Forest Shelterbelts as an integral part of the land reclamation on post-technogenic areas

The downside of mining is the adverse human impact on the environment, which appears in the disruption of natural landscapes. Forest land reclamation plays a leading role in the restoration of post-technogenic lands. It was key to the creation of plantations for various purposes. It is possible to cultivate Forest Shelterbelts in agricultural areas. Forest Shelterbelts and effluent-regulating Forest Belts are created on specially lined dumps of more than 50 hectares: on clay and loam substrate – without preliminary application of the fertile layer, on sandy, sandy and chalk and chalk and marl substrates – after applying topsoil fertile layer. On the hydraulic dump called ‘Berezovy Log’ related to iron ore basin of the Kursk magnetic anomaly (KMA), in the conditions of two-component Technosols, were laid forest shelter belts and effluent-regulating forest belts using the following plant species: Populus balsamifera L., Fraxinus excelsior L., Robinia pseudoacacia L., Sorbus aucuparia L., Lonicera tatarica L., Quercus rubra L. Studies have shown that slope exposure has a large impact on the survival of plant species. Populus balsamifera L. is characterized better survival on the south-western plots, Sorbus aucuparia L. and Lonicera tatarica L. – on the west and south-west plots. Sorbus aucuparia L. is best survivable on the slopes of the north-west and western expositions, and Fraxinus excelsior L. – also on the slopes of the north-west exposition. Monitoring of previously created plantations on Technosols up to 43 years old allowed to assess the suitability of tested plant species to create Forest Shelterbelts on post-technogenic lands. The conclusions are made that only Robinia pseudoacacia L. can be used when growing forest shelter belts, as well as other types of protective forest plantations. Populus balsamifera L., although distinguished at a young age by high survival rate, does not form durable sustainable plantations, having at the age of 42 years of preservation of only 11%. It can not be recommended for forest reclamation of dumps, as well as Sorbus aucuparia L., which fell out completely by the age of 35. It is recommended to add Lonicera tatarica L., into Forest Shelterbelts according to the mixing schemes used on zonal soils.

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