The US Department of the Interior’s Office of Surface Mining (OSM) and the American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) will soon sign a five-year agreement designed to use former coal surface mined lands as sites for new chestnut tree plantings. The partnership says it has “the potential for propelling forward a reforestation renaissance on surface mines as no other effort can.”

OSM Director Brent Wahlquist said the “idea for a formal partnership between the TACF and OSM materialised in the spring of this year when 11,809 American chestnuts were planted on reclaimed mine sites by operators, TACF and university scientists, and hundreds of school-children during Arbor Day events hosted by the coal industry.” He said OSM anticipates that the partnership with “will play a key role in the reestablishment of healthy and productive forests on mine sites across Appalachia.” TACF President and CEO Marshal Case said the partnership will be a boon for wildlife populations, as the newly planted trees will provide on-the-ground habitat protection. Case stressed that the return of the chestnut will help improve air and water quality, facilitate carbon sequestration and provide an economic boost.