Mining operations can disrupt the existing balance of the natural environment. The “Emerald Bowl” project aims to restore biodiversity after completion of mining activities and to create a recreation area for local people. The project won the 1st Prize in National Quarry Life Award in 2012 in Russia. Read more: http://www.quarrylifeaward.com/project/emerald-bowl

1. Restoration of the disturbed lands after completing mining works.
Investigation of iterspecificflora interactions in the quarry and adjacent areas
Study of soils moisture conditions and causes of landslides
Investigation of reasons for fauna depauperationin the quarry water bodies,
Investigating possibility of using the work-out quarry for recreational purposes and organization of sports competitions
Summary
The main ideas of the projectare as follows:
Study of in-dump
soils qualities
Investigating
possibility of using
lichens for humus
restoration

2. Miningoperationsareapowerfulfactorwhichdisruptstheexistingbalanceinnaturalenvironment. Disintegrationofunderlyingsurface,ahugestreamofsuspendedmatters,disturbanceofwaterregimeofthearea,mechanicaldestroyingofphytocoenosis–thatisnotthefulllistofconsequencescausedbyminingoperationsonarathersmallterritory.Besides,thereisadisturbanceofdynamicsofairstreamswhichtransferplantpollen.Theirspeedanddirectionchangecausingvariationsofmicroclimaticparameters,affectingconditionsofsporefixationandpollinating.WeinvestigatetheabovementionedissuesandsuggestourideasonquarryrestorationandbiodiversitypromotionontheexampleoftheGurovoquarry.GurovskoedepositofconstructionlimestoneissituatedinthesettlementofNovogurovsky,inthenorthwestpartofTularegion,within1,5kmtothenorthwestofOJSCGurovo-Beton.ThelicensedareaofGurovodepositissituatedontheslopepartoftheVashanarivervalleyandPotryasovkabrook.Thegroundlevelmarksare150-230meters.. The "Emerald Bowl“ project is aimed at restoration of biological diversity after completion of mining operations and creation of recreation area for local people. Introduction

3. The project objectives are:
Researchfloraandfaunaofthequarryandadjacentareas;
Developideasofbiologicaldiversityrestorationwhilecreatingarecreationzoneonthere-cultivatedareas;
Developideasofplantingtheworked-outquarryareawithtypicalfortheregionplants;
Suggestideasofmakingsurfacewaterrunoffintheusedquarry;
Suggestideasofmakingmicroarboretumonthedisturbedandrecultivatedlands;
Investigatepossibilityofplacinglichenpopulationonlimestonedepositsforactivationofsoilformation;
Developideasofcreatingwater-bodiesforrecreationandplacinghydrobionts;
Suggestideasofconstructingarock-climbingwall. For the project development we use the following methods:
Researchofbiologicalspeciescorrelationontheterritoriesadjacenttothequarry;
Researchofhumidityconditionsoftheinsidedump. Classificationofitsareasaccordingtosoilhumidity;
Modelingaprocessofwaterflowontherockmassoftheinsidedump;
Projectdevelopmentofsyntheticstream-flowforsurfacewatercollectionanddrainage;
Investigationofrockcharacteristics(potential)forRock- climbingwallconstruction;
Choiceofareasforlichensandotherprotozoaplacement;
Choiceoffloraspeciesforplantingonthedeterminedareas. The expected advantages for the biological diversity and for the company
The natural correlations between flora and geological environment will be restored in the areas disturbed by mining operations.
The moisture conditions in the area will remain the same.
The area will be used for water-based recreation of the local people. And the quarry territory will serve as a source of knowledge about local species of plants.
The Company will not have to use considerable volumes of soil for backfilling of low ground elevation.
The Company will gain the opportunity to get extra profit from holding competitions on the Rock-climbing wall.
The possibility of uncontrollable littering up of the quarry territory will be excluded.
The project ideas can be applied to other HC quarries.
Aesthetic advantage. The quarry will be turned out into a beautiful landscape which can be used for various purposes.
New species of flora and fauna will appear on the territory. The biological diversity will not only be restored but will increase.

