formalised method whereby an evaluation can be consistently and objectively carried out. This paper proposes a methodology for the UK whereby achievement can be assessed, and the reasons and course of action required are identified. The components of the methodology are the setting of standards and survey of achievement, examination of documentation, monitoring of implementation, and the judicious use of trials and e,qx,rimentation. The application of the methodology within the UK context is discussed.Additional

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