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Title: Wildlife management, surface mining, and regional planning

Journal Article · · Growth and Change
;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (United States)

Wildlife management, surface mining, and regional planning historically have had conflicting missions. The cooperative public/private venture which created the Robinson Forest and Cyprus-Amax Wildlife Management Areas is presented as an example of how a regional perspective encourages a symbiotic relationship among these functions. Wildlife management areas, as either an interim or final land use, are shown to incorporate development concepts which benefit the general public, the coal industry, and the environment. Examining the regional pattern of wildlife management areas and refuges confirms the appropriateness of the subject site for this use. It is suggested that the pattern of mined lands can be studied to identify other sites with potential to provide linkages between a wildlife habitat areas and encourage reclamation of such sites to the {open_quotes}fish and wildlife{close_quotes} postmining land use. Such reclamation strategies should be pursued within a long-term planning framework. More research is needed to recreate specific habitat types on drastically disturbed land and planning is needed to assure that sensitive habitats or species are located away from zones likely to undergo future development. Use of geographic information systems to integrate existing environmental information could make such studies more effective. 14 refs., 7 figs.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
210140
Journal Information:
Growth and Change, Vol. 26, Issue 3; Other Information: PBD: Sum 1995
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English