Mine Land Reforestation Project Launched in Pennsylvania

WATERFORD, Pa., Oct. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In mid-October, Bosland Growth will begin site preparation for its mine land reforestation project in the Lake Pleasant Conservation Area in Northwestern Pennsylvania. The newly planted forest will significantly improve the property's ecological function, enhancing wildlife habitat and increasing carbon sequestration capacity.

The 582-acre property, owned by Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC), is in Erie County. The conservation area includes most of the 64-acre glacial lake's shoreline, wetlands, upland forests, old fields, and reclaimed gravel mines.

Bosland Growth is committed to restoring and conserving land degraded by surface mining. Michael Knoop, Bosland Growth Vice President, says, "Previous mining activities resulted in soils that are inhospitable for growing trees. Our site preparation, which will involve cross-ripping deep furrows using heavy machinery, will result in much better growing conditions for the new trees."

"We're pleased to partner with Bosland Growth to restore native forest within the Lake Pleasant and larger French Creek watersheds, some of the most biologically diverse areas in Pennsylvania," says Andrew Zadnik, WPC's Senior Director of Land Stewardship.

In spring 2025, approximately 70,000 trees will be planted on 100 acres of former gravel mine land. Bosland Growth's work at Lake Pleasant is supported by a Regional Conservation Partnership Program grant from the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). Other project partners include French Creek Valley Conservancy and Green Forests Work.

Project Linked to Larger Reforesting Initiative

The project is part of Bosland Growth's Legacy Mine Land Restoration Initiative, funded through grants and loans from NRCS, the US Forest Service, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the US Endowment for Forestry and Communities, and the Richard King Mellon Foundation. The initiative combines carbon credit sales with federal grant funds to enable upfront financing. The company assumes 100% of the cost of reforesting previously mined areas and pays private landowners for a conservation easement on enrolled lands. This results in high-quality carbon credits that are in demand for companies to meet Net Zero targets.

The initiative focuses on approximately 2,800 acres of degraded mine land in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Benefits include increased property values, reduced sediment runoff and improved water filtration, hunting and recreation, habitat for declining species, and increased carbon sequestration.

"These projects are part of our mission to restore ecosystems on these lands, benefitting today's landowners and future generations," says Knoop.

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SOURCE Bosland Growth