The Appalachian Wildlife Foundation, recognizing the “complexity of reclaiming mined lands,” submitted comments countering an EPA report that states reforesting mined land is the preferred restoration method.
“The basic point we want to make is that tree planting does not necessarily equate to ecological restoration, and that the wildlife habitat objectives of the landowner and local communities need to be considered,” said David Ledford, president and CEO of the Appalachian Wildlife Foundation. Ledford submitted comments on behalf of the Corbin, Ky., based-Appalachian Wildlife Foundation in response to the EPA's draft publication titled “The Effects of Mountaintop Mines and Valley Fills on Aquatic Ecosystems of the Central Appalachian Coalfields.”
According to the EPA document “reforestation of mined land is emerging as the 'best practices' post mining land use.” “The restoration of wildlife habitat on Appalachian surface mine sites is more complex than just planting trees,” said Ledford. “Surface mines can be reclaimed by planting grassy vegetation, trees and shrubs. Over the last decade new techniques for planting trees have been developed. Appalachian Wildlife Foundation is working to have mine reclamation practices implemented with the best science available and to have mine reclamation and habitat restoration targeted towards specific wildlife habitat objectives.”
According to the Appalachian Wildlife Foundation, the key to successful restoration is to first choose an objective for the reclamation and restoration of a mine site. Once the wildlife habitat objective is chosen, decisions on what to plant becomes easier and more logical. “We can reclaim a mine to provide habitat for ducks and bullfrogs or elk, quail, turkeys, deer and songbirds,” Ledford said. “In choosing the objective, the desires of the private landowner have to be given priority, but in many cases we can incorporate the desires of local communities and conservation partners as well.”
The Appalachian Wildlife Foundation has partnered with the University of Tennessee to compile all known information about how wildlife species use reclaimed mines in the eastern United States. It will take about a year to finish, but when complete it will be the first document of its kind. According to Ledford, the Appalachian Wildlife Foundation then wants to identify what additional knowledge is needed and then implement projects to learn more.
In addition, the Appalachian Wildlife Foundation intends to conduct a public opinion survey of those who live near the coalfields of Kentucky, West Virginia and Virginia to better understand what types of wildlife they wish to see on reclaimed mines. “Sometimes natural resource managers and regulators forget to ask local people what they want. We intend to ask them and find out,” Ledford said. “The goal of the Appalachian Wildlife Foundation is to develop a model for wildlife and habitat restoration on Appalachian mine sites that meets the ecological, economic and cultural objectives of local communities.”
