Line of action:

Terrestrial ecosystems

Status:

Finalizado

Execution date:

2020

End date:

2022

Total budget:

82.360,66 €

Amount of aid from the Biodiversity Foundation:

57.652,26 €

Mining Law 22/1973 of July 21 and Royal Decree 975/2009 of June 12 establish that all mining operations must restore the affected area. The industry has the material, human and economic means to implement these plans and generate a positive environmental impact at the state level.

However, according to the Centro Tecnológico del Mármol, Piedra y Materiales (CTM), most of the restoration plans of the extractive sector are obsolete and uncoupled from state policies and interests such as biodiversity conservation, new climate change scenarios and population dynamics of exotic and invasive species.

The overall objective of the project is to design tools for the conservation and restoration of natural habitats and wildlife species in areas managed by the marble extractive industry. Through these two tools, the marble industry will contribute to the promotion of biodiversity in quarries and their area of influence, the prevention, early detection and eradication of invasive exotic species and the adaptation of restoration plans to climate change scenarios.

Among its specific objectives are:

• Evaluate the initial biodiversity on each farm.
• Mitigate the loss of biodiversity and ecological functionality associated with the effects of global climate change.
• Study and mitigate the effects of loss of biodiversity and ecological functionality associated with the entry of invasive exotic species.
• Update the current restoration plans of each farm by integrating the following criteria: promotion of biodiversity, conservation of species of interest, associated habitats and reinforcement of native species adapted to new climate change scenarios, avoiding the entry and eradication of invasive species.
• Investigate the effectiveness of ecological restoration and its effects on biodiversity, species and habitats of interest and their adaptive response to climate change.
• Design stewardship agreements, professional services linked to environmental monitoring and maintenance programs for restorations.
• Disseminate the results and conclusions of the project: methodology for conservation and ecological restoration in mining areas developed, associated tools and indicators, and information generated on biodiversity, conservation and restoration actions.

• Integrate data obtained in open scientific databases for research and dissemination.
• Development of a biodiversity assessment and monitoring tool for ornamental rock quarries.
• Environmental characterization of each quarry and its surroundings.
• Review of climate scenarios for the region and native plant species with greater adaptive capacity for the study scenario, guaranteeing ecological functionality.
• Identification of invasive alien species and import prevention measures.
• Review of current restoration plans and their administrative status.
• Assessment of the degree of internalization of the selected criteria in the current Restoration Plan.
• Drafting of a biodiversity promotion plan integrating quarry restoration criteria and measures to complement (or modify) the restoration plans in force at each mining site.
• Development of a pilot restoration experience on a farm, development of plantations and measures to promote faunal biodiversity.
• Evaluation of results achieved on biodiversity, species and habitats after the actions carried out in the enclave.
• Preparation of a decalogue of recommendations for action to protect biodiversity, habitats and species of interest and/or protected species for the marble sector.
• Identification and contact with entities and landowners with whom to make stewardship agreements to carry out environmental monitoring programs, promoting the creation of green jobs in rural areas.
• Communication and dissemination actions.

• It has generated tools to promote biodiversity in quarries and its sphere of influence, promote the prevention, early detection and eradication of invasive alien species, help adapt restoration plans to climate change scenarios, and generate knowledge for the conservation of habitats and species of interest in five farms located in protected areas in Albacete, Murcia and Granada.
• Field studies have been conducted to determine the initial biodiversity in the quarries and their immediate surroundings and updated flora and fauna inventories have been developed.
• A biodiversity monitoring and assessment tool has been developed and a review of climate scenarios in the regions studied, a sampling to detect invasive alien species and a protocol for their prevention, detection and eradication has been carried out.
• Existing restoration plans have been analyzed and, once their strengths and weaknesses have been detected, this information has been used to propose biodiversity promotion plans to complement them.
• A pilot restoration project has been designed and implemented in one of the project’s quarries. The actions consisted of the design of three types of plantations, promoting adaptation to climate change in three types of habitats of interest, including the Sabinar negral, a priority habitat in the area.
• The results of the implementation of the pilot experience have been thoroughly monitored.
• Biodiversity promotion plans have been designed for all study quarries.
• A Decalogue of Good Practices has been drawn up.
• A land stewardship agreement has been signed to carry out environmental monitoring programs at the “Emperador de Castril” quarry, promoting the creation of green jobs.