Land Reclamation Survival of Three Tree Species on Old Reclaimed Surface Mines in Ohio

Early studies of mine reclamation emphasized trees for revegetating minesoils. Scientists of the USDA Forest Service transplanted four tree species in 1946 into leveled or unleveled overburden near Georgetown, OH, and into unleveled overburden near Dundee, OH. Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) had good initial survival on both sites but died in later years due to locust borers (Megacyllene robiniae). Survival and growth of remaining white ash (Fraxinus americana L.), white pine (Pinus strobus L.), and yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.) were determined and soil properties examined on both sites in 1992. Minesoil bulk density in Georgetown leveled areas was similar (1.1 to 1.2 Mg/m) to unleveled areas in 1992. Minesoil pH was 7.7 and no nutrient deficiencies were found. Bulk density at Dundee was 1.1 Mg/m' and minesoil pH was 4.2 with high exchangeable acidity, Al, and Fe concentrations. White ash had the best survival after 46 yr, averaging 43% in both leveling treatments at Georgetown and 33% at Dundee. White pine survival averaged 22% at Georgetown and 14% at Dundee. Yellow-poplar had poor survival (3%) on Georgetown leveled areas, 21% survival on Georgetown unleveled areas, and 17% survival at Dundee. White pine and yellow-poplar trees were 4 to 6 m shorter on Georgetown leveled areas vs. unleveled areas. White ash height was similar between leveling treatments and no height differences were seen for any species between Georgetown unleveled and Dundee. Volume for yellow-poplar ranged from 39 nr'/ha on the Georgetown leveled area to 350 mVha on unleveled areas. Volumes roughly paralleled survival for white pine and yellow-poplar. Thirteen volunteer tree species were identified and they averaged 20% total tree basal area across the three areas. Maple (Acersp.) and elm (Ulmus sp.) were two common volunteer trees. After 46 yr, these areas support a closed canopy of commercially valuable trees, providing soil stabilization, potential economic returns, and wildlife habitat. Eastern U.S. surface mine reclamation should emphasize tree planting and forests as postmining land uses. White ash is recommended on leveled or unleveled sites with alkaline or acidic minesoils. C MINING has disturbed approximately 2.4 million ha (6 million acres) since 1930 in the USA. The majority of land mined for coal was originally forested in Appalachia where much of the surface coal mining had occurred in the USA prior to 1975. Laws were passed in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia during the late 1930s and 1940s requiring mine operators to register with the state and pay bonds to ensure some reclamation would take place. Reclamation prescribed in these early laws directed soil, subsoil, and overburden (the geologic material overlying the coal) be used to refill excavated areas. Backfilling and leveling the land was specified with subsequent planting of trees and shrubs in regraded areas. Studies of surface mine revegetation with trees began in the 1920s and reports on planting success began in the 1940s. Black locust was the most extensively studied and successful species (Brown and Tryon, 1960; Chapman, 1944, 1947; Potter et al., 1955). Other species such as Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana Mill.), red pine (P. resinosa Ait.), and white pine also grew well in many of the early studies (Brown, 1962; Minckler, 1941). Hardwoods like oaks (Quercus sp.) and cherry (Prunus J.D. Zeleznik, Dep. of Forestry, Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI 48824-1222; and J.G. Skousen, Div. of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV 26506-6108. Scientific Article no. 2534 from the West Virginia Agric. and For. Exp. Stn., Morgantown. This research was supported by funds appropriated under the Hatch Act. Received 4 Jan. 1996. *Corresponding author ([email protected]). Published in J. Environ. Qual. 25:1429-1435 (1996). 1430 J. ENVIRON. QUAL., VOL. 25, NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1996 sp.) failed to grow usually because the trees sustained rodent damage (Brown, 1962).. Laws and regulations during ensuing decades prescribed seeding grasses and legumes rather than establishing trees for surface mine reclamation in the eastern USA (Torbert and Burger, 1996). The rationale for this change from tree planting was that forage species controlled erosion and provided a quick economic return to land owners through haying or grazing of livestock. Mined areas revegetated with grasses and legumes under management produced suit~cient quantities of forage. Unmanaged areas, however, declined in forage production and generally were invaded by undesirable weedy species and, to a lesser extent, adjacent tree species (Torbert et al., 1988). Establishment of a forest with commercial value is extremely slow by natural succession. Forests have a number of advantages as a postmining land use (Faulconer et al., 1996). First, long-term stabilization of the site is accomplished even though during initial stages some erosion may occur. Second, establishment of desirable tree species capable of maintaining the site will slow or prohibit invasion of less desirable, weedy species. Third, trees will eventually provide economic returns although several decades must generally pass before harvesting. Fourth, tree planting aids in developing wildlife habitat and promotes hydrologic balance in the watershed. Many studies were established in the 1940s and 1950s to evaluate tree species and tree planting techniques for reclaiming mined sites. Tree survival, however, was usually only reported 2 yr, 5 yr, or 10 yr after establishment (Finn, 1958). Successful initial survival does not always translate into successful long-term site stabilization and development of a forest with commercial value (Zisa et al., 1980). Re-evaluating tree plantings after many years will aid in prescribing which tree species have longterm survival, show suitable growth and timber production potential, and contribute to the site’s overall health in terms of economics, aesthetics, and the environment. This study evaluates survival and growth of three transplanted tree species at two 46-yr-old surface mines in Ohio. Comparisons were made between: (i) leveled and unleveled areas and (ii) between unleveled acidic and unleveled alkaline overburdens. Soil properties were measured and related to survival and growth of these tree species.