Conceptualizations of Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation: A Case Study of the Daniel Boone National Forest
Open Access
- Author:
- Caudill, Hannah
- Graduate Program:
- Geography
- Degree:
- Master of Science
- Document Type:
- Master Thesis
- Date of Defense:
- February 11, 2022
- Committee Members:
- Brian H. King, Program Head/Chair
Jennifer E Baka, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Karl Zimmerer, Committee Member
Trevor Birkenholtz, Committee Member - Keywords:
- Appalachia
Eastern Kentucky
Coal Mining
Abandoned Mine Land
Reclamation
Daniel Boone National Forest - Abstract:
- The Daniel Boone National Forest contains numerous abandoned mine sites left over from eastern Kentucky’s long history of coal mining. Many of these abandoned mines are leaching contaminants into the surrounding environment, and the US Forest Service is acting to reclaim these sites to mitigate the negative environmental impacts. There are also several other governmental and non-governmental actors in Appalachia with different conceptualizations of the purpose of reclamation. My research examines the process of mine land reclamation on a protected area within a region with an extensive history of resource extraction. My research builds on previous work within the field of land reclamation to understand different conceptualizations of abandoned mine land reclamation in Appalachia. Content analysis was conducted on DBNF project documentation, interviews with relevant stakeholders, and additional documentation from several state governments, federal agencies, and NGOs. These various documents indicate that government entities tend to conceptualize abandoned mine land reclamation and its purpose in a siloed manner. This stands in contrast to common ecological restoration attitudes, which advocate for a more comprehensive approach. My research reveals that non-governmental actors tend to conceptualize mine land reclamation in a more holistic manner but are less able to exert control over an area. The DBNF largely conceptualizes the purpose of mine land reclamation as achieving ecosystem restoration but may benefit from working more closely with various NGOs and adopting a similarly holistic approach. Opening a dialogue between these actors could help address the knowledge gap present at the DBNF’s AML sites.