Page 309 - Advances In Productive, Safe, and Responsible Coal Mining

Sustainable reclamation and water management practices 285

a
Table14.3 Example of a seeding application for FRA reclamation on
mine sites where soil conditions are favorable for forest vegetation

Rate Rate
Scientific name Common name (lbs/acre) (kg/ha)
Perennial Grasses
Lolium perenne Perennial Ryegrass 10 11
Dactylis glomerata Orchardgrass 5 b 6 b
Phleum pretense Timothy 5 6
Annual Grasses
Lolium multiflorum or Annual Ryegrass, or 25 c 28 c
Setaria italica Foxtail Millet 30 c 34 c
Legumes (with inoculant)
Lotus corniculatus Birdsfoot Trefoil 5 6
Trifolium repens Ladino or White Clover 3 3

a
Fertilizer should also be applied at a rate of 50–75 pounds N and 80–100 pounds P (180–230 pounds P 2 O 5 ) per acre
(56–84kgN and 90–112kg P per hectare).
b
Seed orchard grass on steep slopes only.
c
Substitute foxtail millet for annual rye in spring plantings.
(Reproduced with permission from Burger J, Davis V, Franklin J, Zipper C, Skousen J, Barton C, Angel P. Tree-
compatible groundcovers for reforestation and erosion control. US Office of Surface Mining, Appalachian Regional
Reforestation Initiative, Forest Reclamation Advisory Number 6;2009. http://arri.osmre.gov/.)
FRA Step 3: Use less competitive ground covers that are compatible with growing trees.

“Tree-compatible” herbaceous vegetation mixes of species that are low in stature and
are low in water and nutrient demand are recommended for seeding when reforesting
mine sites (Table 14.3). Such seeding can produce vegetation plant cover sufficient for
erosion control, while minimizing competition with planted tree seedlings for soil
water, soil nutrients, and light [65]. These seed mixes are typically applied with lower
nitrogen (N) fertilizer rates than would be used to re-establish pasture; as higher
N fertilization will encourage more rapid groundcover growth and greater competition
with planted seedlings. Excessive herbaceous competition will impair survival and
growth of planted trees, and should be avoided when re-establishing forest on mine
sites. Trees should be planted before or shortly after herbaceous seeding, so as to
enable trees to get a good growing start while herbaceous groundcover is developing.

FRA Step 4: Plant two types of trees—early successional species for wildlife and soil sta-
bility, and commercially valuable crop trees.
Crop trees are long-lived species that produce saleable timber products when mature
and are characteristic of the region’s mature forests. Early successional trees can
establish and grow quickly, but will have limited long-term growth and will not form
saleable timber. Early successional trees will, however, attract seed-carrying wildlife
to stimulate more diverse nonplanted vegetation. Ideally, some of the wildlife tree