Stabilization of coal mining gob piles with American beachgrass

American beachgrass was used to stabilize a coal mine gob pile in southern West Virginia. The gob pile was located in a steep valley that would have been difficult to stabilize using conventional methods of grading, topsoiling, and seeding due to limited space for spreading and limited sources of topsoil. The beachgrass was planted without grading or topsoiling on a 50% slope at two culms per hole on a 0.6 meter spacing with 30 grams of 10-10-10 fertilizer with a slow release nitrogen source under each plant. The cost of planting was $9,375 per hectare, one-eighth of the estimated $75,000 to stabilize the site with conventional methods. Eight percent of the plants survived the first year. Each plant produced 25 culms covering a 0.3 meter spread. Herbaceous weeds and light seeded woody pioneer species are beginning to colonize the site as they establish in the protected environment around the beachgrass plants