Vegetative Rehabilitation of Arid Land Disturbed in the Development of Oil Shale and Coal

摘要

Field experiments were established on sites disturbed by exploratory drilling in the oil shale region of northeastern Utah and on disturbed sites on a potential coal mine in south central Utah. Concurrently, greenhouse studies were carried out using soil samples from disturbed sites and processed oil shale. Establishment of container-grown transplants was far more successful than plantings of bare-root seedlings or direct seeding. Early spring planting gave better results than fall planting. Good survival was obtained from summer planting when the soil was moist. Soil surface shaping and application of surface stabilizing materials can be used to collect water runoff and increase plant survival. Propagation of native shrubs from stem cuttings provides a means of multiplying desired biotypes for land rehabilitation. Higher rooting hormone levels are required for some species than are normally used in propagating cultivated species. The most effective container size and shape for growing transplanting materials is one with adequate volume and ribbed sides to prevent root spiraling.