Tree planting - strip-mined area in Maryland

Abstract

Maryland is relatively small in relation with other coal-producing states. Only one and one-third Counties in extreme Western Maryland is involved in mining. Elevation for the mining region is from a low of 1200 feet to a high of 3800 feet. Rainfall is well distributed ranging from 40 to 48 inches per year. Until 1975, the revegetation of strip mined areas was the responsibility of the Maryland Forest Service, thus the concentration on tree planting. Since 1975 all mining responsibilities have been transferred to the Bureau of Mines. Planting of trees on strip-mined areas began in 1963 with herbaceous planting, a requirement beginning in 1974. Trees were the primary revegetation method with an average of 350-400 thousand trees planted each year. Since 1974, the trend has been for herbaceous planting, consequently tree planting has declined considerably (approximately 150 thousand per year in recent years). However, because of the Office of Surface Mining's requirements, the future dictates a substantial increase in tree planting.

Parent Publication

• Trees for Reclamation Symposium Proceedings

Citation

Bagley, Fred L. 1980. Tree planting - strip-mined area in Maryland. In: Trees for Reclamation Symposium Proceedings; Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-61. Broomall, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 27-28