Ecological rehabilitation and long term monitoring of post mining areas (REECOL) Rekultywacja ekologiczna i długoterminowy monitoring terenów pogórniczych (REECOL)

www.reecol.eu

Coordinator: POLTEGOR-INSTITUTE

Consortium members: Vyzkumny Ustav Pro Hnede Uhli As, GIG National Research Institute, Bureau De Recherches Geologiques Et Minieres, Institut National De L Environnement Industriel Et Des Risques – Ineris, KOMAG Institute of Mining Technology, Dimosia Epicheirisi Ilektrismou Anonymi Etaireia, Valorhiz Sas, Polska Grupa Górnicza SA, Premogovnik Velenje Doo, Polytechneio Kritis

Execution period: July 2023 - December 2026

Aim of the project:

The REECOL project gathers eleven partners representing research institutions and industrial companies from five European countries. The partnership aims at providing solutions to ensure long-term environmental sustainability of coal regions in transition.

The project will develop and test new innovative solutions for land restoration, re-vegetation and ecosystem restoration in carefully selected case study areas in transitional regions.  Solutions will take into account the degree of ecosystem degradation, future and intended land use, affordability of solutions and climate change impacts.

In addition, the partnership will establish measures to facilitate effective short-term and long-term monitoring of reclamation processes, using a variety of biological, geochemical and remote sensing technologies.

The solutions developed will help create suitable ecosystems to provide soil erosion control, water quality, wildlife habitat and aesthetic improvements to former mining sites to be redeveloped for other uses. The project will identify a new certification method for ecological assessment of post-mining land rehabilitation and identification of industry best practice in this area.