Authors: John L. Torbert, Research Associate, James A. Burger, Professor, and James E. Johnson, Extension Project Leader, Natural Resources, College of Forestry, Virginia Tech
Publication Number 460-136, June 1996
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Reclamation is a complex process involving landowners, coal operators, and regulators. These groups may have different long-term goals and ideas about what constitutes desirable reclamation. Coal operators and landowners are usually two separate entities. Coal operators generally have no long-term economic interest in the land. Their goal is to mine, reclaim, and achieve bond release cost-effectively and profitably.
After bond release, the landowner continues to be responsible for property taxes and future environmental liabilities. Consequently, it is in the best interest of the landowner to have a postmining land use that generates income and enhances environmental stability. For many landowners, "commercial forest" is the land-use that will best serve their long-term interests ( Figure 1 ). Compared to other post-mining land-use options, commercial forest requires more participation by the landowner prior to and during mine permitting and reclamation.The objectives of this publication are to describe some opportunities that commercial forest land offers landowners and to identify the role that landowners should play in order to realize the benefits.
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From a regulatory perspective there is little distinction between commercial and unmanaged forest land. Unmanaged forest land is already a common post-mining land-use in the central Appalachians, particularly in Virginia. For "unmanaged forest land" the operator must establish 400 trees per acre. White pine is usually planted in conjunction with some non-commercial species, such as black locust, black alder, autumn olive, bicolor lespedeza, and several other shrub species. Under Virginia regulations, the operator must have established a minimum of 400 trees per acre at the time of bond release.
For commercial forest land, the operator must also establish 400 trees per acre, but all trees must be commercial species, such as white pine, oak, yellow-poplar, etc. Although it is possible to achieve the same result with either post-mining land-use selection, there are certain advantages to the landowner if "commercial" forest land (as opposed to "unmanaged" forest land) is selected.
The most important reason to specify commercial forest rather than unmanaged forest in a mining permit is to emphasize the intent of the owner to use the land for timber production after mining. Therefore, on commercial forest land, it is not sufficient merely to plant trees. The trees must consist of beneficial species, and the land must be reclaimed so that trees grow well.
In forestry jargon, the reclaimed area must have a high site quality or site index (SI).
Site index is the height that dominant trees will reach after they have grown for 50 years. Harvestable wood tree volume increases exponentially with site index. In the central Appalachian region, where white pine is the primary commercial tree species planted on minesoils, the goal of reclamation should be to create minesoils with a SI of 100 feet. Of course, other commercial species can also be used. An SI of 100 for white pine equates to a high SI for other species.
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In Illinois, these same procedures resulted in a 30-year-old white oak SI of 94, which was the best growing white oak stand ever recorded in that state (Ashby, 1984). Similar growth was reported for yellow-poplar and black walnut on minesoils. Thus, even though white pine is the most commonly planted commercial species on central Appalachian minesoils, numerous other commercial species will grow well and can be used if they satisfy the landowner's objectives.
It is not the intent of this paper to detail all of the guidelines required to reclaim mined land for trees; this was done in Powell River Project VCE Publication 460-123, Restoring Forests on Surface Mined Land, and in a 22-minute Powell River Project videotape, Better Reclamation With Trees. However, since a successful commercial forestry land-use is so dependant on the construction of a productive minesoil, and since soil compaction plays such an important role influencing minesoil productivity, it is beneficial to discuss the influence of reclamation practices on minesoil compaction.
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Excessive compaction often occurs when the final layer of overburden or topsoil is placed on the surface and graded. Frequently, the final lift of overburden or topsoil substitute is dumped by haulers on level areas and leveled with bulldozers. When the next load of spoil arrives, the truck drives over the area just leveled and dumps the new load which is immediately leveled by the bulldozer. Thus, dumping and grading occur simultaneously and the surface soil becomes increasingly compacted. Additional compaction occurs when bulldozers "track" or "walk-in" the final surface before seeding.
These practices, which result in smoothly finished landscapes, may be desirable for creating recreational fields, or parking lots, but they are counterproductive to forestry and wildlife. Forest land should be less intensively graded on level and gentle slopes (where erosion hazard is slight). Leaving a moderate amount of rocks and woody debris (logs, stumps, etc.) on the surface, in a manner consistent with a re-grading plan approved by the regulatory agency, does not affect forestry land-use opportunities, and can actually enhance wildlife habitat and biodiversity. Furthermore, rough graded sites are generally less prone to erosion since the loose soil has higher infiltration and less runoff than a compacted soil.
