Abstract:Northern red oak is a valuable commercial species occurring throughout the Appalachian Coalfields Region. It reportedly grows on mined land, but little is known about preferred site and soil conditions for this species on mined land. The purpose of our field study was to test red oak survival and growth rates on a variety of topsoil substitutes. The study is located in Wise Co., Virginia on the Marcum Hollow member of the Upper Wise Formation. The site was mined in 1979 and reclaimed in 1980. In 1981, field plots were constructed with different topsoil substitutes spoil mixes and pitch x loblolly pines were planted in 1983. In 2001 the pines were removed and replaced with red oaks in the winter of [2001][2002]. Four replicate plots of five different mine spoil mixes were planted with nine red oak seedlings each. Mine spoils consisted of different proportions of weathered sandstone and un-weathered siltstone. Tree survival, height and diameter were measured each year for five years. Results show that survival and growth was best on topsoil substitutes consisting of a mix of sandstone and siltstone. Trees survived and grew poorly on plots constructed from either pure sandstone or siltstone. Reasons for the poor oak performance on the high sandstone plots were not clear, but could possibly be related to lower pH and available Ca levels. Poor oak performance on the pure siltstone plots was most likely related to higher rock fragment and lower bulk water holding content.

Abstract. There is increasing interest among eastern U. S. landowners and coal operators in restoring mined land to native hardwood forests. Establishing a mix of native hardwood tree species simultaneously with erosion control ground covers is difficult. The purpose of this study was to test the response of hardwood species to three levels of ground cover control using an herbicide. Treatments were control (90% ground cover), spot spray around trees (50% cover), and broadcast spray (10% cover). Survival of oak species was generally greater when spot sprayed, but survival of ash, maple, poplar and white pine was unaffected. Tree biomass of most species was greater on spot sprayed plots. Trees on broadcast sprayed plots were damaged by herbicide drift rendering this treatment less effective. Overall stocking on spot sprayed plots was 67%, which met the stocking performance standard when 700 trees/acre were planted. A Forestland Reclamation Approach, which includes ground cover management, is needed for successful native hardwood reforestation.Additional

During the past five years, a forestry reclamation approach has been adopted by some coal companies. To ensure adequate tree survival and growth, competition from erosion control groundcovers must be reduced. The purpose of this study was to test the effect of herbaceous groundcover on reforestation success after five years for Phase III bond release. An herbaceous ground cover mix consisting of orchard grass, redtop, birdsfoot trefoil, and red clover was hydroseeded on reclaimed mined land in Wise County, Virginia. The mine soil was a mix of weathered sandstone and unweathered siltstone that was lightly graded and left uncompacted. The following winter, 100 each of white oak, red oak, sugar maple, white ash, and tulip poplar ("crop trees") were mixed and planted per acre. An additional wildlife mix of crab apple, dogwood, white pine, and bristly locust was planted at a combined rate of 100 trees/ac. Three half-acre treatment plots were spot-sprayed with Roundup herbicide (3-ft circle around each tree, achieving 70% groundcover (reduced cover) for three years, and three half-acre treatments were left untreated (full cover). After five years, average crop-tree survival rates were 58% and 69% on the untreated plots (full cover) and sprayed (reduced cover) plots, respectively. The actual numbers of trees planted by the professional tree planting crew were 687 and 663 per acre for the full cover and reduced cover plots, respectively. After five years, 415 and 419 surviving trees per acre remained which exceeded the minimum number needed for bond release in Virginia. Tree growth on the full cover plots was suppressed, but growth was excellent on reduced cover plots compared to that expected for these species on undisturbed sites. Reduced cover doubled the growth rate for most species except for red oak, which grew three times faster, and white ash, which grew four times faster when released from some of the ground cover competition. All species in this mix appeared to be compatible and should grow into a valuable tree stand. This study shows that this reforestation approach is quite viable for restoring native hardwoods, except that commonly used ground cover could compromise reforestation success.

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

No abstract