4.10.2.1 Works to Improve the Conditions for the Installation
and Development of Forest Vegetation
Generally, the dumps provide difficult stationary conditions, so in most cases, work
is needed to improve these conditions to allow forest vegetation to be installed and
properly developed. Among the most commonly applied categories of works can be
mentioned: works for consolidation of slopes against slopes by sloping slope and
redevelopment of slopes, supporting walls, drainage and works for erosion control
by linear or rhombic fences, dry masonry benches, etc., land preparation work. In the
case of very heavy waste dumps (very often it is the case of mining and industrial
mines), land clearance is indispensable for the installation of forest vegetation. On
the surface of the terrace at the flotation tailings dumps, loosening is performed by
30–40 cm depth and/or discussion and in the case of the heaps of mine materials by
scarification with tooth scarifiers up to 30–40 cm. For the installation of forest
vegetation, this preparation can also be done in strips of 1.0–1.5 m width alternating
with nonworked strips of 0.75–1.0 m width, or even on the scales with the sizes
determined on a case-by-case basis. On the slopes of the heaps, the preparation of the
land will be done in 26 m wide terraces located at 3–6 m distances.
The terraces can be supported with girders (for unstable materials) or unsupported
for stable materials; works to improve soil conditions. In almost all cases, industrial
waste dumps have deficiencies in nutrients and especially nitrogen. Fertilization
works and other works to improve the physicochemical properties of soldering
materials, particularly with regard to water and nutrient retention capacity, are
therefore required. Coating with a layer of fertile soil of 20–25 cm thick is a
generally valid method, also useful in the case of afforestation, but it is very rarely
usable due to cost considerations and possibilities of obtaining the required soil
quantities.
Covering with other materials, soil substitutes, such as dredging sludge from
irrigation, from drainage channels, from port channels, etc. and sludge from municipal waste water treatment plants, are often a feasible alternative. Being rich in OM,
they improve the properties of superficial material in the dump and bring in nutrients.
The mulching with straw, branches, bark, leaves, sawdust, or peat is another way of
improving the materials, having a positive effect in preventing erosion. Other soil
improvement activities include acidification by lime or limestone treatment and the
fixing or neutralization of noxious substances either by washing soluble salts or by
gypsum, phosphogypsum, or other treatments. When organizing forest planting
activity, it is recommended that from the typical species for each dumpsite resort
to select 2–3 species among which are at least one of the soil ameliorators (nitrogen
fixators), namely, acacia or alder.
The indicated plant mix is in the bouquet of 50–100 m
2 or in pure, alternating
strips, 5–10 m wide. White sea buckthorn and other shrubs can also be used in crops
in intimate blends with large-scale species or in purely alternating lines with them.
Intimate mixing should be avoided, in alternate rows or in small pine bouquets with
acacia, anchovies, or shrubs, because the aforementioned hardwoods, with higher
increases in the early years, overwhelm and remove the pine from the crop. Some
species such as acacia can also be used in pure cultures. For the slopes, after the
116
M. Butu et al.
and Development of Forest Vegetation
Generally, the dumps provide difficult stationary conditions, so in most cases, work
is needed to improve these conditions to allow forest vegetation to be installed and
properly developed. Among the most commonly applied categories of works can be
mentioned: works for consolidation of slopes against slopes by sloping slope and
redevelopment of slopes, supporting walls, drainage and works for erosion control
by linear or rhombic fences, dry masonry benches, etc., land preparation work. In the
case of very heavy waste dumps (very often it is the case of mining and industrial
mines), land clearance is indispensable for the installation of forest vegetation. On
the surface of the terrace at the flotation tailings dumps, loosening is performed by
30–40 cm depth and/or discussion and in the case of the heaps of mine materials by
scarification with tooth scarifiers up to 30–40 cm. For the installation of forest
vegetation, this preparation can also be done in strips of 1.0–1.5 m width alternating
with nonworked strips of 0.75–1.0 m width, or even on the scales with the sizes
determined on a case-by-case basis. On the slopes of the heaps, the preparation of the
land will be done in 26 m wide terraces located at 3–6 m distances.
The terraces can be supported with girders (for unstable materials) or unsupported
for stable materials; works to improve soil conditions. In almost all cases, industrial
waste dumps have deficiencies in nutrients and especially nitrogen. Fertilization
works and other works to improve the physicochemical properties of soldering
materials, particularly with regard to water and nutrient retention capacity, are
therefore required. Coating with a layer of fertile soil of 20–25 cm thick is a
generally valid method, also useful in the case of afforestation, but it is very rarely
usable due to cost considerations and possibilities of obtaining the required soil
quantities.
Covering with other materials, soil substitutes, such as dredging sludge from
irrigation, from drainage channels, from port channels, etc. and sludge from municipal waste water treatment plants, are often a feasible alternative. Being rich in OM,
they improve the properties of superficial material in the dump and bring in nutrients.
The mulching with straw, branches, bark, leaves, sawdust, or peat is another way of
improving the materials, having a positive effect in preventing erosion. Other soil
improvement activities include acidification by lime or limestone treatment and the
fixing or neutralization of noxious substances either by washing soluble salts or by
gypsum, phosphogypsum, or other treatments. When organizing forest planting
activity, it is recommended that from the typical species for each dumpsite resort
to select 2–3 species among which are at least one of the soil ameliorators (nitrogen
fixators), namely, acacia or alder.
The indicated plant mix is in the bouquet of 50–100 m
2 or in pure, alternating
strips, 5–10 m wide. White sea buckthorn and other shrubs can also be used in crops
in intimate blends with large-scale species or in purely alternating lines with them.
Intimate mixing should be avoided, in alternate rows or in small pine bouquets with
acacia, anchovies, or shrubs, because the aforementioned hardwoods, with higher
increases in the early years, overwhelm and remove the pine from the crop. Some
species such as acacia can also be used in pure cultures. For the slopes, after the
116
M. Butu et al.