2007 Mined Land Reforestation Conference & Annual Tour

- Event Summary - Event Agenda - Photographs - Presentations -

SUMMARY OF EVENT & TOUR:
AUGUST 7 & 8, ABINGDON, VA - ARRI's first conference "Mined Land Reforestation: Science and Practice" and third annual tour was held the second week of August at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon, Virginia.  The event united individuals instrumental in the development, application, and promotion of coalmine reforestation from across the country, including members of the mining industry, State and Federal government agency personnel, scientists, professors, and landowners alike.

The conference highlighted cutting-edge scientific research findings to further improve mine reforestation success based on the advanced mine reforestation practices being developed by scientists, foresters, and academia and adopted by the coal industry.  Education forums included PowerPoint presentations (available for download below), panel discussions, and Q&A sessions.

Day 2 involved on-site field tours of operating coal mines and research sites where advanced mine reforestation practices are being developed and utilized. The group visited two Virginia coal mining operations that used the Forestry Reclamation Approach during reclamation. They also observed long-term reforestation plantings on mines sites at the Powell River Research Project and Education Center where planted softwoods and native hardwoods have been monitored for survival and growth potential to produce forest products, and other indicators of reforestation success.

The conference was attended by personnel representing coal mining firms, mineral-bearing landowners, mining consultants, natural resource agencies, scientists with mined land reforestation expertise, students, and interested members of the public. 

Plans for ARRI's 2008 Mined Land Reforestation Conference are tentatively scheduled to be held in Charleston, WV.  The event will be sponsored by ARRI and hosted by West Virginia University and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.

Return to Top

Event Agenda - Mined Land Reforestation Conference Agenda

Photographs: Coming Soon!

• SW VA Higher Education Center
• VA Mine site Tour
• Powell River Project Tour
  

Conference Presentations:
 

“A Coal Miner’s Perspective on Mine Reforestation” Section 1 | Section 2

Bob Zik, TECO Coal, Corbin, KY

(Please note: this presentation is in 2 sections because of its size.)

“The Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative and the Forestry Reclamation Approach: A State-Federal Reforestation Initiative”

- Les Vincent, PE, Director, Virginia Division of Mined Land Reclamation, Big Stone Gap, VA

“Advances in Scientific Knowledge and the Forestry Reclamation Approach”

- Dr. James Burger, Department of Forestry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

“Federal and State Regulations, Bond Release, and the Forestry Reclamation Approach”

- Becky Hatmaker, US Office of Surface Mining, Knoxville Field Office, Knoxville, TN

“Overburden, Topsoil Substitutes, Topsoil Handling: Influence on Tree Growth”

- Patrick Angel, US Office of Surface Mining, and University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY   (with Dr. James Burger of VA Tech, & Chris Barton of UK)

“Influence of Herbaceous Groundcover Vegetation on Reforestation Success”

- Jeff Skousen, Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV

“Carbon Sequestration by Forests on Reclaimed Mines”

- Chris Barton, Department of Forestry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

“Mining and Mine Reforestation: Influences on Watershed Hydrology”

- Richard Warner, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

“The Joys and Challenges of Producing Forest Products on Mined and Reforested Lands”

- Tim Probert, Forestry Consultant, Bluefield, WV

“Economics of Mine Reforestation: Mine Operator and Landowner Perspectives”

- Jay Sullivan, Department of Forestry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

“The Forestry Reclamation Approach at Fola Coal”

- Mike Isabell, Fola Coal, Bickmore, WV

Return to Top