4. Research of flora characteristics in the adjoining areasBiological diversity research was conducted throughout the whole observation period. There were 2 field of the research:
•Researchandanalysisoftypicalherbage;
•Studyingoftreecropstypicalforthisregion. Theresearchwasheldbythemethodoflayingsampleareas(of1x1metersize)withfurtherdeterminationofplantspeciesbymeansofspeciesindicatorundertheconsultationoftheexpert-botanist.Thefollowingplantsweredetermined:
-Trees:small-leavedlinden(Tiliacordata),Englishoak(Quercusrobur),birch(Betula), spruce(Picea)
-bushes:Europeanhazel(Corylusavellana),blood-redhawthorn(Crataegussanguinea), etc. -meadowgrasses:greatoxeye(Leucanthemumvulgare),alsikeclover(Trifoliumhybridum), catpea(Viciacracea),commonagrimony(Agrimoniaeupatoria),etc.; -Coarse grasses: musk bristlethistle (Carduus nutans),milk-witch gowan (Taraxacum officinale),rock-cress, couch-grass (Agropyron repens),etc.; -ruderal weed: great nettle (Urtica dioica),motherwort (Leonurus gen); -roadside growing plants: cotton burdock (Arctium tomentosum),dooryard plantain (plantago major),etc.. On the basis of our analysis we made a histogram illustration the richness of flora. The herbarium of separate representatives of these plants is collected. Research made in the operating part of the quarry leads to the conclusion about the similarity of plant species on the disturbed and non-disturbed lands. Spatial inhomogeneity of plant communities was revealed during the research. In particular, the following regularities were observed: On the recultivated lands with good water nutrition and favorable microclimatic conditions there is a wide species diversity which does not differ much from the plant species of natural poium. Among the dominate species : Kentucky bluegrass, tufted grass, musk bristlethistle, wild chervil, blue dandelion, French willow, willow herb, willow weed, wormwood, etc. Disturbed lands with more loamy soil are habitat for less adaphic plants: bull's-foot, horse sorrel, couch grass, Canada thistle, meadow clover, German chamomile. A longer observation period made it possible to determine plants with later vegetational season: Hieracium umbellatum L., fall dandelion, woodreed. .

5. On the basis of the systematic analysis we can come to the conclusion that most biodiversity if observed among the following species: Cramineae, Compositae, Rosaceae and the Rubiaceae which is typical for the geographic zone of broad-leaved forests of the European part of Russia. On the territories adjacent to the quarry mesophytes predominate. They are represented by hardy-shrub species (tillet, nutwood, blood-red hawthorn, English oak, spruce fir, Norway maple) and by poiums represented by meadow clover, bush grass, base vervain, French willow, Hieracium umbellatum L. Itishardtooverestimatethevalueoftheseplantsastheyarenotjustanaturalbeauty,butalsotheyarethepartofabalancedbiogeocenosis. Onthebasisofthisecological-biologicalanalysiswedistributedthevarietyoffloraintogroupswithsimilarsimilarrelationtothecertainconditionsofhabitat,forexample,towardslight, moisture,microclimatethermalcharacteristicsanddeterminedspecificcharactersofbiodiversityandtheircorrelationwiththeunderlyingsurfacesubstatefactors. Theresearchallowstodevelopaprojectofplantingthesitewiththeplantstypicalforthisregionintheproportionstypicalforthisbiogeocenosis.

