Monongahela National Forest: Lambert Restoration Project
Climate-informed actions to restore spruce and spruce-hardwood forest have been implemented and are ongoing.
Project Area
Management Goals
The Lambert Run Strip abandoned coal mine lands were mined in the 1970s and bought by the U.S. Forest Service in the 1980s as a portion of the 40,745-acre Mower Tract acquisition. Rehabilitation efforts in the 1970s consisted of reshaping the mined areas to a more stable condition and planting species, mostly nonnative, for erosion control. The contemporary result is large areas of heavily compacted soil with low water infiltration, where the predominant cover is aggressive grasses and Norway spruce. Grass-dominated areas remain in a condition termed "arrested succession". The Monongahela National Forest is implementing the Lambert Restoration Project to improve watershed conditions, provide wildlife habitat, and restore native red spruce-northern hardwood ecosystems on Lambert Run and adjacent lands. In May, 2014, the Monongahela National Forest worked with NIACS to carefully consider near and longterm restoration goals and demonstrate how management actions can enhance longterm resilence to climate change.
Climate Change Impacts
Challenges and Opportunities
Adaptation Actions
Area/Topic | Approach | Tactics |
---|---|---|
Spruce-Hardwood | 4.1. Prioritize and maintain unique sites. 4.2. Prioritize and maintain sensitive or at-risk species or communities. | Already goal to restore native red spruce and other native species, but these sites are also the most resilient |
Dense Red Spruce | 1.1 Reduce impacts to soils and nutrient cycling. 1.4. Reduce competition for moisture, nutrients, and light. 5.1. Promote diverse age classes. | Mechanically thin red spruce Leave thinned red spruce on site for woody material |
Mixed Hardwood | 1.1 Reduce impacts to soils and nutrient cycling. 5.1. Promote diverse age classes. 5.2. Maintain and restore diversity of native species. 5.3. Retain biological legacies. | Create gaps (1/10 acre) Release existing red spruce by removal (herbicide) of midstory NHs around existing red spruce and selective cutting; and create 8 to 10 snags per acre Leave thinned wood on site for woody material Protect black cherry and disease-resistant beech (other northern hardwood species are not a concern at this time due to current abundance on the landscape) |
Mine Bench (open and nonnative conifer plantations) | 1.1 Reduce impacts to soils and nutrient cycling. 1.2. Maintain or restore hydrology. 2.2. Prevent the introduction and establishment of invasive plant species and remove existing invasive species. 5.2. Maintain and restore diversity of native species. 7.1. Reduce landscape fragmentation. | Plant native tree species and herbaceous species (within general area of the watershed)[general strategy here is to prioritize native species in this location, which may serve as refugia for them in the future. In the longterm, keep an eye on upward migr Assessing/improving road stream crossings and upgrading culverts Modify mine retention ponds to reconnect surface and groundwater. Incorporate existing infrastructure (e.g., armored ditch for storm water overflow) where it makes sense Decommission roads that are impeding hydrologic function or repurpose roads/trails for recreation Modify/create wetland habitat to restore natural hydrology Add/create coarse woody material (knock trees down, mulch trees on site, bring in mulch from other sites (requires quality control check) Remove nonnative trees mechanically (norway spruce) and herbaceous species (spotted knapweed) |
Project Photos
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