Ecological rehabilitation and long term monitoring of post mining areas
A public lecture by Dr. M. Rehor from the Brown Coal Research Institute took place on 23.03.2024 at the campus of the Jan Evangelista Purkyne University in the city of Ústí nad Labem. Students, stakeholders and other interested persons were briefly introduced to the objectives of the European REECOL project and in more detail to the research results of task 3.1, which deals with the mapping and characterization of degraded soils. The lecture was focused on the degraded soils of the Most Basin.
The project ideas were shared during a conference organized by KOMAG – KOMEKO 2024 .
A presentation was given during a session ‘Sustainable development in post-mining areas’ .
You can see the presentation here: https://youtu.be/V2QRQfVnStI?t=2199.
Additionally, the project roll-up was displayed.
Link to the recording of streaming: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2QRQfVnStI
KOMAG’s REECOL team met to discuss issues regarding: a) development of prototype system for non-contact soil remediation and b) monitoring the areas where the system will be used. For the device for spraying the compost, design assumptions were agreed. In particular decisions regarding the device structure, automation and control were made. Assumptions regarding procedure of monitoring the land rehabilitation process with use of drone and dedicated IT system were also agreed. Decissions regarding the upcoming activities and assigned tasks were also made.
Poltegor-Instytut is currently working intensively on preparing an innovative laboratory compost that will improve the rehabilitation process of post-mining areas.
At this stage, work on the isolation of microflora from selected compost substrates is carried out. It is this microscopic life that will play a key role in soil regeneration.
The compost is a unique blend of brown coal, straw, and chicken feathers, which together create a rich environment for the development of microorganisms.
Post-mining areas often struggle with soil degradation, which hampers vegetation growth. Our compost aims not only to restore life to this land but also to improve its properties, which is crucial for the future development of ecosystems and the sustainable rehabilitation of areas affected by mining activity.
GIG and KOMAG met to discuss selection of post-mining rehabilitation case study areas that will be used for development and testing of the project solutions. The meeting took place in GIG’s facilities.
The project partners from Greece – TUC and PPC met at the offices of PPC to discuss activities within work packages 1,2 and 6. WP1 covers the project management, WP2 includes the project communication and dissemination activities and WP6 is focused on development of the project results. So, all the aspects crucial for the proper project run were taken into account during the meeting.
One of the REECOL project objectives is development of a technology for soil regeneration using composts of high biological activity. A unique compost mixture of lignite, solid organic waste, and selected highly active microorganisms is to be used to restore the soil health. Poltegor-Instytut team is now preparing the necessary equipment and gathering essential materials like chicken feathers, straw, and coal from the Konin Brown Coal Mine. This compost is designed to enrich the soil with humic substances, transforming lignite into a bioavailable plant fertilizer.
The poject partners met to discuss tasks regarding monitoring of ecosystem rehabilitation. Soil health monitoring is among issus covered by the REECOL project.
Today, KOMAG, GIG and Poltegor met online to discuss current tasks they are involved in. Necessary decisions and arrangements were made.
Within REECOL project – a drone equipped with a multispectral camera has just been purchased by KOMAG. This drone allows to monitor the condition of green areas, including the calculation of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) being a crucial tool in monitoring of the health of plants and ecosystems. Currently, a team from the Institute’s Laboratory for Modelling Methods and Ergonomics are conducting tests on the drone and preparing themselves for the field operations.