6. Forplantsdevelopmentseveralconditionsareveryimportant:water,temperatureregime,sunlight,mineralresources,etc.Waterandtemperatureregimeoftheterritorydeterminespeciescompositionandinterspeciesrelations. InvestigatingrecultivatedterritoriesofGurovoquarrywediscoveredasmallstreamflow,aconfluentoftheVashanariver,onthesouthernboarderofthequarry.Itprovidesdrainageoftheadjacentterritory.Onthesteepbanksofthestreamwefoundallplantspeciescharacteristicofthisquarry. Itshouldbenotedthatplantdensityandlengthofaerialpartsofplantsishigherthereincomparisonwithlessaqueoussoil. Waterregimehasaprofoundeffectonbiocenosisspeciescomposition.Atmosphericcondensationformin-pitdumpgroundwaterandcapillaryfringewhichnourishtheplants. Withtheruductionofseepageflowspeciescompositionchanges.InGurovoquarrywediscoveredasharp(nearlyhorizontal)changeofspeciescomposition.Thereisalsoasharpchangeinthelevelofbiodiversity. Exposuretolightisalsoofhighpriority.Theabovedescribedconditionsarecharacteristicofthesouthernslope.Themainpartofthein-pitdumppresentsalow-inclinedsurfaceofnorthernexposition.Theangleofslopeis3-5°.Itmeansthatevaporation(oneofthemaincomponentsofwaterregime)isreducedandthereareconditionsfordevelopmentofplants. Onthein-pitdumpthereisnearlynofertilesoillayer,butthisdoesnotpreventfromnaturalseeding,asseedscomeintofavorableconditions(water,warmth,mineralresources)fortheirfixationandgrowth.Overburdengeologicalmaterial(clayandlimestone)aresourceofmineralresourcesandmicroreliefenablesdevelopmentoftheplants.. ThusGurovoquarryhaspotentialfordisturbedbiodiversityrestorationbothonrecultivatedandnon-recultivatedlands.
Theconclusionis:it’snecessarytocreatepreconditionsforhighlevelofflorabiodiversityduringin-pitdumpformationinadvance.Amongsuchpreconditionsthereisaslightloweringoftherelief,smallplateauforcropsdevelopment,etc. Formationofdenseclayareaswillenabletocreateareaswithaquaticvegetation.
Research of soil and subsoil typesThesoilssamplesfromdifferentareasareaswereselectedtoinvestigatetheirgeologicalorigin,structureandmoisturecharacteristics.Wecanjudgeaboutthesoilmoisturebyitselectriccharacteristics,forexample,byelectroconductivity. Electroconductivityofsoilsfluctuateswithin1,0-15мА.Theconsiderablevariationsofthisparameterarecausedbythehugevariabilityofsoilmoistureandgiveevidenceoffiltrationalpropertiesofthesoilanditsabilitytoretainmoistureatthecutsurfaceandtoprovideplantnutrition.
The project of restoration of the disturbed balance of biodiversity while creating a recreational area on the recultivated territory.

7. The project of making a surface flow in the worked-out quarryAtmosphericcondensationformsurfacewaterandseepageintotherockmass.Innaturalconditionslandrunoffismadeupof40-56%ofprecipitationdepth,about40%evaporatesfromthesurface,seepageamountsat14-16%ofthedepth.Onthewayintotherockmassinfiltratingwaterevaporatesnourishingplantsrootsystem.Thusduetoinfiltrationverysmallpartofatmosphericcondensationgoestogroundwaterformation.Intheresultminerockunderlyingseamsretainbearingcapacityandmovableequilibriumismaintained. TheinsidedumpofGurovoquarryismadeupofgeologicalmaterialofoverburdenandwasteoflimestoneexcavation.Distributionofareasaccordingtosoildensity,waterfiltrationcapacityisofrandom(statistical) nature.Investigationofwaterfiltrationcoefficientsofgeologicalmaterialshowthatwaterfiltrationcoefficientofclayvariesfrom10(-3)to10(-5) m/day,oflimestone-10to10(-1)m/day.Waterfiltrationcoefficientofinsidedumpdeformationstructurevariesfrom10to10(-3)m/day. Consequentlyonthedumpsurfaceandintheitsdepththereareareaswithlowandhighwaterfiltrationcoefficient,whichresultsinzonalgroundwaterformationnotonlyclosetosurfacebutalsointhedepthofthedump. Uncontrollableaccumulationofhydrodynamicwaterleadstozonalloweringofrockbearingcapacityandlandsliding.OurinvestigationofGurovoquarryshowsthatthereare2waystopreventopen-pitslides:eithermonitoringofgroundwaterlevelatthebearingwallorinfiltrationregulation. Inthefirstcaseit’srecommendedtoinstallpumpsforgroundwaterlevelregulation.Inthesecondcaseit’snecessaryeithertoformareaswithcertainfiltrationcharacteristicsinadvanceortoprovidewaterdiversionbyconstructingartificialfacilities,suchascascadeofinterconnectedwaterbodiesensuringquickandreliablewaterdiversion.

