Selecting Tree Species for Reforestation of Appalachian Mined Lands

The Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA) is a method for reclaiming coal surface mines to forested post-mining land uses (FR Advisory No. 2, Burger and others 2005). The FRA’s fourth step is to plant native trees for commercial timber value, wildlife habitat, soil stability, watershed protection, and other environmental benefits. This advisory provides guidance for selecting native tree species to plant on mine sites that are reclaimed using the FRA in the Appalachian region. Favorable soil properties and non-competitive ground cover are essential features on mine sites intended for reforestation. Use of the FRA will provide these features for planted trees while also providing conditions suitable for natural seeding of plants from nearby forests.