Calene Thomas has been at work a while, trying to figure out which kinds of soils are best to help reclaim mining sites, first in the private sector, and now as a graduate student at West Virginia University, drawn to Morgantown to study under Jeff Skousen.
After graduating from Frostburg State University with a bachelor’s degree in environmental analysis and planning, Thomas went to work for Resource Conservation and Development.
“I worked in a lab that focused on mine land reclamation, and I did a lot of research,” Thomas explained. “As I reviewed literature on the subject, I kept seeing Dr. Skousen’s name, so I called and introduced myself.”
Thomas had enrolled at WVU by the next fall.
Now, with Skousen’s help and encouragement, she will get two opportunities to network with future peers in mine land reclamation thanks to a pair of special scholarships.
Thomas, a native of Chesapeake City, Md., is pursuing a master of science in agronomy in WVU’s Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design,. She will attend this year’s meetings of both the National Association of State Land Reclamationists and the National Association of Abandoned Mined Land Programs.
The NASLR will meet in Glade Springs, W.Va., in late September, and present the award of $1,000 to Thomas. The NAAMLP will meet in Squaw Valley, Ca., in early October, and award Thomas $1,500.
Thomas was encouraged to apply for the awards by her adviser and mentor Skousen, professor of soil science in the Davis College and land reclamation specialist with the WVU Extension Service. Skousen also happens to be one of the main reasons Thomas decided to pursue graduate education.
Thomas is now in her fifth semester of study, conducting thesis research on the reforestation of reclaimed mountaintop mining sites. She’s focusing on the qualities of the dominant soil types at these sites and which is best for the production of native hardwoods species like oak and cherry, and how the less productive soil can be amended.
Her research could have important practical outcomes for this kind of disturbed mine site. First, forested areas are more consistent with the site’s original landscape and provide better habitat than pastures. Second, stands of hardwoods can sustainably support the region’s forest products industry. Perhaps most importantly is the fact that her research allows Thomas to be part of the process of what she describes as “correcting our mistakes.”
She’s working on two sites, one near Summersville and the other near Charleston, and a highlight of her WVU experience has been the combination of academic theory and on-the-ground experience.
“It’s not just theoretical; it’s very applied,” Thomas said, citing Skousen’s dual role as a Davis College educator and a nationally recognized expert and Extension specialist.
“I really enjoy working with Dr. Skousen; I couldn’t ask for a better advisor,” she said.
The admiration is definitely mutual. “I’m really quite pleased with Calene’s work in the program,” Skousen said, citing her high level of motivation and her ability to plan and manage research projects. “I think these national scholarships highlight the fact that she’s done well here, and they speak well for the quality of our graduate program.”
Skousen’s extensive connections with environmental agencies and industry officials have allowed Thomas access to living laboratories and to see the practical results of her scholarly efforts. “You get to see the beginning of an ecosystem, the evolution of an ecosystem,” she explained.
Thomas is excited about her work in land reclamation and the opportunity to both restore the land and help industry develop better strategies. “People are definitely becoming more aware in general of their impact on the land,” she said.
And she hopes that her upcoming travel itinerary will introduce her to more aspects of the reclamation field, from unique issues posed by sites in western states to water quality issues. Both meetings also present an excellent opportunity to gain a foothold in her chosen profession, “to start to become a part of that network of reclamation specialists.”
-WVU-
dw/09/19/11
CONTACT: David Welsh; Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design
304.293.2394, dwelsh@wvu.edu
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