Fertilizer and Density Treatment Effects on Woody Bioenergy Production on Mined Lands: Year Five Report

Planting woody biomass for energy production can be used as a mine reclamation procedure to satisfy the SMCRA and provide renewable energy for the United States. This study examines the productivity of woody biomass on previously mined lands using five species planted at two densities, with and without fertilizer. This report summarizes the current volume of these species as well as the effect of planting density and fertilizer application. After five years of growth, black locust has the highest volume of any treatment. Low density treatments out-produce high density treatments on a per-tree basis and significant differences were found between the species as well as treatments.