5 millions
5 millions
5 millions
5 millions

Exploiting a quarry leads to the creation of environments which have become rare in Belgium, such as cliffs, rocky or sandy surfaces, rock slides, temporary stretches of water, chalk grasslands or sparse meadows… These habitats, generated by mining activity, enable the appearance and development of populations of pioneer species with a high biological value.

The general object of the Life in Quarries project is to develop and make sustainable the hosting capacity of biodiversity in in various quarries in Wallonia. The originality of this project is based on the implementation of biodiversity management measures during the extractive phase and not only as part of rehabilitation at the end of works.

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In Belgium, several rare and protected species benefit from habitats generated by mining activity. This is the case, among others, for the sand martin, lizards, wall lizards, natterjack toads or typical algae typical of poor environments such as characeae.

 

Creating temporary ponds, along with their regular refreshment, allow the development of targeted pioneer species, in particular, amphibians (Natterjack toad), dragonflies and water birds.

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The creation and annual refreshing of soft sediment banks ensure the maintenance of suitable habitat for sand martins and solitary bees.

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Installation and dynamic management of shelters by stacking rocks or wood debris in open grounds enhances the hosting capacity of quarries for reptiles, amphibians and insects.

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Chalk and siliceous screes are important foraging grounds for reptiles, such as the smooth snake and the common wall lizard. A pluri-annual management scheme allows the maintenance of variously aged scree in active quarries.

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Large stretches of quarry water allow creating rich habitats which provide food and nesting resources for a wild variety plant and animal species, such as the great crested newt and the Midwife toad.  

Installing floating platforms on large quarry lakes could generate attractive zones for bird species such as the common tern or the common gull.

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Quarry dependencies constitute a significant opportunity for restoring dry and flowered grasslands, maintained either by late-mowing or grazing.

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Témoignages

Dolorruptis est, oditiis velis ute omni sitaerum vent a si aut quassit la de alis utas mo con coreptiis es accae nossirum volupta sitin consequidit, ad qui dolorum essectur eicius am in ra dion reperunt, nusa sunt s es accae nossimperum volupta sitin consequidit eicius am.

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Dolorruptis est, oditiis velis ute omni sitaerum vent a si aut quassit la de alis utas mo con coreptiis es accae nossirum volupta sitin consequidit, ad qui dolorum essectur eicius am in ra dion reperunt, nusa sunt s es accae nossimperum volupta sitin consequidit eicius am.

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Dolorruptis est, oditiis velis ute omni sitaerum vent a si aut quassit la de alis utas mo con coreptiis es accae nossirum volupta sitin consequidit, ad qui dolorum essectur eicius am in ra dion reperunt, nusa sunt s es accae nossimperum volupta sitin consequidit eicius am.

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Dolorruptis est, oditiis velis ute omni sitaerum vent a si aut quassit la de alis utas mo con coreptiis es accae nossirum volupta sitin consequidit, ad qui dolorum essectur eicius am in ra dion reperunt, nusa sunt s es accae nossimperum volupta sitin consequidit eicius am.

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Dynamic biodiversity management

A network of temporary habitats is managed dynamically in time and space across the quarry in parallel with the extractive activity, ensuring a constant availability of suitable habitats for the development of biodiversity.

The aim of the Life in Quarries project is to develop methods to optimise the biodiversity potential of mining sites operating in Belgium. The innovation consists in implementing biodiversity management measures during operation through “dynamic management”, but also during the rehabilitation at the end of mining activities through “permanent nature”.

The integration of biodiversity management during the operational phase of a quarry requires the development of new biodiversity development approaches and an administrative and legal management.

The dynamic management of biodiversity is intended to target several rare and protected species in Wallonia which will benefit from habitats generated by mining activities for the development. This is the case, among others, for the sand martin, lizards, wall lizards, natterjack toads or typical algae typical of poor environments such as characeae.

 

TEMPORARY NATURE

PERMANENT NATURE

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