The Use of Robinia Pseudoacacia for Afforestation of Post-Mining Lands

Abstract

The main causes of post-mining lands is the development of mineral deposits in the open way. Forest reclamation is the most available and cheap method of recovery of post-mining lands. To improve forest conditions, sandy and sandy-chalky embankements are formed from a two-component tehnoshem. Fertile or potentially fertile layer of different power is applied on the surface of the embankement. Robinia pseudoacacia is one of the most common tree species for forest reclamation in the extreme conditions of post-mining lands in many regions. The survival rate and growth of Robinia on the gidrootval of the Birch log of the Kursk magnetic anomaly depends on many factors like weather conditions during the vegetation period, the absolute height at various parts of gidrootval, exposition of slopes, etc. Even in unfavorable years, heavy rainfalls in May contribute to better survival of Robinia pseudoacacia. It reaches 90 % on top. The increase is 13.0-22.0 cm. More intensive growth is typical for Robinia on the slope of gidrootval. The given data indicates a higher survival rate of Robonia in the eluvial (upper) part of gidrootval. The condition of plantations is better in the eluvial and transit (middle) and in the transit-accumulative (bottom) part of the slope. Analysis of the materials reveal rather clear regularity of growth in reclamation plantations, depending on the environmental conditions. By the age of 40, plantations in extreme conditions of post-mining lands start to age, their productivity reduces .To accelerate the recovery of post-mining lands it is recommended to apply two-stage system of reclamation. In the first stage a protective forest plantations with Robinia pseudoacacia should be created. In the second phase of reclamation such spaces are subject to reconstruction to create forest plantations consisting of more valuable coniferous species, including coniferous.