CASE STUDY - SLOPE MARBLE QUARRY RESTORATION, DRAMA, GREECE - ECOMED

ECOMED PROJECT
               MARBLE QUARRY RESTORATION, DRAMA, GREECE

CASE STUDY - SLOPE
MARBLE QUARRY RESTORATION, DRAMA, GREECE
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROJECT AND THE CONSTRUCTION
SITE:

Work location / project title:
Marble Quarry Restoration, Drama, GREECE
                                                          SUMMARY
UTM coordinates:                                               •••
x: 41.250983, y: 24.213930
                                                       Marbles are used
Completion date of the design stage:                   very frequently in
Spring 2015
                                                       Greece for
Completion date of the construction stage:             construction. This is
Fall 2015                                              why there are many
                                                       quarries.
Client: (e.g. private or public person or industrial
company):                                              Once the quarry is
The mining was done by a Marble private company that   not utilized there is
rented the land from Forest Service. Another private   an immediate need
company was hired for the restoration efforts.         for restoration. A
                                                       restoration example
                                                       is provide whose
                                                       purpose was to
                                                       stabilize the slope
                                                       and improve
                                                       aesthetics.

                                       .1

ECOMED PROJECT
               MARBLE QUARRY RESTORATION, DRAMA, GREECE

             MAIN PROBLEMS ADDRESSED IN THE INTERVENTION

Marbles are very commonly used in Greece in construction. The main reason is their
abundance in Greece along with the fact that are available in large quantities and
also because they are very resistant material.

The purpose of this study was the restoration of a marble quarry that is no longer in
operation. The excavation of the land to extract marble cause very serious damages
as it removes large portion of the land. If these areas are left without any subsequent
restoration efforts they also pose many risks and threats.

                An example of a marble block collected from quarries

The specific site was a marble quarry near Drama Greece that is no longer in use.

                     The location the quarry and an image of it.

                                           .2

ECOMED PROJECT
               MARBLE QUARRY RESTORATION, DRAMA, GREECE

             MAIN STRATEGY FOLLOWED WITHIN THE PROJECT

The main objective of the project were the following:
1. Restore the bare slopes of the quarry cost-effectively
2. Utilize nature based approaches
3. Replanting of fast-growing and resilient to the current condition of the quarry
4. Improve the aesthetics of the area
5. Stabilize the slopes of the quarry.

     MAIN RESULTS AND CALCULATIONS OBTAINED IN THE PROJECT

At the design stage no real field measurements were taken.

The activities to be conducted and the type of vegetation that would be used were
based on:
• The climatic conditions of the area
• The current highly degraded conditions and
• Forest Service guidelines

       MAIN SOIL AND WATER BIOENGINEERING TECHNIQUES USED

The excavated slopes were:
- planted with seedlings of Robinia pseudoacacia and Fraxinus excelsior to re-
establish woody vegetation. The seedlings were place 2 x 2 meters in an area 6.261
m2.

These activities should help stabilize the slope. In addition the growth of the
vegetation should improve the aesthetic of the area through time.

                                           .3

ECOMED PROJECT
               MARBLE QUARRY RESTORATION, DRAMA, GREECE

        CONSTRUCTION STAGE ANALYSIS. FLAWS DETECTED. MAIN
                         CONCLUSIONS

The detected flaws regarding the construction stage were:
• Spacing of the tree seedlings could have been closer
• Older age trees could have been used
• Hydro-seeding could have been used to establish grass vegetation.
• Native species should have used.
• Fencing should have been implemented around the entire restore area to protect
  from grazing.

MONITORING STAGE ANALYSIS. FLAWS DETECTED- MAIN CONCLUSIONS

Monitoring probably happened only after the first year of the construction.
More frequently monitoring would have detected the grazing problem and led to
avoiding the problems during the restoration.
No maintenance activities have been designated.

It is clear that monitoring and maintenance protocols need to be established in all
soil water bioengineering works in Greece.

   PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS. FLAWS DETECTED. MAIN CONCLUSIONS

The actual work conducted by the company that had been planned (designed) was
completed. Unfortunately the work performance did not achieve the targeted
function. Specifically the ecological functions (e.g. habitat improvements) plant
community development and landscape function were not met.

Particularly, the assessment of the bioengineering work elements performance
indicates the following problems:
• The planting of Fraxinus excelsior is recommended since it is well adapted to the
   site conditions and native to the areas.
• An invasive species Robinia pseudoacacia was planted that could cause serious
   future problems
• Hydro-seeding should have been conducted but was not.
• The plant density of the seedlings was to low
• The soil fertility is low so actions could be taken to improve e it.
• The works site is quite remote difficult to reach since it is only connected with

                                         .4

ECOMED PROJECT
               MARBLE QUARRY RESTORATION, DRAMA, GREECE

  steep gravel roads
• There was not true maintenance contract and monitoring was not that frequent.

      PROPOSALS OF IMPROVEMENTS FOR FUTURE SOIL AND WATER
                     BIOENGINEERING WORKS

The bioengineering work has not fulfilled the pursued objectives in year 3 after its
implementation and landscape restoration and plant re-establishment. If you look at
the surrounding landscape there is s a great difference and this landscape has not
been fully restored although it is improving. This is related to the fact that only
seedlings were planted in the area. Hydro-seeding should also been included.
Another issue was the plant density of the planting. It should have been denser. We
also suggest that a greater diversity of plant should have been selected and we
disagree with the planting of a non-native species. Since the soils are very poor soil
fertilizer might be required or the plants that are planted should be of greater age.
Finally disturbances especially grazing probably led to the mortality of the seedlings.
Fencing might be required to reduce disturbances. In regard to climate we do not
believe that it affected the performance of the bioengineering intervention.

                                     PICTURES
AFTER WORKS

                                           .5

ECOMED PROJECT
          MARBLE QUARRY RESTORATION, DRAMA, GREECE

REFERENCE CONDITION

                             .6