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CORE AND SCIENCE TEAMS
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FOREST RECLAMATION ADVISORIES
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FORESTRY RECLAMATION APPROACH
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IN THE NEWS
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MINED LAND REFORESTATION CONFERENCES
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PLANTING TREES ON LEGACY MINES
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REFORESTATION AWARDS
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REFORESTATION RESEARCH
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STATE AND PRIVATE NURSERIES
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STATEMENT OF MUTUAL INTENT
REFORESTATION AWARDS
2010 ARRI Excellence in Reforestation Regional Award
On August 3, 2011, during ARRI's fifth annual conference in Knoxville, Tennessee, Appalachian Region Director Thomas Shope recognized the 2010 State winners of ARRI's Excellence in Reforestation Awards. The awards are given by the States in the Appalachian Region to those individuals, companies or organizations that best exemplify the use of the Forestry Reclamation Approach in reclaiming active and abandoned mine lands. At the conclusion of the presentation, Director Shope presented the 2010 ARRI Excellence in Reforestation Regional Award to Apogee Coal Company LLC for its outstanding work implementing the Forestry Reclamation Approach at the Guyan Surface mine in West Virginia.
On the Guyan mine, Apogee eliminated several thousand feet of pre-law highwall and reclaimed it to forestland. Apogee began planting trees in 2006 including select plantings of native endangered species. On its wildlife plots, Apogee planted 19 different wildlife species to be studied over a two year period. In additional to the wildlife tree planting, Apogee has encouraged wildlife population by providing areas of cover and water sources through the construction of several specially designed ponds and several miles of ditches. While having already planted nearly 400,000 trees on the site, Apogee plans to plant an additional 70,000 trees in the next few years.
The Regional Award is selected from State award winning nominees throughout the Appalachian Region and exemplifies the most innovative and best use of the Forestry Reclamation Approach in reclaiming mine sites. Accepting the award for Apogee Coal Company were Kent DesRocher, Vice President & General Manager; Larry Damron, Senior Environmental Engineer; and Kevin Baker, Manager Of Engineering & Environmental Affairs.
Above photo: OSM's Appalachian Region Director, Tom Shope (right) presents the 2010 ARRI Excellence in Reforestation Regional Award to officials from Apogee Coal (left to right) Kent DesRocher, Vice President & General Manager; Larry Damron, Senior Environmental Engineer; Kevin Baker, Manager Of Engineering & Environmental Affairs. (Photo by Linda Keene.)
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History of Awards Program -
Nomination Criteria -
- Important Dates -
Awards Committee -
Since 2005, ARRI has presented the Excellence in Reforestation Awards to individuals, operators, and/or organizations for their exemplary efforts in forestry reclamation that utilize the Forestry Reclamation Approach [FRA] on Title IV and Title V mine sites in Appalachia. The Excellence in Reforestation Awards Program was created to acknowledge and give public recognition to those responsible for Appalachia's most outstanding achievements in forestry reclamation and to encourage the exchange and transfer of successful reforestation technology.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Awards Program Description - 
ARRI Excellence in Reforestation Awards
RULES & REQUIRED INFO
Attachment 1 -
Rules & Required Info
Attachment 2 -
Title IV Site Criteria
Attachment 3 -
Title V Site Criteria
March 31st - Regional Award Nominations due
To be eligible for the Regional Award, States must complete their Regional Award nomination packages and submit them to the ARRI Awards Committee by this date.
July 1st - Regional Award selection will be made
The ARRI Awards Committee will evaluate the Regional Award nomination packages and select the Excellence in Reforestation Regional Award recipient by this date.
The Awards Committee is comprised of a panel of judges charged with selecting the annual Excellence in Reforestation Regional Award recipient. This panel is rotated each year, and is comprised of two (2) State Core Team members, two (2) OSM Core Team members, one (1) Science Team member.