CASE STUDIES
Utilising composted greenwaste to create healthy soils on reclaimed brownfield land
A partnership involving Ecological Restoration Consultants working with
Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), the Mersey Forest and the Clean
Merseyside Centre has received a grant of £448,439 from the Waste and Resources
Action Programme (WRAP) Regional Market Development Fund, to demonstrate the
value of composted greenwaste in reclaiming brownfield land and thus helping to
create healthier green spaces across the North West region of England. Creation
of new habitats will concentrate primarily on community woodland and species
rich mesotrophic grasslands. 20,000 tonnes of compost (PAS 100 certified)
sourced in Merseyside is being utilised to create ‘healthy’ functioning soil
ecosystems on derelict and low level contaminated brownfield sites and new
development projects in Merseyside and other sites in the North West (see CASE
STUDIES -
A Role for Compost in the Regeneration of the former Royal Ordnance Factory).
A programme of research based at LJMU has developed a toolbox of biological
indicators (including soil fauna and microbial indicators) which will provide a
decision tool for determining the development of soil diversity and soil
functioning (See Report). This information will assist and encourage other
agencies and developers to specify green waste compost for brownfield
regeneration and will contribute to decision making tools such as the Forestry
Commission’s computer based “ROOTS” package for forestry planting schemes.
Ecological Restoration Consultants contributes to the Healthy Soils Project
through involvement in the design and implementation of the research and with
liaison with the Mersey Forest and developers to design and implement compost
addition at a range of brownfield sites.
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