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APPALACHIAN REGIONAL REFORESTATION INITIATIVE

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CORE AND SCIENCE TEAMS __________________________ FOREST RECLAMATION ADVISORIES __________________________ FORESTRY RECLAMATION APPROACH __________________________
IN THE NEWS __________________________ MINED LAND REFORESTATION CONFERENCES __________________________ PLANTING TREES ON LEGACY MINES __________________________ REFORESTATION AWARDS __________________________ REFORESTATION RESEARCH __________________________ STATE AND PRIVATE NURSERIES __________________________ STATEMENT OF MUTUAL INTENT

 

 

 

ABOUT ARRI

The Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative (ARRI) is a coalition of groups, including citizens, the coal industry, and government dedicated to restoring forests on coal mined lands in the Eastern United States.

ARRI was established in early 2004 with the formation of the Core Team. The Core Team's responsibilities include outreach, trainings, event planning, monthly meetings to discuss progress reports and new strategies, among other things.

diagram of the ARRI organizational structure shown using the concentric circle theory

One of the Core Team's first missions was to develop a Statement of Mutual Intent in order to clarify the goals of the initiative and to make a pledge between the Core Team Members and new partners to promote the re-establishment of forestland on mine sites in Appalachia.

Then in March of 2005 the ARRI Science Team was formed Please note: The Science Team was formerly known as the Academic Team and may still be referred to as such on older ARRI publications). The Science Team is comprised of individuals active in forestry research from across the country, including Academia, Soil Scientists, Plant Biologists, Foresters, and others  whose function is to improve the science behind ARRI.

ARRI advocates using a technique known as the Forestry Reclamation Approach, or FRA, to plant trees on reclaimed coal mined lands. Highly productive forestland can be created on reclaimed mine lands under existing laws and regulations by using the Forestry Reclamation Approach Contact a Core Team representative for your State to determine how best to incorporate the FRA into your postmining land use plan.

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REMOVE EXISTING BARRIERS

ARRI seeks to change the existing Cultural, Technical, and Regulatory barriers surrounding the forestry reclamation of coal mined lands.

  • Cultural – change the perception that tree planting is more expensive and risky than conventional reclamation, provide education on the impacts of compaction and change the perception of what good forestry reclamation should look like
  • Technical – eliminate excessive surface compaction, ground cover competition, and inappropriate growth medium; plant high value hardwood trees
  • Regulatory – change the perception that regulations impede effective reforestation techniques and interfere with bond release

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GOALS OF THE INITIATIVE

  • Plant more high-value hardwoodtrees on reclaimed coal mined lands in Appalachia;
  • Increase the survival rates and growth rates of planted trees;
  • Expedite the establishment of forest habitat through natural succession

ARRI IS A COOPERATIVE EFFORT AMONG:

The States of Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia; the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement; their partners in industry; environmental organizations; academia; local, State and Federal government agencies; and private landowners.

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