In the Lambert area, land management is seeking to help ecosystems recover from past disturbance while enhancing the ecosystems' ability to adapt to climate changes.
Presenter
Contributors
Production - The Climate Change Resource Center
Video & Editing - Kristen Schmitt
Description
The Lambert Run strip coal mine lands were mined in the 1970s-1980s. After the required reclamation actions, the area was dominated by heavily compacted soil and non-native plants. More than thirty years later, native species are still unable to establish and grow in these legacy mine sites, leaving them stuck in a condition known as "arrested succession". In response, the Monongahela National Forest is working to improve soil health, establish and restore native plant species, provide wildlife habitat, and make sure the area is ecologically functioning.
In addition to helping the Lambert area recover from past disturbance, land managers are thinking about how the area will respond to future climate changes. Staff from the Monongahela National Forest used the Forest Adaptation Resources Workbook to describe how planned management actions enhance long-term adaptation to climate change, and to identify new adaptation tactics.