8. Thelow-inclinedsurfaceoftheopen-castinsidedump,themicroreliefpresence,thestatisticallydistributeddensityofrocksofthedumppromoteoccurrenceandlongerfunctioningofsmallreservoirsintheinsidedumparea-thechainofsmallreservoirs– whicharetypicalrepresentativesofthesecondtypeofreservoirs. Artificialreservoirswithcorrectlywell-foundedparametersarecapabletoprovideregularsurface-waterdrainage, preservationandthemaintenanceofwaterregimeduringthesettingofsedimentsperiod. Thesettlementpartoftheprojectonmaintenanceofplantscommunities'waterregimeandthesurfacewatercontrollingshouldbebasedonthedataofalayerofsediments,theirmagnitude,thesurfacewatersmovementspeedanddistances, optimalfortheregulationofgroundwatersmovement. Anyreservoirisnotonlythecapacityassumingthesurfacewaters,butalsoaregulatorofgroundwaters. Thephotoclimatehastheconsiderableimpactonthecharacterofawaterregimeofcoastshore.Theshoresfocusedonthesouth,arewellshinedbythesunandaresubjecttomoreintensiveheateffect.Theobservationsoverspeciesdiversitychangeontherecultivatedareashaveshownthathydro-geologicalconditionshavethedramaticimpact/dominantinfluenceonthebiocenosisdevelopmentconditions. Artificialcontrolofawaterregimeandproviding/securingthesafetyofrecultivatedareasaretheinterconnectedprocessesandprovidingconditionsforoccurrenceanddevelopmentofplantcommunities. Theresearchofthegoafspaceareaandthesurfaceofaninsidedumpoftheopen-casthasshownthattwotypesofreservoirsappearandfunctioninthisarea.Thefirsttypeofreservoirshasarisenasaresultofwrongfulminingworksdeepeningtogroundwatersstaticlevel.

9. The Project of aquatic organisms' placementPresenceofsmallorlargewaterbodiesisnotthemainpreconditionfortherichspeciesbiodiversity.Bothclimaticandhydrochemicalfactorsinfluencethecharacteroffloraandfauna. ArtificialwaterreservoirsofGurovoquarrypresentgoodsitesforbiodiversityinvestigationanddevelopingwaystoincreaseit. Thecomparativeanalysisofspeciesdiversityinthequarrywater- bodiesallowstodisplayregularitieswhichserveasthebasisfordecision-makingonbiodiversitypromotion. Thefirsttypeofpondswhichappearedintheresultofexcavationalittlebelowstaticgroundwaterlevelhavecharacteristicsforaquaticorganismsdevelopment.Constantcontactwithlimestonegivesalkalinereactionofthewater,shallowdepthofthepondandgoodwarmingshouldhavebroughtaboutweediness(biodiversityrestoration) Conclusion:Dependingontheneedofphytocoenosisit’snecessarytoensurewaterregime,thermalmicroclimat,mineralresourcescombinationandtheiravailabilityforplantandmicroorganismsnutrition.Themainideaofrestorationandbiodiversitypromotionintheworked-outquarriesconsistsincreatingchainsofinterconnectedsmallpondswhichpreservewaterbetweenprecipitation.Theideaofprojectiscreatinganartificialriverwithreachesandriftsprovidinglifedevelopmentandmaintenanceofparametersforaquaticorganisms'existence. Howeveritdoesnothappen.Wepresumethatthereasonforthatisthelimitationfactor-superalkalinityofthewaterandconsequentlygrowthretardationofbiologicalchainsfrommicroorganismstohighlydevelopedaquaticorganisms. Adifferentpictureisobservedinthesmallpondofmicro-relief.Theyarecharacterizedbyshallowwaters,periodicityofwateradmission,richflora.Boththepondsthemselvesandespeciallyadjacentterritorieshaverichbiodeversirycausedbyofallfactors:warmth,water,mineralresources).

