Forage Establishment and Soil Fertility on a Reclaimed Mine Spoil in Western North Dakota

The research in this article deals with the establishment and first-year growth of various forage species. When considering yields over an extended period of time, other factors which were not considered in this study are important. These include changes in soil salinity levels the thickness of topsoil and normal plant succession. To return strip-mined lands to a high level of usefulness, it is desirable to know the influence of various soil factors on plant establishment in a mine spoil. The reclaimed Old Pittsburg Mine in Stark County allowed such a study.