Global changes in temperature, carbon dioxide, and rainfall have forced scientists to more critically evaluate the functional aspects of our landscape. Currently, millions of acres exist throughout the Appalachians that are in some state of post-mining recovery. These lands were once dominated by productive hardwood forests. Due to government regulations enacted several decades ago, reclamation efforts focused on erosion, sedimentation, and mass instability of landforms. In short, mine land reclamation was oriented towards returning land bases to a similar pre-mining topography and establishing plant cover to minimally control sedimentation and hydrology—little thought was given to ecological functionality. The resulting man-made habitats have heavily compacted soils, poor drainage, low nutrient status, and are dominated by herbaceous species, many of which are non-native. In effect, highly functional, diverse, and productive hardwood forest ecosystem was converted to and replaced by low quality, unproductive habitats dominated by non-native species. After forty years, most of these habitats have failed to advance successionally, and hardwood forest development is unlikely anywhere in the near term future. Severe anthropogenic disturbance has resulted in arrested succession. Recent advances in mine land reclamation and reforestation research have led to new technologies which promise to accelerate forest succession and return these lands to productive, functional forests. This session will explore the myriad of advances that have been made in the last decade toward increasing forest cover on reclaimed mine sites and returning the functionality of the native ecosystem.