Journal of Landscape Studies 2 (2009), 33 – 41 Received: 4 October 2009; Accepted: 25 October 2009; Published online: 30 October 2009

Journal of

Landscape Studies

An assessment of the environmental impact of the proposed Medard lake project Hana Hrajnohová Gillarová and Emilie Pecharová* Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Department of Landscape Ecology, Kamýcká 129, Praha 6 – Suchdol, Czech Republic

Abstract Landscapes impacted by mining need to be recultivated. After technical adjustment of the surface, or even without technical adjustment, the basic landscape function needs to be re-established, based on its particular function. The new territorial system of ecological stability will play the main role in a recultivated landscape, but the landscape needs to be reestablished in accordance with the neigbouring territorial system of ecological stability and in accordance with the proposed study areas that the reclaimed landscape will form a part of. Taking into account the potential impact on the environment, an assessment should be made that will avoid negative influences on specific environment units. A well-functioning reclaimed landscape results from a properly assessed proposal in which all important factors have been taken into consideration. Key words: Landscape; Environmental impact assessment; Reclamation; Territorial system of ecological stability; Indicator.

1. Introduction A negative impact of mining is that it, in general, destroys the original ecosystems. Due to the changes in the ecosystems, nourishment and energy flows are disturbed, often leading to devastation of the ecosystem (Zahn, 2003; Frouz et al., 2007). These changes due to anthropogenic activities lead to irreversible changes in the landscape matrix (Lipský, 1999). From the point of view of landscape planning, we can consider landscape evaluation as a management tool. When managing a landscape, we should first consider what the landscape is (or will be) used for (Löw et Míchal, 2003). Reclamation should be implemented in accordance with the basic rules of ecology. A relatively small piece of land can function as a healthy ecosystem if the habitats are connected, * Corresponding autor; E-mail: [email protected] Available online at: www.centrumprokrajinu.cz/jls/

rather than discrete (Hampson et al., 2003). In areas impacted by mining there is very often a long-term impact on the social and environmental situation. These impacts are closely related to the social level of the local society (Drebenstedt, 2008). Many researchers (e.g. Sklenička and Lhota, 2002; Sklenička and Charvátová, 2003, Sklenička et al., 2004; Pecharova and Hrabánková, 2006) have been involved in a long-term study of the principles for restoring the disturbed area in Sokolov brown coal basin. Říha (2001) describes possible environmental indicators in connection with a potential environmental impact assessment. The area of interest is situated in north-western Bohemia (Fig. 1), in an area delimited by the towns

33

H. Hrajnohová Gillarová and E. Pecharová: Journal of Landscape Studies 2 (2009), 33 – 41

of Sokolov and Habartov and the villages of Bukovany, Svatava, Citice, Chlum Svaté Maří and Lítov. The Medard study includes the area of the former Medard – Libík and Boden – Lítov mines. Medard was an opencast brown coal mine, where mining came to an end in 2000. According to the reclamation proposals, Medard was to be flooded (Pöpperl, 2003). After the mine was closed down in 2000, an environmental impact assessment made with a view to reclaiming the residue of the Medard pit. Briefly, flooding the residual pit up to an altitude of 400 metres above sea level was chosen as the best reclamation method. The river Ohře is to be the source of the flooding, and later the inflow will be from the Radvanovský brook and the outflow will be into the river Ohře. Reclamation through peppering was rejected due to cost and time considerations. Reclamation taking into consideration the succession of the whole residual pit was not chosen, because it would probably lead to a woodland habitat with low biodiversity and low water quality, due to low acidity inflow of mine waters. The future lake was assessed, and requirements were established that must be followed when the lake and its neighbourhood are established. The flooding began recently. The mine waters are no longer sucked from the mine and further flooding from the river Ohře will continue until 2013. The surface is being formed, forestry reclamation is now in progress, and some parts of the project have already been completed. The area of Boden-Lítov is connected in the west with the area where the Medard lake will be in future. Mining came to and end in this area in 1995. This area is characterized by soil with very low acidity (especially in the western part). Reclamation through overlapping the unfertile soil horizons with fertile soil is now being prepared, and reclamation of the Lítov tip has also begun. In the water basin near Chlum Svaté Maří there is redviolet coloured water of low acidity. The northern and eastern part of the Lítov dump has already been recultivated (Table 1).

Kind of reclamation Medard-Libík Boden-Lítov

hydric 506.15 0.30

The Medard study was carried out in 2005 2006. It covers the areas and the surroundings of the Medard – Libík and Boden – Lítov residual pits. The total area of the study covers 4382 hectares. The land use of future landscape is to be polyfunctional, the main function being recreational. (Table 2, Fig. 2). Many aspects of the Medard study need to be assessed according to valid environmental impact assessment legislation, but the study also needs to be assessed holistically, in order to avoid potential cumulative impacts.

