How to reconcile mining and biodiversity preservation?
An ecosystem that has been damaged, degraded or destroyed is not a lost cause. This project outlines a case study in Guinea, where the mining company Rio Tinto successfully used ecological restoration.
How can we reconcile mining and biodiversity preservation? I chose this question as my thesis subject in 2010, the International Year of Biodiversity, while pursuing my Master's degree in integrated land management and planning in Paris. The reason: the state of my homeland, Guinea, where the mining industry directly and indirectly contributes to 36% of the nation's GDP.
In this research project conducted in partnership with the University of Montpellier 2, CNRS (Centre d'Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive de Montpellier) and Rio Tinto Simandou, my objective was to develop an ecological restoration approach to help recover local ecosystems in the Pic de Fon region, in south-eastern Guinea.
To achieve this, I first spent several months conducting bibliographical research on mining in Guinea and other countries. I then joined Rio Tinto's environmental team in Guinea under the supervision of Dr. James Aronson from CNRS. The fieldwork allowed me to characterize different vegetation types and select candidate species for ecological restoration. I also produced a vegetation map covering the region from Canga-East to the top of the Simandou range.
The results enabled us to describe the landscape organization of the Pic de Fon Classified Forest and identify the potential for ecological restoration and rehabilitation. This work provides a framework to reconcile the inevitable conflicts between mining and biodiversity, while promoting the well-being of local populations.
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