The overdevelopment and irrational use of mines has led to serious environmental consequences – once vibrant mines are now barren, leaving only devastation in their wake. These mining brownfields not only affect the development of cities, but also the surrounding ecological systems. Holey mountains, dust pollution, aquifer destruction, and geological disasters have become the inevitable “aftermath” of mining activities.
However, the withdrawal of enterprises from cities has not solved the problem, and sites that once had significant locational advantages have become abandoned wastelands. Tackling this issue requires a comprehensive approach that harnesses the power of nature to restore ecological balance and unlock new opportunities for urban development. This is where Nature-Based Solutions (NBSs) come into play.
Ecological Restoration
At the heart of revitalizing mining brownfields lies the need to nurture the self-recovery and self-operation of the ecosystem. By building upon this premise, the design approach should meld natural restoration with artificial remediation. This integration materializes in several ways: honoring natural ecological progression, and strategically planning and remediating mining brownfields in terms of focal points and functionality.
Throughout the restoration process, the design must consider the hydrology, soils, vegetation, microorganisms, fauna, and other relevant factors of the area. Following nature’s lead, comprehending its nuances, and curbing excessive artificial intervention are essential to site rehabilitation through the application of NBSs.
Urban Greening
The first condition for mine rehabilitation is to ensure a good ecological environment, and vegetation planting is a powerful guarantee for creating a favorable ecological setting. Therefore, the design should fully consider the types of plants and their different purifying effects on the surrounding environment.
The ecological environment of mining brownfields is often harsh, with poor and acidic soils, so the selection of native plants has an irreplaceable role in the restoration of site habitats. They are not only resistant and highly adaptable to the site, but are also more amenable to management.
By utilizing the special topography of the quarry, a large number of native hanging plants and climbing plants can be planted in the form of planting holes and planting grooves. While preserving the original topography, the slope stability is increased, the ecological self-healing ability is improved, and the vegetation is restored as soon as possible to create a characteristic natural landscape.
Ecosystem Services
NBSs have gained attention as a rapidly evolving theory in the field of ecological restoration and planning. The core concepts and guidelines of NBSs are highly compatible with the main theme of mining brownfield regeneration, as they advocate relying on the forces of nature and ecosystem-based approaches to provide human well-being and biodiversity benefits while addressing environmental challenges.
By applying NBSs, the transformation of mining brownfields can not only improve the surrounding ecological environment, but also optimize the internal spatial pattern of the city, alleviate the pressure on urban land, create a place for people to rest and recreate, and generate great social and economic benefits, seeking new development vitality and opportunities.
The key to successful NBS implementation lies in the comprehensive assessment and valuation of the ecosystem services (ES) provided by the proposed interventions. A study on the redevelopment of an urban brownfield area within the municipality of Brescia (Northern Italy) provides a compelling example.
The researchers analyzed two alternative NBS-based intervention scenarios – an urban forest and meadows with sparse trees – and assessed nine ESs both in biophysical and economic terms. The results showed that both scenarios improve ES stock and flow compared to the baseline, ensuring annual flows ranging between 140,000 and 360,000 EUR/year.
Interestingly, regulating ESs represented the bulk of estimated ESs, thus highlighting the potential of proposed NBSs for improving urban resilience. This ES assessment and valuation exercise demonstrates how research and practice can be integrated to inform urban management activities and provide inputs for future decision-making and planning regarding urban developments.
Brownfield Redevelopment
The crux of revitalizing mining brownfields hinges on nurturing the self-recovery and self-operation of the ecosystem. Building upon this premise, the design approach should meld natural restoration with artificial remediation, as mentioned earlier. This integration materializes in several ways: honoring natural ecological progression, and strategically planning and remediating mining brownfields in terms of focal points and functionality.
Throughout the restoration process, the design has to consider the hydrology, soils, vegetation, microorganisms, fauna, and other relevant factors of the area. Following nature’s lead, comprehending its nuances, and curbing excessive artificial intervention are essential to site rehabilitation through the application of NBSs.
Urban Mining
The continuous development and progress of the country’s economy and society depend on modern industry, and as a result, a number of industrial cities have been born. However, the lack of awareness and ability to protect the environment has led to a large amount of land being contaminated, and industrial cities are the zones with the highest number and concentration of brownfields.
The eruption of brownfields in cities seems to be an unavoidable consequence of the historical process of urbanization. One type of brownfield that is widely distributed and more difficult to deal with in the world is the mining brownfield. These sites not only affect the development of the city, but also the ecological environment of the surrounding area.
To address this challenge, the concept of urban mining has emerged, which focuses on the recovery of resources from these abandoned sites. Urban mining technologies, such as soil washing, phytoremediation, and electrokinetic remediation, have shown promising results in extracting valuable materials and restoring the environmental quality of mining brownfields.
Environmental Impacts
The transformation of mining brownfields through NBSs can have far-reaching positive impacts on the local environment. By restoring vegetation, improving soil quality, and enhancing biodiversity conservation, these interventions can contribute to the overall ecological balance of the urban landscape.
Furthermore, the integration of green infrastructure, such as urban forests and meadows, can help mitigate the effects of climate change by sequestering carbon, regulating microclimate, and reducing the urban heat island effect. The provision of ecosystem services, as demonstrated in the Brescia case study, can also enhance the resilience of the local community to environmental challenges.
By embracing nature-based approaches, mining brownfield regeneration projects can become catalysts for sustainable urban development, fostering a harmonious coexistence between human activities and the natural environment. TriCounty Tree Care is proud to support these innovative solutions that leverage the power of nature to revitalize urban spaces and create a more livable, resilient, and ecologically balanced future.
