2004-2007
Unió Europea
Ninot Sugrañes, Josep M..


Ecotechnology for environmental restoration of limestone quarries (ECOQUARRY)

This project was funded by the European program LIFE-Environment, and coordinated by Dr. Ramon Vallejo (University of Barcelona). It was done by research groups of various universities (Barcelona, Autonomous of Barcelona, Technical of Catalonia, Alacant). The main objective was to apply current ecological knowledge to restoration experiences, as a basis for to prepare a manual of optimal procedures in ecological restoration of quarries. The pilot experiences were developed in Catalonia, the Valencian country and Setúbal (Portugal), in 11 quarries of the mining enterprises involved in the project. These experiences included factorial designs with different plant species, substrata and watering regimes. The project was planned as a whole system of quality control in restoration, with precise assessment of the materials used, the procedures, and the evolution of the plots. This was done by means of:

• Implementing the latest lime quarries restoration techniques in Mediterranean conditions
• Developing standard control processes to optimize the actions for future restorations
• Enhancing the rational use of natural resources, studying the irrigation according to the type of material used as a substratum. Thus, we established protocols of water management to make a better use and to minimize the consumption

One of the novelties was the use of non-commercial plant species in the plots to be regenerated. The expected result is a more varied landscape, which becomes similar to the neighbouring natural systems. To this end, there were planted Pinus halepensis, P. pinea, Olea europaea, Ceratonia siliqua, Pistacia lentiscus, Quercus coccifera, Rosmarinus officinalis, Rhamnus lycioides, R. alaternus and Spartium junceum, and were sown a few commercial herbaceous species –Dactylis glomerata, Medicago sativa- and a number of herbaceous or woody spontaneous plants, such as Brachypodium retusum, Psoralea bituminosa, Dorycnium pentaphyllum, Anthyllis cytisoides, Helichrysum stoechas and Cistus albidus.

More information: http://www2.ub.edu/ecoquarry/fases.htm
More information: Restoration of limestone quarries manual (catalan)



Research field:
Ecology of plant communities


Project results: