A study was established to investigate soil and site variables associated with early growth of eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) on reclaimed strip mines in southern West Virginia and Virginia. A total of 78 plantations were studied on 14 different mines, 5 to 9 yr following planting. Two‐year terminal height growth at ages 4 and 5 was selected as the growth variable in a multiple linear regression equation developed to show the relationship between tree growth and soil and site variables. Many soil/site variables were tested, but rooting depth, electrical conductivity, surface soil P and Mn, and slope were the dominant independent variables, accounting for 48% of the variability in growth. Soil depth had a standardized regression coefficient of 0.35, and was the most significant variable. Through proper reclamation, it is possible to establish a site that will not only provide for adequate early height growth to facilitate bond release, but also provide for future long‐term productivity of surface‐mined lands.

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.

This study was designed to compare the effects of two overburden spoil types and various mixtures of the two spoils on the performance of pitch × loblolly hybrid pine (Pinus × rigitaeda). Sandstone and siltstone overburden were used to create five rock mix treatments: pure sandstone (SS), pure siltstone (SiS), a 2:1 SS/SiS mix, a 1:1 SS/SiS mix, and a 1:2 SS/SiS mix. Tree survival was not affected by rock mix, but growth was greatly affected. The greatest growth response occurred on the SS treatment and decreased as the amount of siltstone increased in the rock mix. The average stem volume of trees on the SS treatment was nearly five times greater than trees on the SiS treatment. The coarse fragment content of the SS (52%) was much lower than the SiS (72%), thus providing a greater volume of fine earth (<2 mm) for water retention and root exploitation. The pH of the SS was much lower than SiS (5.7 vs. 7.1), and available Mn was higher in the SS than in the SiS (540 vs. 160 mg kg−1 foliar Mn). The results of this study demonstrate the need to consider the effects of various overburden types on tree growth when forest land is the designated post‐mining land use.

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Fifteen tree species, five pine and ten hardwood, were planted on a reclaimed, return-to-contour, strip-mine site in Wise County, Virginia. A systemic herbicide was sprayed on half of each of four experimental blocks prior to the second growing season. After three growing seasons, this treatment resulted in increased survival of five species. Black locust (Robina pseudoacacia) performed best with 90% survival and a tenfold increase in height. Other hardwoods that showed promise were black alder (Alnus glutinosa), sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), and cottonwood (Populus deltoides). As a group, the pines outperformed the hardwoods. Loblolly (Pinus taeda) and Virginia pine (Pinus Virginiana) were the fastest growing, and survival of each was signifcantly higher on the sprayed plots.