Vegetation Assessment of a Reclaimed Land Area in the Vicinity of a Coal Mine in Enugu State

Coal mining activities in Enugu State, South East Nigeria, have historically disturbed significant areas of natural vegetation, and assessing plant community recovery on reclaimed mine land is important for post-mining rehabilitation planning. This study assessed the vegetation composition, structure, and diversity of a reclaimed land area adjacent to Iva Valley coal mine, Enugu, nine years after remediation activities ceased. Three vegetation plots (50m x 20m) were established on the reclaimed land and compared with three similar plots in an adjacent undisturbed secondary forest. Species richness, basal area, density, frequency, and Shannon-Wiener diversity index were calculated for each plot. A total of 48 plant species were recorded on reclaimed land compared to 79 species in the reference secondary forest. Tree species density was significantly lower on reclaimed land (120 stems per hectare vs. 287 stems per hectare in reference forest). Shannon-Wiener diversity was also significantly lower (H' = 2.31 vs. H' = 3.56). Pioneer species including Trema orientalis, Musanga cecropioides, and Alchornea cordifolia dominated the reclaimed land. Soil compaction and low organic carbon (0.9%) were identified as primary limitations to recovery. The study concludes that nine years of natural recovery is insufficient to restore vegetation structure comparable to reference forest in Enugu coal mine reclaimed land, and recommends active assisted restoration using native pioneer and late-successional species.

Keywords: vegetation assessment, reclaimed land, coal mine, restoration ecology, Enugu State