NATIVE PLANT RECLAMATION

OSM POLICY:

The Office of Surface Mining encourages the use of native species in reclamation of mined lands. The desirability of conserving native ecosystems and reclaiming disturbed habitats with native species is required by Section 515(b)(19) of the Surface Mining Reclamation and Control Act of 1977 (SMCRA).

OSM became the eighth member of the Federal Native Plant Conservation Committee (the Committee) August 17, 1995, when we signed the Federal Native Plant Conservation Memorandum of Understanding. The MOU describes the value of native plants to "the Nation, its ecosystems, and its people." Reclamation of coal mines provides an opportunity to reclaim or enhance these values and take advantage of native plant communities low maintenance requirements.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NATIONAL STRATEGY

WHY CONSERVE NATIVE PLANTS?

SOURCES OF INFORMATION ABOUT NATIVE PLANTS:

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

Scott Boyce, Office of Surface Mining, 1951 Constitution Ave, Washington D.C. 20240, or E-mail

Natural Resources Conservation Service:

Information on the availability of native species for reclamation is available from the Plant Materials Specialists, Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Plant Conservation Directory:

The Plant Conservation Directory contains information on the following:

• Center for Plant Conservation contacts within each state.
• Federal and state government contacts at the resource level who can provide information about rare and endangered plants, permit procedures, and government programs.
• Botanists and other contacts in state Heritage Programs, Native Plant Societies, and others in national private organizations working on plant conservation.
• Rare plant laws and rare and endangered plant lists by state.

Copies of the Plant Conservation Directory are available for $18.00 per copy from the Center for Plant Conservation:

Center for Plant Conservation
Missouri Botanical Garden
P.O. Box 299
St. Louis, MO 63166-0299.

COMMERCIAL SOURCES OF NATIVE SPECIES:

The information in this section is provided as a service to the mining industry and suppliers of native plants. No endorsement of materials or suppliers by the Office of Surface Mining or the Untied States Government is made or implied. Suppliers wishing to list products and services or provide a URL address to be included in this section may do so by sending the information to Scott Boyce, Office of Surface Mining, 1951 Constitution Ave, Washington D.C. 20240, or E-mail

• Grand Prairie Friends, Native Plant Resources
  
• Greenheart farms
  
• Bitterroot Restoration

OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION:

• FEDERAL NATIVE PLANT CONSERVATION COMMITTEE
• Federal Interagency Committee for the Management of Noxious and Exotic Weeds (FICMNEW)

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