Question about Mountaintop Removal

[crusse10]

Figured someone on this board might know a thing or two for this paper I'm writing.

How long does the process from deforestation to reforestation last? Like from the very start to the end?

 

[VolsNSkinsFan]

You talking about coal mining? No expert but nature is pretty resilient. Maybe 30 years?

Your professor is probably liberal so be sure to bash it as much as possible

 

[crusse10]

You talking about coal mining? No expert but nature is pretty resilient. Maybe 30 years?

Your professor is probably liberal so be sure to bash it as much as possible

lol it's an Appalachian Geography class and he's from West Virginia. It's actually must faster than that, I just want to try to get as specific an answer as possible.

They basically deforest the apex of a mountain, set up explosives and blow it away. Then they take in heavy machinery and just drive away the coal. Next, they'll take the blown-away crap from the next mountaintop and put it back on this one they just finished. Lastly, they'll reforest it. One place I saw said it could be done as quickly as a few months, but I wanna get a more concrete number.

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

The EPA has an entire Web page on it but it's heavy on the science. I like cheap electricity and i can purify my own water so I'm not against it.

 

[Volosaurus rex]

lol it's an Appalachian Geography class and he's from West Virginia. It's actually must faster than that, I just want to try to get as specific an answer as possible.

They basically deforest the apex of a mountain, set up explosives and blow it away. Then they take in heavy machinery and just drive away the coal. Next, they'll take the blown-away crap from the next mountaintop and put it back on this one they just finished. Lastly, they'll reforest it. One place I saw said it could be done as quickly as a few months, but I wanna get a more concrete number.

How are you defining "reforestation?" If you're talking about simply replanting seedlings from the area from which trees were removed, that's one thing and, presumably, it is a much shorter time frame than nature would take in reestablishing a true forest. If you look at the recovery of Yellowstone following the massive fire of '88 (or thereabouts) or the area devastated by Mount St. Helens, grasses and wild flowers provided the initial ground cover for several years before trees began to take root again. Needless to say, reestablishment of an "old-growth" forest would require a far longer time frame than you are alluding to.

 

[crusse10]

How are you defining "reforestation?" If you're talking about simply replanting seedlings from the area from which trees were removed, that's one thing and, presumably, it is a much shorter time frame than nature would take in reestablishing a true forest. If you look at the recovery of Yellowstone following the massive fire of '88 (or thereabouts) or the area devastated by Mount St. Helens, grasses and wild flowers provided the initial ground cover for several years before trees began to take root again. Needless to say, reestablishment of an "old-growth" forest would require a far longer time frame than you are alluding to.

I'm simply talking to what's required of them by law, which from what I've read, is planting the seeds and bringing animals back to it, who actually mess it all up by feeding on the seeds before the plants can fully root

 

[Volosaurus rex]

If that is the case, then I dare say that your "correct" answer will vary enormously from one that is predicated upon natural, ecological progression. Even taking the legal requirements into consideration, merely replanting seedlings doesn't exactly constitute, in my opinion, "reforestation." A forest is sufficiently established that browsing by herbivores doesn't eliminate large portions of the ground cover before seedlings have truly taken root.

 

[orangebloodgmc]

I think those environments can be very acidic afterwards, but application of lime and right species planted can speed things up. Just crushing up material that was once below the surface does not mean it's now "soil" as it might be of low fertility or of wrong texture to provide good water holding capacity for roots, whether too compacted like compressed clay, or too coarse with too much voids to provide water to the roots, as in trying to plant on coarse gravel. It can be done, though. Ironically, I took that class around 1981 or 82 and wrote a paper on the same topic; I hope the technology has improved a lot since then.

 

[orangebloodgmc]

We used to say that for soil to be established, it was a matter of Clorpt: Climate, Relief (topographic), Organisms, Parent material and ... Time.

 

[Coug]

We used to say that for soil to be established, it was a matter of Clorpt: Climate, Relief (topographic), Organisms, Parent material and ... Time.

So basically unless they're trucking in topsoil from some other area that new mountain is going to have to wait another 500 years to form new topsoil.

 

[orangebloodgmc]

It depends ... they might could get some kudzu to grow, some lespedeza which is a legume and fixes its own nitrogen, as are some trees, like black locust. Over the years they have experimented with all kinds of pioneer species for restoration.

Having said that, it would be good if they had scraped off the topsoil and parked it when they first started; maybe they do that.

Here in Louisiana, we sometimes require companies that are going to be working in wetlands to post a bond first, so that they will minimize impacts to wetlands, and should they tear them up willy-nilly, they can't just shrug and walk away without cost.

 

[Coug]

It depends ... they might could get some kudzu to grow, some lespedeza which is a legume and fixes its own nitrogen, as are some trees, like black locust. Over the years they have experimented with all kinds of pioneer species for restoration.

Having said that, it would be good if they had scraped off the topsoil and parked it when they first started; maybe they do that.

Here in Louisiana, we sometimes require companies that are going to be working in wetlands to post a bond first, so that they will minimize impacts to wetlands, and should they tear them up willy-nilly, they can't just shrug and walk away without cost.

Wouldn't Kudzu be counter productive as it's invasive and would suffocate any new trees you tried to plant there?

 

[orangeblooded2]

Thread title made me think it may have been a discussion on Mass Wasting or how to use a thermonuclear device..

 

[Jackcrevol]

How are you defining "reforestation?" If you're talking about simply replanting seedlings from the area from which trees were removed, that's one thing and, presumably, it is a much shorter time frame than nature would take in reestablishing a true forest. If you look at the recovery of Yellowstone following the massive fire of '88 (or thereabouts) or the area devastated by Mount St. Helens, grasses and wild flowers provided the initial ground cover for several years before trees began to take root again. Needless to say, reestablishment of an "old-growth" forest would require a far longer time frame than you are alluding to.

yellowstone terrain has to have fire to sustain life. its volcanic sediment, as well pine trees seem to grow faster.

west virginia is a totally different ballgame. a better comparison might be sought in WY coal mining country around Gilette. But do they not use strip mining there? ill hang up and listen.

 

[Tux]

Figured someone on this board might know a thing or two for this paper I'm writing.

How long does the process from deforestation to reforestation last? Like from the very start to the end?

I work directly with the coal industry and visit surface mines regularly.

The surface coal mines are usually located in areas that are uninhabitable, usually because of the terrain of the location.

One the coal has been mined, the mines, are required by state law to perform reclamation services to the land. How quickly they do this is different by each state. but they are generally urged to do it immediately if they plan on getting their next mine approved by the state mining board.

In most cases, the land that has been mined, has been reclaimed with a lot of young healthy trees and th eland terrain itself has been improved to the point that the land can actually be used for housing developments, business parks, recreational parks, and golf courses.