Life Sciences Commons^™

Establishing Pine Monocultures And Mixed Pine-Hardwood Stands On Reclaimed Surface Mined Land In Eastern Kentucky: Implications For Forest Resilience In A Changing Climate, Geoffrey Bell, Kenton L. Sena, Christopher D. Barton, Michael French

Forestry and Natural Resources Faculty Publications

Surface mining and mine reclamation practices have caused significant forest loss and forest fragmentation in Appalachia. Shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata) is threatened by a variety of stresses, including diseases, pests, poor management, altered fire regimes, and climate change, and the species is the subject of a widescale restoration effort. Surface mines may present opportunity for shortleaf pine restoration; however, the survival and growth of shortleaf pine on these harsh sites has not been critically evaluated. This paper presents first-year survival and growth of native shortleaf pine planted on a reclaimed surface mine, compared to non-native loblolly pine ( …