Mine reclamation for wildlife habitat

[elkguy]

This is a reminder that the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the KDFWR, the US Departrment of Interior, and the Office of Surface Mining are holding a Mine Reclamation for Wildlife Summit in Louisville, KY on June 22 and 23 at the Brown Hotel. The goal is to identify the issues we need to address to change the way mines are reclaimed in the eastern United States to make high quality wildlife habitat. Call the KDFWR or e-mail me at davidrmef@alltel.net for registration information. Registration is $95 and includes the reception on the 22nd, the summit, and a luncheon on the 23rd.

Below is a tentative agenda.

TENTATIVE AGENDA

MINE RECLAMATION FOR WILDLIFE SUMMIT
June 22-23, 2005
Brown Hotel, Louisville, KY

Wednesday June 22

12:00 pm -5:00 pm Registration

6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Welcoming Reception
Sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation - hors d'oeuvres, cash bar

Thursday June 23

7:00 – 8:00 am Continental Breakfast

7:00 am – 5:00 pm Registration

8:00 am – 8:15 am Welcome

8:15 am – 8:40 am Opening remarks
OSM Director Jeffrey Jarrett


Session I. Policy


8:40 – 9:00 am Kentucky’s wildlife conservation strategy relative to coal mining reclamation
Dr. Jon Gassett, Interim Commissioner, Kentucky Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Resources

9:00 – 9:20 am Economic incentives for reclaiming for wildlife habitat as a post-mining land use
Paul Rothman, Kentucky Department of Natural Resources will speak about research into the costs of reclaiming using the Forestry Reclamation Approach, which also benefits wildlife, versus the conventional approach.

9:20 – 9:40 am The Importance of Wildlife Habitat as a Post-Mining Land Use for State Wildlife Agencies
Curtis Taylor, Chief, Wildlife Resources Section, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. Surface mining reclamation offers wildlife managers the ultimate opportunity to practice habitat development for wildlife enhancement. More importantly, it gives the designer of the reclamation plan an opportunity to have an impact on habitat development on large expanses of privately owned property.

9:40 – 10:00 am The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation: Habitat Conservation Opportunities Identified in Kentucky – a Win-win.
Peter J. Dart, President & CEO of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

10:00 – 10:20 am Wildlife Reclamation Opportunities: Five Decades of Diversity
Jack Nawrot, Senior Scientist, Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory,
Southern Illinois University, will highlight the diversity of wildlife habitat reclamation opportunities that have been associated with both the pre- and post-law era of mining in the Midwest.

10:20 – 10:50 am Break Food and refreshments will be provided

10:50 - 11:10 am "What are we going to do when the coal is gone?"
Nick Carter, President and COO of Natural Resource Partners. This presentation will focus on the role of the landowner, particularly the large corporate landowner, in reclamation and post mining land use determinations. It will also look at incentives for the landowner to have a preference for wildlife as a post mining land use.

11:10 - 11:30 am Challenges to Wildlife Habitat as a Post Mining Land Use in West Virginia
Larry Emerson, Arch Coal. The Bragg case, the Haden II decision and opposition to wildlife habitat as a PMLU for some forms of mining have created challenges to establishment of wildlife habitat in West Virginia.

11:30 am – 12:15 pm Lunch Provided

12:15 – 12:45 pm Keynote Address
Assistant Secretary of Interior for Land and Minerals Management Rebecca Watson will highlight DOI’s efforts to balance energy production with wildlife habitat needs.

Session II.

Case studies – What worked and didn’t work and why, implementation strategies, what we can learn.

1:00 – 1:20 pm Songbird habitat considerations during reclamation planning
Randy Dettmers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hadley, MA

1:20 – 1:40 pm The copperbelly watersnake agreement, a model for cooperative conservation
Roy Grimes, KY Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Resources

1:40 – 2:00 pm From Oak to Orchardgrass, How Surface Mining Changes Wildlife's Landscape
Dave Risley, Executive Administrator, Wildlife Management and Research,
Ohio Division of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife. This talk will discuss species benefited and species harmed by mining and what the coal industry can do to create a more wildlife friendly landscape in post-mining land use.