Figure 1. Location of the Sokolov brown coal basin.

Area of reclamation [ha] forest Agricultural other 532.26 35.19 20.29 291.33 0.00 46.25

total 1093.89 337.88

Table 1. Areas of reclamation and former mining.

34

Total area touched by mining [ha] 1183.00 723.00

H. Hrajnohová Gillarová and E. Pecharová: Journal of Landscape Studies 2 (2009), 33 – 41

Boden - Lítov

Medard - Libík

Mine

Particullar part of the area

Functional use of the area

Sokolov - Pod Jelením vrchem parking, information multimedial centre, entry to railway museum, entertainment park, outdoor mining technics exhibition, harbour, multifunctional area for conserts, sport and recreation, camp, forest park with a view-tower Svatava – Slunečné pobřeží area of recreation, accomodation, in the west camping and airport for ultralight planes Habartov stone snags - part of educational trail, bathing Habartov – Bukovany educational centre, conference centre, hotel, university campus, sport centre with accomodation and relaxation equipment Bukovany - Citice parking, bungalows, cottages, greenhouses using heat from the powestation, scramble Citice – Svatava hippodrome, horse breeding, cyclocross, running trails Citice left for natural succession Lítov experimantal patches Chlum Sv. Maří parking, info centre, areas of culture, science, art and environment Habartov – west geological park, meeting point, infocentre, botanical garden, landscape park, university campus, recreation, bathing in Boden water basin, golf course

Table 2. Functional landuse.

2. Methods The basic information sources for the studied area were urban plans (regional and local), recent orthophoto maps, a study of the future Medard lake, an EIA on plans for dealing with the Medard–Libík opencast mine, and statistical data (particularly environmental statistical data gathered by the Karlsbad region). The urban plans, the othophoto maps and the study were compared for the purposes of the proposed territorial system of ecological stability. Representative indicators generally used by IUCN were chosen and modified for the environmental impact assessment, e.g.:





environmental pollution ecosystems and their vulnerability impact on human health impact on human well-being

Research on human well-being near the future

Medard lake has recently been carried out by Lickova et al. (2008). The indicators mentioned above form the following two groups used by OECD:



sociological environmental

These groups of indicators point to a very close connection between groups of environmental and sociological factors (Fig. 3). The indicators used on a local and regional scale were chosen for the environmental impact assessment. The assessment of each particular indicator leads on to a total assessment of the impacted area of the future Medard lake. It would be problematic to follow a uniform assessment methodology, and a verbal assessment method was therefore adopted. This assessment method is considered to be productive (Říha, 2001).

35

H. Hrajnohová Gillarová and E. Pecharová: Journal of Landscape Studies 2 (2009), 33 – 41

LAKE MEDARD URBAN STUDY OF WESTERN PART OF SOKOLOV BASIN

N

Figure 2. Functional landuse of lake Medard and its surroundings (Source: http://www.medard-lake.eu).

number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

36

functional area landscape change memorial golf course background outdoor nature art centre swimming pool background Boden university campus university swimming pool recreational housing in greenery conference hall hotel centre Habartov specific accomodation for sport centre sporting platform harbour adminstration, further services and specific accomodation restaurant above water with view point experimental housing above water therapeutic-rehabilitativ area for seniors airport for ultralight flights camping, caravaning, log house camp sunbathing beach hotel centre Svatava beach and harbour background under camping harbour background under Jeleni vrch reastaurant, sportcourse, extenzive form of housing hotels, beach background, summer scene waterman´s camp ascending area, parking, hygienic background, mining technics exposure, adventure pak egress for horses, summer hippodrome riding centre, accomodation cottages proposed greenhouse areal motocross area bicross and funiculars

H. Hrajnohová Gillarová and E. Pecharová: Journal of Landscape Studies 2 (2009), 33 – 41

SOCIOLOGICAL

ENVIRONMENTAL

HUMAN HEALTH

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

HUMAN WELL-BEING ECOSYSTEMS AND THEIR VULNERABILITY

Figure 3. Connections between EIA indicators.

3. Results The area of interest can in general be characterized as a landscape with no canopy. The main area is grassy, with scattered shrubs and trees that were mainly planted during the recultivation process. In the area, deer, pigs, amphibians and insects have been observed, but no detailed biological study of the whole area has been yet been carried out. A thesis on amphibians present in the localities neighbouring on the area of interest was presented by Mikešová (2004). Her work deals with three critically endangered species of amphibians, two endangered species and one vulnerable species. Due to the proximity of the two localities, these same species are likely to be present.

