New Methodology for Establishing the Optimal Reuse Alternative of Degraded Lands

Abstract

Ecological restoration and reuse of degraded lands must contribute to the region's sustainable development. Therefore, in order to determine the post degradation land destination, a number of opportunities and restrictions should be taken into account. For this reason, it is necessary to develop a methodology for establishing the optimal reuse alternative, which should be based on scientific principles, without neglecting economic issues and those related to population requirements. For this purpose the paper is focused on several aspects regarding the restrictions that must be considered in the decision-making process, related to the attraction or dislike of the territory for different ecological restoration options (regional climate, regional topography, ecosystems and land uses, environmental risks, quality indicators of the land etc.). Thus, we developed a methodology for determining the optimal type of land rehabilitation that takes into account a number of factors and indicators and can be applied in all situations, regardless of the form or level of degradation.

Assessment of the technical conditions of Jieț waste dump in the context of its reintegration into the surrounding landscape

“…Although scientific methods can be used to investigate the pedological conditions and to choose the tree species that are best suited for the reintroduction of Jieț dump into the surrounding landscape [12,13], taking into account the above, the ecological restoration option considered optimal for Jiet dump is the one of forestation, using for this purpose endemic species [14], unpretentious to the soil conditions. Before planting the seedlings, the surface of the dump (slopes and berms) must be properly arranged, by removing the metal elements, large rock fragments and, especially, the accumulated illegal waste.…”

Analysis of the Stability State of Jilț North Internal Dump in the Perspective of its Ecological Reconstruction

“…Jilț; -For most situations, the lowest values of the stability factor were determined by Janbu's method. The exceptions to this rule are represented by steps TH4 -TH7, for which the lowest value of the stability factor was obtained by Fellenius' method; -There is only one situation for which, although the value of the stability factor is above unit (1), there are values below 1.3, recommended by the specialized literature [10,11,13,[30][31][32] for definitive slopes or with a long duration of staying in place. This situation is recorded for the TH2 step (Fs = 1.133).…”

“…The first is based on an algorithm for diagnosing the degree of soil recovery (the pedogenesis process) [37], and the second on a species selection procedure [1,38] based on the results obtained by applying the algorithm, but which may also include other relevant variables (distance to water sources, environmental risks such as wildfires, prolonged droughts, floods, etc. ).…”

“…The ecological reconstruction of the lands affected by mining, and in particular of the waste dumps, requires special attention from the point of view of the legislative and normative framework, which allows a great flexibility of the forecasts and the possibility of changing the destination of the land surfaces and which takes into account the attractions and characteristics of the territory based on a complex process of analysis of the built landscape, through the most modern working methods [1].…”

Determining the Anti-Erosion Efficiency of Forest Stands Installed on Degraded Land

“…Forest cultures with pioneer species, such as pines, have been considered to be effective in controlling soil erosion [14], and, as a result, extensive afforestation programs were promoted worldwide. Many studies have presented the positive aspects of plantations in reducing soil erosion in previously deforested lands [9,15].…”