Rehabilitation

Coal & Allied conducts progressive rehabilitation of areas that have been mined, wherever possible, to reduce our impact on the environment and minimise the residual impact of our operations. 

Rehabilitation involves the reshaping and revegetation of land that has been mined with a selection of plant species that create habitats which improve biodiversity and restore the value of the land for use by future generations. Rehabilitation also reduces erosion by limiting the areas of a mine exposed to wind and water.

Results

In 2007, Coal & Allied sites rehabilitated 183ha of land, which was below the target of 249ha due to changes in mine plans.  However, Bengalla mine completed a weed control and revegetation programme along a 16km stretch of the Hunter River and also planted 3,000 seedlings with the ultimate aim of returning the riparian zone along the river to native vegetation.

Coal & Allied sites met their disturbance target in 2007, disturbing 220ha of land, below the target of 233ha.  The 2008 rehabilitation target for Coal & Allied is lower than 2007 due to changes in the mine plan which will see more rehabilitation work completed on a campaign basis, in accordance with our mine life plans.

In accordance with the Coal & Allied target, individual site targets are also lower (see site reports for more information).