Page 311 - Advances In Productive, Safe, and Responsible Coal Mining

Table 14.4 Tree species that are commonly planted on coal
surface mines in the eastern USA. For further details and
species, see Davis et al. [66]
Scientific Common
name name Type Comment

Acer Sugar Crop For moist sites: eastern and northern slopes,
saccharum maple lower slopes
Betula nigra River Crop For riparian plantings
birch
Carya ovata Shagbark Wildlife Provides habitat for Indiana Bat, an
hickory endangered species throughout eastern USA
coalfields. Can mature into saleable timber
Castanea American Wildlife Use only varieties that have been genetically
dentata chestnut improved to resist chestnut blight
(Cryphonectria parasitica)
Cercis Eastern Wildlife Understory species; produces food for
canadensis redbud wildlife
Cornus sp. Dogwood Wildlife Understory species; produce food for
wildlife
Liquidambar Sweetgum Crop For riparian plantings
styraciflua
Liriodendron Yellow Crop For fine-textured soils in lower-slope
tulipifera poplar positions; will often invade naturally if
present in natural forests close to the mine site
Malia sp. Crab Wildlife Produces food for wildlife
apple
Morus rubra Red Wildlife Understory species; produces food for
mulberry wildlife
Pinus strobus Eastern Wildlife Provides winter cover and shelter for
white pine wildlife
Platanus American Crop For wet soils and riparian plantings
occidentalis sycamore
Prunus Black Crop For cool climates: northern states, or high
serotina cherry elevations elsewhere
Quercus alba White oak Crop For a range of site types
Quercus Scarlet Crop For drier sites: ridge tops, western and
coccinea oak southern slopes
Quercus Chestnut Crop For drier sites: ridge tops, western and
prinus oak southern slopes
Quercus Northern Crop For moist sites: eastern and northern slopes,
rubra red oak lower slopes
Quercus Black oak Crop For drier sites: ridge tops, western and
velutina southern slopes
Robinia Bristly Wildlife Nitrogen fixer, less competitive than black
hispida locust locust; for moist sites and riparian plantings
Robinia Black Wildlife Fast-growing nitrogen fixer; use planting
pseudoacacia locust rates <30/acre (<75/ha) to limit excessive
proliferation and competition with crop trees
Salix nigra Black Crop For riparian plantings
willow