PPC generates electricity and implements a
program to rehabilitate disturbed soils from lignite
mining. About 7 million trees have been planted on more
than 20,000 acres. In detail, the objectives of the
research project are:
1) The calculation of the aboveground and
underground biomass and the estimation of the CO2 absorption from the tree
plantations of PPC in restored soils of the mines of the
Western Macedonia Lignite Center.
2) Research to assess
the contribution of plantations to the reduction of
respirable suspended PM10 particles and to the mitigation
of the environmental footprint of the mines.
3) The installation of a monitoring system to
record seasonal and temporal changes in CO2 storage in the Western
Macedonia Lignite Center.
4) Pilot model
innovation with the establishment of a recreational park
on the border of the restored area, according to the study
awarded by PPC in the Panhellenic competition of
architectural ideas for renovation and reuse of mines.
The certification of absorption units from the
tree plantations will ensure to PPC the reduction of the
total CO2 emission balance
and will scientifically substantiate the environmental
footprint from particle retention from the total leaf
area ofthe tree plantations. The databases that will
be created will be used to provide high quality
information and data on plantations and CO2 absorption.
This project will prove the quantitative
contribution of plantations to CO2 absorption and
will create motives for the intensification of mines
restorations.