10. The project lichen populations placement on limestone deposits for soil formation activationInbiodiversityrestorationpracticeuseoflichensisoneofthemechanismsoftheinitialstageofrecultivation.Lichenisanoriginalgroupofthelivingorganismswhosebodyisformedbytwoorganisms-afungusandanalgaorcyanobacteriabeinginsymbiosis.Neutralandalkalescentenvironmentformedinplacesofatmosphericprecipitationdetention(acreviceandcracksofblocks)promotedevelopmentlichensonsurfaces.Theyplayasignificantroleinsoil-formationprocess.Longpresenceoflichenpopulationpromotesaccumulationofhumusanddevelopingconditionsforhigherplantsgrowth.Thefirststageisoccurrenceofthedotcentresoflichensonthelimestonesurface.Youcanseeinthepicturehowdensesugar-colorlimestonearegettingdarkerundertheinfluenceoflichens,andthuscreatingconditionsforhigherplantsgrowth. . During our observations we noticed that lichens settle on less sunlit areas. For this purpose the surface should not be plain, but with small size folds with prevalence of the shaded surfaces. Colonization can be accelerated by limeston moistening with skim milk or urea solution. For an intensification of humus formation it is necessary to place specially prepared lichen cultures. Thus, lichens together with bacteria, cyanobacteria, fungi and some algae create conditions for higher organisms: plants and animals.

11. The project of Rock-climbing wall constructionPartofourprojectisaRock-climbingwallconstruction.Inrelationtothisissuewemadesomeinvestigations.
The Rock-climbing wall is an engineering construction consisting of specially prepared structures intended for various kinds of climbing and possessing corresponding constructional characteristics. The relief of the climbing wall surface and unique. ToconstructtheRock-climbingwallweshoulddothefollowing: -ToprovetheRock-climbingwallstabilityonthebasisofcalculations; -Toguaranteethatitcanbeattachedtotheadjoiningarea. Thatiswhysuchfactors,asenvironmentalconditions,wind,snowloadinganddurabilityofcomponentsareveryimportant.Routepreparationonthenaturalreliefassumesclearingfromstones,arrangementoftheupperandbottomsafetyequipment.WebelievethatnowtherearesomepartsofthequarrywallssuitablefortheRock- climbingwallconstruction.It’stheeasternslopeoftheWesternQuarryandweaternslopeoftheNorthernQuarry. Exposuresareclosetovertical,withtheminimumledges. Conclusion: OntheexaminedareasitispossibletobuildauniversalRock-climbingwall,whichcombineselementsofreliefforvariouskindsofclimbing. Besides,itcanincludeelementsforspeed,difficultyandboulderingclimbing.Ontheonehanditwillallowtosolvetheproblemofpreservationofnaturalhabitatandrestorationofdisturbedareas,andontheotherhand,itwillgiveachancetouseaninterestingreliefofthequarryforcreatingarecreationalzoneforpeopleandholdingcompetitionsandsportsandfitnessclimbing..

12. CombinationoftheCompanyrestorationeffortswithsuccessionprocesseswillleadtospottylandscapecreationwithbiodiversitylevelexceedingthenaturalone.Thisworkcanbedonewithactiveparticipationofgreenmovement, biologicalcenters,studentsandprofessors,localcommunity.
Thus,theprojectrepresentawidespectrumofideasonbiodiversityrestoration,rehabilitationofdisturbedlandsandecologicaleducationofpeople.
Conclusions