Wetland rehabilitation in a mining landscape: introductory guide

The Wetland rehabilitation in a mining landscape: introductory guide provides practical, user-friendly guidance to specialists, mining houses and regulators on appropriate wetland rehabilitation strategies, planning, methods and implementation. The guide builds on existing guidelines and experience in wetland rehabilitation to consolidate guidance that is specific to wetland rehabilitation in mining landscapes. This was necessary as the available information on mine planning, impact mitigation and rehabilitation of mining landscapes did not specifically or adequately address wetland rehabilitation in this context.

Mining frequently impacts on water quality and hydrology in ways that differ from other land uses, and can create challenging water quality and hydrological conditions. Such conditions will frequently necessitate customising wetland rehabilitation approaches that ensure wetland rehabilitation structures can cope with associated water quantity and quality issues, making mining-specific wetland rehabilitation guidance necessary. The introductory guide is structured to provide users with the core principles that should inform planning and decision-making at different phases of wetland rehabilitation, namely planning, implementation, and monitoring and long-term management phases.

Key elements integral to wetland rehabilitation in each phase are summarised in easy-reference checklists that help users ensure that the guidelines provided in this document are adhered to. An overview of legal considerations for wetland rehabilitation in the mining landscape is also provided. By consolidating existing guidance on wetland rehabilitation in mining landscapes, this introductory guide aims to promote the standardised application of tools in wetland rehabilitation and improve clarity with respect to wetland rehabilitation planning, design and implementation in mining landscapes. In particular the guidance is intended to provide appropriate practical and strategic approaches to wetland rehabilitation, and to support the development of wetland rehabilitation and management commitments and license conditions that are realistic, achievable and can be monitored. Well planned and implemented wetland rehabilitation can help to avoid a range of risks for proponents, government and affected communities and ensure compliance with environmental legislative provisions and authorization requirements.

Taxonomy

• Water
• Mitigation