2:20 – 2:40 pm Restoration of Indiana Abandoned Mines Using Wildlife Enhancements
Mark Stacy, Indiana Dept. of Natural Resources. The reclamation of Abandoned Mine Lands, in and of itself, can have a tremendous benefit to fish and wildlife resources. However, there are many simple, yet very effective wildlife enhancement techniques that can be incorporated into the reclamation plan to increase biodiversity and wildlife habitat.


2:40 – 3:00 pm West Virginia DEP and DNR Wildlife 'Mining Coordination' Program Brief and Related Highlights
WVDNR's Randy Kelley will discuss the Mining Coordination program with WVDEP in which biologists write management plans for coal applications and WVDEP's Bob Fala will discuss some related on-ground wildlife habitat highlights.

3:00 – 3:30 pm Break Refreshments will be provided

Session III. Breakout Sessions

3:30 – 4:30 These sessions will start with a presentation on the subject by an expert or experts in the field, followed by an interactive discussion. The discussion will attempt to identify issues associated with the topic, including incentives and barriers.

Wetlands and Streams
Revegetation/Habitat restoration
Permitting/Post-mining Land Use concerns
Reforestation/Remining

Session IV. Wrap-up

4:45 – 5:30 Breakouts report back, next steps

[turk2di]

That's great to read of. Keep us posted. No other organizations involved? Just wondering?

[schuyler olt]

Great agenda!

However, as a conservative I question why Louisville's swankiest hotel was selected, especially when there is a state-owned, state-of-the art facility about five blocks down the street.

[elkguy]

That's great to read of. Keep us posted. No other organizations involved? Just wondering?

I'll keep you posted. This whole issue came up because of the work the RMEF is doing in East KY. As we have been putting togetehr our conservation plan, it became obvious that mine reclamation practices have a huge impact on the wildlife of the region, and most of the elk in East KY spend most of their time either on or close to reclaimed mines. As we pushed and pulled on the issues of reclamation, we got the attention of the Bush Administration and the coal industry. Both have been very helpful and cooperative, and want to do good things. While the RMEF has lead this, other critter groups have endorsed our efforts and will be at the summit. The amazing thing is that once we got the attention of OSM and Interior in DC, this thing morphed into changing reclamation practices across the entire eastern United States.

[elkguy]

Great agenda!

However, as a conservative I question why Louisville's swankiest hotel was selected, especially when there is a state-owned, state-of-the art facility about five blocks down the street.

I don't know all the details, but I know that we are getting the meeting and conference facilities free because we filled up over 130 rooms for the hotel. We are spending a lot of $ on meals and a reception, but that is paid for with sponsorship donations I solicited. For example, BASF corporation gave us $2500 for a sponsorship. They will in turn hand out information about their herbicides (Plateu, Arsenal) that can be used for habitat improvement. We also got $ from a private company in northern KY, and the RMEF HQ is kicking in another $2500.

I also know that as a conservative, you can appreciate all of the commerce that this event will generate by having about 150 people fly into Louisville, stay in a hotel, spend $ on food and spirits and souvenirs, and about half are staying over a 2nd night.

Frankly however, I wish this thing was in Hazard or Prestonsburg so we could do some field tours. BUt with people coming from all over the eastern US, we had to go somewhere with airport facilities. Lexington would be closer, but we could not find a hotel or facility in Lexington that was available before september.

[schuyler olt]

I'll be attending on behalf of the LKS. My mileage check will be pretty small, given it's right down the street about six blocks.

David, many of those rooms will be filled with government employees, and the state rate from the Hyatt used to be significantly lower. And as to your comment about ancillary economic benefit, having been the Chief Administrative Officer of Jefferson County, I think I have a pretty good handle on the economic impact of tourism in this community.

I'm tickled pink it's coming here, don't get me wrong. Being a Louisville resident, and having attended and presented several seminars and meetings at the Brown, I was just curious as to that choice.

