Restoring Native Forests and Wildlife Habitat on Mined Land at Robinson Forest, Kentucky

The University of Kentucky and Green Forests Work in partnership with the Kentucky Division of Forestry, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative, and the American Chestnut Foundation will implement an invasive special removal and reforestation project at the University of Kentucky’s Robinson Forest. A holistic suite of restoration activities including the control of an invasive shrub that is abundant throughout the site (autumn olive), soil decompaction, and planting of native trees and shrubs will restore habitat on the previously mined Paul Van Booven Wildlife Management Area tract of Robinson Forest. Early successional habitat development and future mature hardwood stands will benefit several sensitive bird species that inhabit Robinson Forest including: blue-winged warbler, Kentucky warbler and the cerulean warbler. Efforts to include exfoliating bark species such as white oak and shagbark hickory in the planting mix will also benefit the federally listed Indiana bat and the candidate species northern long-eared bat, which are also found on the forest. In addition, experimental plantings of the Restoration 1-0 American chestnut and shortleaf pine will be incorporated in the restoration project.