Dredged Sediment for Forest Restoration on Unproductive Minelands
Mine stockpiles are unproductive due to soil deficiencies of organic matter, nutrients, and soil organisms, which are essential to supporting healthy plant growth, diversity, and succession. Waste products, including biosolids, composts, and dredged materials, have the potential to be used to address some of these deficiencies and make the lands productive again. Researchers at the Natural Resources Research Institute at the University of Minnesota in Duluth are using this appropriation to demonstrate and evaluate methods for using dredged sediment and treated biosolids as a substrate for restoring up to 136 acres of unproductive minelands to productive forestland. If effective this technique could be applied more broadly to minelands in Minnesota and elsewhere with potential benefits including production of materials for the biofuels and forest products industries, increased wildlife habitat, restoration of unproductive lands, and re-utilization of waste products.
$300,000 the second year is from the trust fund to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota–Duluth for the Natural Resources Research Institute to restore up to 136 acres of unproductive mine stockpile while improving the treatment of municipal sewage and biosolids near Virginia using clean Erie Pier dredged sediment and managed forestry techniques. This appropriation is available until June 30, 2018, by which time the project must be completed and final products delivered.
Click on Work Plan under Project Details.
Click on Work Plan under Project Details.