Project Profile: Restore 500 Acres of Mine Lands at New River Gorge

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
Revegetation of Hazard Mine Lands | FY24 - $1,450,000

The New River is one of the oldest rivers on the continent and is rich in cultural and natural history.

NPS Photo

The National Park Service will restore approximately 500 acres of land in New River Gorge National Park and Preserve where legacy mining impacts rendered the land unable to support native forests. Restoration will include the removal of invasive plants, decompaction of soils, replanting of native plants, and improvement of water quality to enhance biodiversity, habitat connectivity, pollinator habitat, water quality, carbon sequestration and storage, and overall visitor experience. The National Park Service will also develop a monitoring protocol to assess restoration success and determine the need for follow-up treatments.

Why? This project is necessary to aid degraded lands that have hosted invasive species, fragmented forests, acid mine drainage, sedimentation, and erosion, all of which have limited the ecosystems resilience. The degraded lands will be restored to healthy, native vegetation and forest which will return ecological functions and ecosystem services that they once performed. New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is home to important biodiversity including 1,400 plant species, nearly 100 rare plant species, and neotropical birds and amphibians that hold global importance.

What else? Similar work has been completed throughout Appalachia’s former mine lands. Efforts include the Plant a Tree at Flight 93 National Memorial project and the Mower Tract Restoration projects. The success of these forest restoration efforts on federal land has provided inspiration for BIL and IRA funding and New River Gorge National Park and Preserve forest restoration.

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law makes critical investments in the resilience and restoration of America’s lands, skies, and waters, and enhances conservation and recreation opportunities. Visitors will see tangible results such as repaired and upgraded trails and campgrounds, removal of invasive species, as well as healthy wetlands, grasslands, and forests.