Recent approaches to mine reclamation involve hand-planting native trees to quickly produce a forest, in contrast to previous methods that emphasize seeding grasses and legumes. Such Forest Reclamation Approaches (FRA) have been successful in the central and southern Appalachians, but have not been widely attempted in the northern Appalachians – particularly in the anthracite coal region of eastern Pennsylvania. To assess whether the FRA approach might be applicable in that area, a reforestation effort was conducted at the Avondale site of northern Luzerne County in northeastern Pennsylvania in April 2017. Several thousand seedlings of white pine (Pinus strobus), trembling aspen (Populus tremula), white oak (Quercus alba), red oak (Q. rubra), chestnut oak (Q. prinus), and hybrid chestnut (Castinea x dentata) were planted within a 15-acre portion of an anthracite surface mine that was previously reclaimed using grasses and legumes. Survival and size of those seedlings were assessed in June 2018 in forty-eight 10 x 10 m plots arrayed in six transects. Seedlings were categorized as to microtopographic position (ridge, swale, slope, or flat) within each plot, and mapped for future reference. Summary statistics for density and size were calculated for each species, and comparisons were made.
Results/Conclusions
Survival rates of all of the planted species exceeded 90%, and did not differ based on microtopographic position. Sources of mortality included deer browse and failure to establish in the site – presumably due to poor establishment following planting. Growth was greatest in trembling aspen, with median seedling height being 120 cm. White pine grew the least, with median seedling height being 25 cm. Early successional woody species such as staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) were noted as volunteers in approximately 30% of the plots. Thus, the FRA effort at this site is showing initial success. This study will serve as a baseline to future monitoring efforts that will include further assessment of survival and stem height growth. Continued success would suggest that it is a valid approach to restoration of anthracite mines in Pennsylvania.