What is Reforestation?

Reforestation is the re-establishment of a natural forest system on formerly mined lands or other deforested sites.

On this website, you will find information about the reforestation of coal mined lands and other related materials. Forestry reclamation benefits the environment, economy, landowners, local community, wildlife, and improves carbon sequestration!

To learn more about Reforestation initiatives provided by OSMRE and their partners, visit the links below:

• Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative (ARRI) - ARRI is an OSMRE initiative that encourages the reforestation of coal mined lands in the Eastern United States.

To learn more about proper tree-planting techniques and many other key issues surrounding forestry reclamation, visit the links below:

• ARRI Publications - documents published by the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative (ARRI), including newsletters, brochures, and a Teacher's Guide.
• Forestry Reclamation Advisories - documents published by several leading universities that explain the Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA), the tree-planting technique advocated by OSMRE.
• Market-Based Mine Land Reclamation: Reforesting Surface Mines - a marketing tool consisting of fact sheets that demonstrate the environmental, economic, and social benefits of forestry reclamation.