The forestry reclamation approach and the measure of its success in appalachia

The Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative (ARRI) is a broad-based citizen/industry/government program working to encourage the planting of productive trees on abandoned and active coal mine lands. Forestry research has confirmed that highly productive forestland can be created on reclaimed mine land by using a five step straight-forward methodology called the Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA). Data taken from Office of Surface Mining and state regulatory permit and bond release documents indicate that since the start of ARRI in 2005, a gradual increase in the planting of trees on coal surface mines has occurred. ARRI states reported about 9.4 million trees planted in 2005, 11.1 million trees planted in 2006, and 12.8 million trees planted in 2007. However, despite an aggressive technical outreach by ARRI, serious cultural barriers and other impediments to proper surface mine reforestation remain pervasive in the Appalachian coalfields. In 2007, the ARRI states reported that of the 12.8 million trees planted, only 3.4 million trees were planted using the full 5 steps of the FRA. The number of trees planted on conventionally reclaimed sites which were not FRA compliant was estimated at 9.4 million. One or more of the 5 steps of the FRA where not utilized on over two-thirds of the trees planted on surface mines in Appalachia over the past three years.