application/pdf 1618025 bytes https://unilib.phaidrabg.rs/o:2894 cobiss:ID 136776705 International Scientific Conference: “Forestry science for sustainable development FORS2D -Perspectives of forestry and related sectors as drivers of sustainable development in the post-Covid era” Potential of areas degraded by surface coal mining for biomass production Mitrović, Suzana Eremija, Saša Čule, Nevena All rights reserved Adopting the principles of the Kyoto Protocol, many countries have developed a strategy to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy sources, so biomass is becoming a realistic alternative. In Serbia reserves of lignite occupy the area of more than 1000 km2. Past experiences show that in the procedure of biological restoration of mine spoil banks, the ratio of forest and agricultural revegetation is mostly 60:40, which means that finally it can be expected that forest ecosystems should establish on about 600 km2, and agricultural areas, urban ecosystems and infrastructure - on about 400 km2. Also, the deposited tailings in the internal landfills of the mines, which are deposited in layers, are a suitable space for the formation of energy crops. These surfaces last for several years before they have been covered with a new layer of deposols. In the aim of determination of possibilities of biomass production at the disposal sites of barren soil (deposols) the comparative experiment was set with fast-growing plant species, two conifers (Larix europaea L. and Pseudotsuga menziesii Mirbel. Franco.) and two deciduous species (Populus x euramericana I-214 and Salix sp.). On the experimental plot the following parameters were monitored: the degree of the survival of the planted plants, dynamics of the height and diameter growth increase, effects of the applied care measures and fertilization. Using different tree species in our research, even under unfavourable soil conditions, the increment was estimated from 5.3 to 19.6 t of dry matter per ha at the age of 4 years. The paper data point to significant, so far unutilised potentials of woody biomass produced on deposols, which could be used for energy production. info:eu-repo/semantics/conferenceProceedings Faculty of Forestry, University of Banja Luka 2022 eng deposols, biological reclamation, open pit mines