Pollution levels in the area have improved in recent decades (Table 4). Together with the improvement in environmental pollution levels, the health of the local inhabitants has also improved. The rather high incidence of respiratory diseases in the 1980s has decreased significantly. To make a proper assessment of all the potential impacts of the Medard project on the environment and on human health, we should take into account all the information acquired about the area. Taking into account the recent function and the future function of Medard, we can predict the final impact of the study. The final impact assessment should be regarded only as a prediction. The model of the required outcome indicates how the reclamation should be done and how the new functional landscape should be formed. However, a functional landscape does not just concern the ecosystem – it also involves planning a living space for people. The aesthetic appearance of the landscape has an influence on human well-being, and a good looking landscape is often a wellfunctioning landscape. Three main groups of indicators were assessed in terms of their past and recent state and their required future state. The final assessment has indicators representing human health and human well-being built into it (Table 5).

3.1 Territorial system of ecological stability

3.2 Environmental pollution

There is a supraregional, regional and local territorial system of ecological stability (TSES in the following text) near to the area of interest. A proposed local TSES (Table 3, Fig. 4) was included in the Medard study.

Environmental pollution was mainly caused by mining and related industries. Around 1980, the air quality in the Sokolov brown coal basin was alarming. About 1990, the air quality began to improve. The recent situation is characterized by

TSES level

Designation

sort

kind of conservation

supraregional regional

The river Ohře valley The river Svatava valley Habartovský brook Atonín heap Under Bukovany On Reclamation

corridor corridor corridor centre centre centre

hydric hydric hydric forestry reclamation wetland vegetation proposed

local

mark 1BC 2BC 3BC 4BCe 5BCe 6BCe .

Table 3. Territorial system of ecological stability.

37

H. Hrajnohová Gillarová and E. Pecharová: Journal of Landscape Studies 2 (2009), 33 – 41

. Figure 4. Territorial system of ecological stability.

desulphurisaton and denitrification, which has been carried out in accordance with European legislation. When this work has been completed, air pollution will be influenced predominantly by road traffic and by domestic heating. Noise pollution is connected with machinery and road traffic. After the mine was closed down, all the machinery was moved away and technical reclamation began. During technical reclamation noise pollution is still continuing, but at a lower level. When the reclamation is completed and the

38

proposed infrastructure has been constructed, noise will be caused mainly by road traffic, recreation and occasional concerts and open-air events. Soil pollution was mainly due to oil derivatives and lubricants from the machinery. The danger of further soil pollution persists, but it will be on a reduced level. 3.3 Ecosystems and their vulnerability Opencast mining leads to absolute devastation of

H. Hrajnohová Gillarová and E. Pecharová: Journal of Landscape Studies 2 (2009), 33 – 41

into the water As Hg

Emitted pollution in produced waste asbestos Cd

As N

benzene toluene

phenols cyanide Ni Hg Zn

xylene Hg

Emitted pollution Company

ČEZ (Tisová powerstation)

Sokolovská uhelná

Avirunion Nové Sedlo

into the air CO2 NOx SOx PM10 nonmethanic volatile organic compounds (NMVOC) CO2 NOx SOx Hg NOx SOx

Table 4. Companies causing pollution in neighbourhood of future lake Medard.

the landscape, and it destroys the territorial system of ecological stability, disturbs biodiversity, the water regime and soil conditions. In brief, everything that nature had created over the course of the centuries was destroyed within a few decades. The main aim of reclamation is to reestablish a new functional landscape. The proposed forests, meadows, lake and wetlands will provide good conditions for a new territorial system of ecological stability. It is also desirable to improve the soil conditions, as heaps with low acidity do not provide good conditions for forest reclamation. When establishing the new TSES, the currently present amphibians should be taken into account, as well as other species that have been observed in the area. In addition to the proposed infrastructure projects and buildings, the study proposes a new, well-functioning landscape. Parts of the TSES should be set aside for conservation purposes.

3.4 Impact on human health and well-being There is a close connection between human health and living conditions. Environmental pollution, aesthetic disturbance and destruction of the

landscape infrastructure have an impact on human well-being. Reclamation will improve the landscape and its functions, as a whole, and this will lead to improved human health and wellbeing. 4. Conclusion The Medard study will have a positive influence on people. The only problem which may occur will be in connection with increased noise and road traffic due to the seasonal presence of vacationers. However, this will lead to new employment opportunities, and local inhabitants from surrounding towns and villages will live close to and be able to benefit from the recreational zone that the future Medard lake will provide. The new territorial system of ecological stability, connected with the present supraregional, regional and local scale TSESs, will provide habitat networks for a wide range of species. A non-functional, exhausted landscape will receive a second chance to be functional, not only for fauna and flora, but also for people. In addition, meadows, wetlands, lakes, water basins and forests, will improve the ecological stability values in the exhausted area. Anthropogenically changed landscapes due to

