Re-establishing North Dakota grasslands after mining with emphasis on seasonality and use of native species

Rick L. Williamson

ABSTRACT:

Three study pastures were established on mined land to compare the results of traditional North Dakota grassland-establishment practices—seeding in early spring and adding no supplemental water—and practices that include seeding in late spring, irrigating during the first growing season, and weighting the seed plan to heavily favor native warm-season species. Establishment practices based on later seeding resulted in grassland that was seasonally balanced with native species. The grassland also produced significantly more vegetation and basal groundcover than the predominately cool-season grassland established by traditional revegetation practices.

Footnotes

Rick Williamson, former regional reclamation specialist for Consolidation Coal Company, Western Region Headquarters Office, Engle-wood, Colorado 80112, is manager of permitting and reclamation for Ranchers Coal, Inc., Miami, Oklahoma 74354. This project was funded by Basin Cooperative Services of Bismarck, North Dakota.
Copyright 1984 by the Soil and Water Conservation Society

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