**ODNR AND OSM EMPLOYEES GO "NUTS" FOR ARBOR DAY**

*Article originally published in the OSMRE Pittsburgh Field Division
Newsletter- May 2008*

*\
OHIO - April 11, 2008*

This year the Ohio Division of Natural Resources and the Office of
Surface Mining's Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative (ARRI)
joined forces to plant trees in celebration of Arbor Day which was held
on April 11, 2008. The site for the event is located on State property
in Harrison County. It is being mined by Oxford Mining (Permit D-2255).
The planting this year was in conjunction with The American Chestnut
Foundation (TACF) and Ohio University. Ohio University supplied 1,000
Hybrid American Chestnut seedlings and TACF supplied 1,000 American
chestnut nuts to plant.

![](media/image1.wmf){width="3.0in"
height="2.2493055555555554in"}Enduring a drizzling rain, 32 volunteers
came out to plant the Chestnuts on Friday and again volunteers from the
Ohio Chestnut Society planted on Saturday April 12. Oxford Mining
reclaimed the site using the Forestry Reclamation Approach (FRA). To
implement FRA, soil is hauled in end dump trucks and dumped in close
piles that are from five to eight feet high. These piles have stumps,
roots, and other organic material in them, which creates the best
re-soiling material for tree growth. These piles are then hand planted.
In addition to the Chestnuts planted this Arbor Day, 28,000 other
hardwoods such as oaks, maples, poplars and early successional trees for
wildlife such as Dogwood and Chokeberry were also planted on site.
End-dump piles before planting Chestnut trees that were planted on site
during the two-day event.

The hope is that in 15 years, when the chestnuts begin producing nuts,
this area will help in the

reintroduction and the reforestation of the American chestnut to its
once prominent status in the forests of the northeastern United States.
Many thanks to all who participated in the event, enduring the cold and
the rain for their help in reestablishing this site with American
Chestnuts. Thanks also go out to AEP, Denoon Lumber, OSM, Oxford Mining,
and Ohio Caterpillar for their donations of supplies, stakes, tubes, and
Terra Sorb, which protects the seedlings and nuts from the animals.

A group of tired wet and dirty tree planters from left to right: Todd
Crum, Jeremy Scherf, Tom Shope, Jeff Emmons,

Mark Bonaventura, Cathryn Loucas, Brent Heavilin, Wayne Light, and Jeff
Fomenko.

![](media/image2.wmf){width="5.125in" height="3.8131944444444446in"}We
are also in partnership with the Barnesville Area Reforestation
Kommittee (BARK) and their efforts on planting trees on surface mines
around Barnesville, Ohio. Their Arbor Day event is planned for May 17,
2008, and will be their 5th year of planting on surface mines. We will
be planting 4,000 hardwoods and 200 American chestnut seeds on a surface
mine just below the Barnesville Hospital.

If you would like to support our efforts, please visit
http://arri.osmre.gov and sign ARRI's Statement of Mutual Intent.

.

![](media/image3.wmf){width="2.5416666666666665in"
height="1.9048611111111111in"}

End-dump piles before planting

![](media/image4.wmf){width="5.992361111111111in" height="1.85in"}

Chestnut trees that were planted onsite during the two-day event