RESTORE project final conference
Leaders from industry, conservation and European Parliament to address final RESTORE project conference
KEY figures from industry, the conservation sector and the European Parliament will address the RESTORE project final conference in Brussels from 17–18 June.
RESTORE is a partnership project made up of seven organizations across north-west Europe, working to further develop a framework for mineral site restoration for the benefit of biodiversity, people and local economies in the region.
Entitled ‘Public & Biodiversity Benefits Through Mineral Site Restoration’, the final conference will report on the project’s work, achievements and conclusions at the end of its three-year duration.
This concluding event will also afford an opportunity for all stakeholder attendees to engage in discussion and debate the issues surrounding mineral site restoration best practice going forward, and to meet with representatives of the project’s partner organizations.
Attendees will be also able to take part in site visits to a number of mineral sites on day two of the conference, to witness best-practice examples up close.
Full details of the agenda over the two days are available on the RESTORE project website (www.restorequarries.eu).
Attendance at this major gathering is free-of-charge, thanks to funding from the European Regional Development Fund through the INTERREG IVB NWE programme, and reservations to attend all or part of the two-day event can be made via the RESTORE website.
Looking forward to the culmination of the project, RESTORE project manager Nigel Symes said: ‘These last three years have been a great exercise in sound partnership working and trans-national liaison, bringing together and sharing experience, knowledge and know-how to help move the agenda forward where best practice and policy in minerals restoration for people and biodiversity is concerned.
‘This final conference will not only be an opportunity for RESTORE project partners to report on their work and conclusions at the end of the project’s life, but will also provide a great forum for stakeholders to come together and discuss the way forward from here on in.
‘Minerals restoration, handled properly, represents such huge potential to enhance biodiversity and deliver benefits for communities right across Europe. Providing new space for nature to thrive also provides accessible green-space benefits for local people and can be designed to help resolve local issues such as flooding.
‘We want stakeholders to continue to engage in this important opportunity to restore significant amounts of north-west Europe’s natural capital and so help shape a clear way forward in realizing – through minerals restoration – sound outcomes for nature and communities.’