39

H. Hrajnohová Gillarová and E. Pecharová: Journal of Landscape Studies 2 (2009), 33 – 41

Environmental pollution air pollution * noise pollution * soil pollution* Ecosystems and their vulnerability low biodiversity extinguishment of territorial system of ecological stability extinguishment of local functional landscape disturbed water regime unfertile soil with low acidity on heaps Impact on human health and well-being *bad living conditions causing diseases landscape cannot be used by people aesthetical disturbance (pits and dumps) extinguishment of villages extinguishment of infrastructure establishing of new villages/towns (instead of old ones)

Former high high middle

Recent improving improving improving

Demand./Pred. stable stable for living successional

high absolute absolute high high

improving improving improving improving persisting

successional functional functional functional improving

high high high high high high

improving improving improving irreversible improving improving

good conditions fuctional aesthetical irreversible new infrastructure improving

Table 5. Impact assessment of living environment.

opencast mining are often dealt with by flooding, as in the case of the proposed flooding of the former Medard mine. Compared with other methods of disposal, flooding is often the cheapest and quickest solution that can offer a polyfunctional area. New lakes often bring people back to a reclaimed landscape abandoned more than half a century earlier. Nowadays, human society requires places for relaxation recreation, and reclaimed areas can meet this requirement. Millions are being spent every year to reestablish areas impacted by coal mining in the Sokolov region. These investments often provide a new infrastructure, new water basins and revitalised brooks, so that the landscape can finally become functional again. Acknowledgement This study has been supported by research plan of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of the Czech Republic NPVII 2BO 8006 - New approaches to research of effective procedures for recultivation and rehabilitation of devastated regions, and is an outcome of long-term, fruitful co-operation with Sokolovska uhelna company.

40

References Anonymous, 2007. Stav životního prostředí v jednotlivých krajích České republiky – Karlovarský kraj. CENIA, Praha. Drebenstedt, C., 2008. Environmental Management – from Mineral Exploration to Mine Closure. In New Challenges and Visions for Mining. CRC Press, Krakow, pp.91-102 Frouz, J., Pöpperl, J., Přikryl, I., Štrůdl, J., 2007. Tvorba nové krajiny na Sokolovsku. Sokolovská uhelná, právní nástupce a.s., Sokolov. Hampson, A., Hall, J., Gotts, D., Stevenson, A., Quelch, Jones, B., Macdonald, P., (eds.), 2003. Habitat network for wildlife and people. The creation of sustainable forest habitats. Forestry Commission Scotland & Scottish Natural Heritage. Edinburgh. Licková, V., Houdek, K., Martiš, M., 2008. Evaluate of scenarios of renewal Lake Medard. Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute of Polish Academy of Sciences. 21st World Mining Congress New Challenges and Visions for Mining, Risk management & subsidence engineering, Sustainable development in mining industry, Vol. 24, issue 3., Poland, Cracow, pp.239-248 Lipský, Z., 1999. Ekologie pro studenty geografických oborů. Karolinum. Praha. Löw, J., Míchal, I.. 2003. Krajinný ráz. Lesnická práce. Kostelec nad Černými lesy.

H. Hrajnohová Gillarová and E. Pecharová: Journal of Landscape Studies 2 (2009), 33 – 41 Mikešová, E., 2004: Sledování sukcese společenstev obojživelníků na sokolovských výsypkách. Diplomová práce., Praha: Česká zemědělská univerzita, Fakulta lesnická a environmentální, Katedra ekologie. (unpublished) Pecharova, E., Hrabankova, M., 2006. A concept for reconstructing the post-mining region under the Lisbon strategy. Ekologia Bratislava, 25, Issue 3, SUPPL., 2006: 194-204. Pöpperl, J., 2003. Rekultivační činnost. In Budoucnost krajiny postižené těžbou: Budoucnost 2003. Chodov: MIM Consulting, pp. 48-50 Říha, J., 2001. Posuzování vlivů na životní prostředí. Metody pro předběžnou analýzu EIA. Vydavatelství ČVUT, Praha. Sklenička P, Přikryl I, Svoboda I., 2004. Non-productive principles of landscape rehabilitation after long-term opencast mining in north-west Bohemia. Journal of the South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 104: 83-88 Sklenička, P., Charvátová, E., 2003. Stand continuity - a useful parameter for ecological networks in postmining landscapes. Ecological Engineering, 20: 287296. Sklenička, P., Lhota, T., 2002. Landscape heterogeneity – a quantitative criterion for landscape reconstruction. Landscape and Urban Planning, 58: 147-156. Zahn, M., 2003. Bergbausanierung ist nicht eines Mannes Werk. Berlin: LMBV Lausitzer und Mitteldeutsche Bergbau-Verwaltungsgesellschaft.

41