THE APPALACHIAN REGIONAL REFORESTATION INITIATIVE AND GREEN FORESTS WORK: BRINGING BACK THE FOREST ON SURFACE COAL MINES IN APPALACHIA

Abstract: Created by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement and the seven state regulatory authorities in Appalachia, the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative (ARRI) re-establishes healthy, productive forest habitat on active mines, abandoned mine lands, and mines that were previously reclaimed to non-forested post-mining land uses in the eastern coal fields. Green Forests Work (GFW) is a nonprofit organization formed out of ARRI as an economic development plan for Appalachia, styled after the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930s to restore forest ecosystem services on mine-scarred lands and to create jobs in the process. From 2009 to 2015, ARRI and GFW have partnered with state and federal agencies, watershed groups, coal operators, conservation groups, environmental organizations, faith-based groups, and numerous universities, colleges, and high schools to coordinate 217 tree planting projects/events on surface mines throughout Appalachia. This work has resulted in the planting of more than 1.59 million trees on 2,602 acres of previously reclaimed mine sites where reforestation was not attempted or where the results were undesirable. ARRI’s and GFW’s role in these endeavors is to facilitate communication, provide technical assistance, and to match funding sources with suitable mined land and volunteer groups. The volunteer tree planting events facilitated by ARRI and GFW engaged 645 partner organizations and 11,701 volunteers and natural resource professionals, who contributed approximately 80,017 volunteer hours. Among the volunteers, a total of 6,225 were 24 years old or under, supporting the Secretary of the United States Department of Interior’s Engaging the Next Generation Youth Initiative and the spirit of volunteerism across the United States.