IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature

With the fast growing infrastructure development in Lebanon, abandoned quarries in the country signify today deteriorated scenery and nature. Furthermore, it represents an increasing degradation threat to the landscape, ecosystem and the environment. It has been reported by the Alleviating Barriers to Quarries Rehabilitation in Lebanon Project, that there are more than 1,278 quarry sites are distributed over forestland and grass land, including more than 1,000 quarry sites that are abandoned without restoration, leaving behind huge negative impacts on the local ecosystems and livelihoods of the surrounding communities.

While Holcim Lebanon is committed to allocated resources for the project (which will take place in two phases), IUCN shall provide the technical support needed for the assessment, design and support throughout the project implementation to ensure that such an initiative is sustained and presented as a good example for others to follow in Lebanon. Furthermore this Project also attempts to involve local partners in the different phases of the project according to their expertise.

This project has multiple purposes:
- Help Holcim understand the difficulties of rehabilitating a quarry and give it the know-how of doing such activity.
- Reflect a sense of professionalism and commitment towards the local
communities.
- Strengthen the position of Holcim as one of the environmental pioneers in Lebanon.

This project is expected to provide a model for the restoration of abandoned quarries in Lebanon, and also to be replicated elsewhere in the region.

For more information: mufleh.abbadi@iucn.org

The plan must include technical design interventions, costings for the work within a defined financial envelope, a risk analysis, and a monitoring plan for the two years for rehabilitation work and recommendations for beyond this timeline to Holcim.

An environmental monitoring program will also be designed to ensure that execution of the quarry rehabilitation project has minimal impact on the environment (risk analysis).

Phase one:

Will include the development of two alternative rehabilitation scenarios and designs for the site. The designs will be reviewed by the project NSC and therefore constrained to one design that follows suitability criteria.

Phase two: 

Following the selection of the design by the NSC, an expantion on the selected designs will be done based on comments received from the Committee. An identification of the risks to (i) completing the work, and (ii) successful rehabilitation of the site after two years – and suggested mitigation actions for the risks will be identified including possible environmental concerns. At the end of phase two, a complete deteled design will contain a progressive rehabilitation plan and timeline.