[elkguy]

I'll be attending on behalf of the LKS. My mileage check will be pretty small, given it's right down the street about six blocks.

David, many of those rooms will be filled with government employees, and the state rate from the Hyatt used to be significantly lower. And as to your comment about ancillary economic benefit, having been the Chief Administrative Officer of Jefferson County, I think I have a pretty good handle on the economic impact of tourism in this community.

I'm tickled pink it's coming here, don't get me wrong. Being a Louisville resident, and having attended and presented several seminars and meetings at the Brown, I was just curious as to that choice.

If I remember corectly, the Hyatt was unavailable for quite some time. The Univ of KY is handling all of this stuff and getting paid to take registration, handle facility arrangements, etc. I'm just focused on the science, business and politics of it all. So far that has gone well. I hope you could imagine me smiling as you read my response.

[schuyler olt]

Judging from the agenda, I'd say the science has gone fantastically well, and I'm really looking forward to it.

If you need any help on the "things to do" and "where's a good restaurant" side of things, don't hesitate to ask.

If you know of any folks who would like to watch the horses work out at daybreak on the backside of Churchill Downs, I will be happy to escort them on a private tour either Thursday, Friday or both days. It's pretty neat for the racing or horse enthusiast, and not something that's readily available.

[trust me]

The mines are in East Kentucky. The reclamation is in East Kentucky. The bloomin' elk are in East Kentucky. But the meeting is in Louisville, 195 miles away. I understand the logistics, and the need for accomodations, but this is one more reason why we hillbillies get so suspicious about these types of programs. All the revenues will be enjoyed by Louisvillians, and not one hamburger will be sold nor one motel room rented where all the elk are.

I have to think there ought to be some way to at least load'em on a Greyhound and whip down I-75 to at least see a mountain. If nothing else, trap a elk and put it on a bus and run him up to Louisville for the weekend. This is about elk and old mines afterall, ain't it?

For all the good Louisville serves, you might as well have the meeting in Vegas.

[Birdman]

Trust me, I fully understand where your coming from. The only problem, if we had what Louisville has we wouldn't have ELK. Catch 22 you might say. ;)

[elkguy]

The mines are in East Kentucky. The reclamation is in East Kentucky. The bloomin' elk are in East Kentucky. But the meeting is in Louisville, 195 miles away. I understand the logistics, and the need for accomodations, but this is one more reason why we hillbillies get so suspicious about these types of programs. All the revenues will be enjoyed by Louisvillians, and not one hamburger will be sold nor one motel room rented where all the elk are.

I have to think there ought to be some way to at least load'em on a Greyhound and whip down I-75 to at least see a mountain. If nothing else, trap a elk and put it on a bus and run him up to Louisville for the weekend. This is about elk and old mines afterall, ain't it?

For all the good Louisville serves, you might as well have the meeting in Vegas.

Trust me,

I agree. We tried like crazy to put together a field trip for the main players. We have had 2 different field trips scheduled and then cancelled. If things go like we have planned, there will be another event in east KY this fall to formally launch our effort to change the world.

One more note - This is about all wildlife and mines that will be reclaimed for the next 20 years or more. I'll tell you what I'll do for just you. If you come to the Louisville event, I'll handle your registration fee. This is a deal for you and you only.

However, if you look anything like your avatar, you'll have to sit in the back of the room.

[trust me]

Elkguy,

Such a neighborly gesture, then a mortal stab to my heart, all in the same post...:D
I surely would take you up on that offer, but I'll be toiling in the salt mines on the 22nd and 23rd. I am sure you will give us a good accounting of all that takes place. I don't mean to be negative, as I really do appreciate the efforts you and your organization are putting forth. I just wish the people of our region got the same attention as the natural resources around us.

You're lucky I'm not coming to Louisville...I could bring my sister and introduce her to you, and then you'd see why I'm considered the handsome one of the family...

[tex]

Elkguy, can't help with rooms in London, Corbin, Prestonburg, etc. But if you ever have problems with rooms/facilities in Lexington, then you PM me, I have a friend.