With reduced grading, reclamation will be more effective and less expensive ( Figure 2 ). Coal operators will save hundreds of dollars per acre by reducing bulldozer operations. Reduced grading increases soil productivity by decreasing soil compaction.
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Additional benefits are available to owners of land being prepared for mining and reclamation in states where commercial forest is considered under SMCRA to be a "commercial" land use, such as Virginia. The long term value of most surface-mined land can be increased if steep slopes are replaced with gently sloping or level areas. Under SMCRA, however, lands must be returned to "approximate original contour," or AOC, unless an AOC variance is obtained. Under Virginia regulations, a landowner desiring to improve the capability and value of land by preparing it to support commercial forestry could be eligible for an AOC variance, if other requirements are met.
Another benefit for owners of surface mined land is a network of heavy-duty roads. Roads built to withstand the traffic of mining equipment can be maintained and used for access, routine management, and timber harvest. In the long term, these roads can be a tremendous asset, since they would cost thousands of dollars to construct at a later date.
The commercial forest land-use option is especially appropriate for corporate landowners who may own hundreds or thousands of acres of reclaimed mined land. Corporations have the ability to undertake a long-term land management program, such as timber production.
Landowners do not benefit by allowing land to be reclaimed to hayland/pasture, unless there is an intent to actually use the land for that purpose. If landowners allow land to be reclaimed as hayland/pasture and then decide to plant trees after bond release, they must pay for tree planting, and they lose the five years of growth that could have occurred if the coal operator had planted trees. The landowner also loses the value of productivity that could have been added by reclaiming the land specifically for commercial forest purposes.
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Table 1. Effect of Site Index (SI50) on Timber Production and Harvest Value for a 35-Year-Old White Pine Forest.
| Site Index | Timber Production | Wood Products | Stumpage Price | Total Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (ft) | (MBF/ac)1/ | - | ($/MBF) | ($/ac) |
| 60 | 5.0 | mine props pulpwood | 20 | 100 |
| 80 | 14.2 | small sawtimber | 50 | 710 |
| 100 | 32.1 | large sawtimber | 75 | 2407 |
1/MBF = thousand board feet, International 1/4 log rule; from Balmer and Williston, 1983.
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A new reclamation precedent for commercial forest land is needed because coal operators and regulators may be reluctant to accept changes to the way that hayland/pasture or unmanaged forest land has been reclaimed for the past 15 years. Selection of commercial forest as a post-mining land use and active participation by the landowner will let the coal operators and regulators know that the landowner desires reclamation procedures that will maximize tree growth after mining.
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The landowner should work with the engineers to specify what ground cover species and tree species will be used (Burger and Torbert, 1992), and landowners should also consult with engineers about the layout of roads that will remain after reclamation.
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When the site is ready to be planted, the landowner should be sure that provisions have been made to get good quality seedlings, the seedlings are properly cared for, and that trees are properly planted at the appropriate spacing.
Tree planting crews must be held responsible if their practices do not ensure seedling survival. The Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) can provide some assistance with seedling acquisition and handling, and suggestions for contract arrangements with tree planters.
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In accordance with guidelines published in other Powell River Project documents (Burger and Torbert, 1992; Torbert et al., 1991), minesoils should be constructed so as to achieve a high site index and maximize the value of reclaimed land as productive forest. Experience has shown that it is possible to reclaim mined areas so as to achieve a site index of 100 or more. Some coal operators will need to modify their traditional overburden handling and grading techniques, to reduce soil compaction, if they are to achieve this goal.
It is in the landowner's interest to see that mined areas are reclaimed using methods that will allow it to serve an intended post-mining land use. Reclamation to produce land capable of supporting commercial forests does not need to be difficult or costly. Productive forests on reclaimed areas can provide long-term economic benefits to the landowner.
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Balmer, W. E., and H. L. Willston. 1983. Managing eastern white pine in the southeast. USDA Forest Service. Southern Region Forestry Report. R8-FR1, 11p.
Burger, J. A., and J. L. Torbert. 1992. Restoring forests on surface mined land. Virginia Cooperative Extension Publication. 460-123. 16pp.
Doolittle, W. T. 1958. Site index comparisons for several forest species in the southern Appalachians. Soil Science Society of America Proceedings 22:455-458.
Torbert, J. L., J. A. Burger, and J. E. Johnson. 1991. Better Reclamation with Trees. VHS Videotape 22:45 min. Virginia Cooperative Extension. Blacksburg, VA.
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