Objective: To complete site landscaping and to survey, map and delineate the demonstration plots.

Task Co-ordinators: Dr Jeremy Williams, IES - GIS work,   Professor Tom Pritchard, SEC - landscaping

In order to be able to quantify the impact of the planting regimes and polyacrylamide gel technology, reproducible demonstration plots are required. The key topographic, substrate and microclimatic environmental variables across the area will be surveyed and then assessed and mapped, together with the socio-economic/landscape/heritage information, using geographical information systems (GIS) to classify the area into environmental/landscape zones. This data will be then be used to delineate the demonstration plots. The landscaping of the site will be performed at no extra cost by Alfred McAlpine Slate Ltd

Proposed start date: September, 1999 Estimated duration: 4.5 months

Task Deliverables &/or Events: Survey of environmental and landscape zones., Landscaping of sites.

On request re-task/trial progression and quarterly plus end of programme reports.

(See GANTT table 'Project Progress'):

Estimated Person*Months of Effort: 8

Objective: To obtain and cultivate large amounts of genetically similar plant material of local provenance suitable for field experimentation.

Task Co-ordinator: Mr Terry Rendell, SEC

Most restoration studies have used plant genetic material that is highly variable and which is not of local provenance. With this approach, the success of the treatments cannot be verified due to the inherent variability in plants. We therefore aim to produce 5,000 trees and 20,000 individual heather plants of local provenance suitable for field experimentation at the field site. Some plant material will also be kept back for the second year in case some plants have failed.

Proposed start date: September, 1999 Estimated duration: 12 months

Task Deliverables &/or Events:

Cultivation of 5,000 trees and 20,000 heather plants genetically similar to plant material of local provenance.

On request re-task/trial progression and quarterly plus end of programme reports. (See GANTT table 'Project Progress'):

Estimated Person*Months of Effort: 10.5

Objective: To assess the socio-economic impact of the Penrhyn Quarry restoration programme.

Task Co-ordinator: Dr Cledwyn Hughes, IES - socio-economic survey

Associated expert: Dr Jeremy Williams, IES - GIS, Prof. Gareth Edward Jones - environmental economics

Many local people feel that the Penrhyn Quarry site is part of their cultural and industrial heritage. Their views will be elicited through a range of standard participatory rural appraisal techniques using questionnaires from a stratified sample of 500 members of the local community and semi-structured interviews with key informants. This appraisal will assess overall views on the future use of the post-industrial land on the site, restoration to semi-natural vegetation specifically, and (by reference to photographs, digital simulations and plans) specific views on the desired future landscape as it can be influenced by the spatial distribution of different restoration methods throughout the site environment. The resulting complex spatial information will be incorporated into the overall restoration of the site through geographical information systems (GIS) analysis. A similar programme will follow up on some of the key respondents at the termination of the LIFE programme.

Proposed start date: October, 1999 Estimated duration: 6 months

Task Deliverables &/or Events:  Completed survey of socio-economic impact of restoration programme.; Incorporation of survey data into geographical information system (GIS).

Timetable of reporting (subject to start date):  On request re-task/trial progression and quarterly plus end of programme reports. (See GANTT table 'Project Progress'):

Estimated Person*Months of Effort: 3.5

Objective: Development and implementation of methodology and design of demonstration plots.

Task Co-ordinator: Dr Davey Jones, IES

Associated experts: Dr John Healey, Dr Peter Holliman & Prof. Farrar, IES, Professor John Good, ITE, Professor Tom Pritchard, SEC

The implementation of the correct methodology and design of demonstration plots is essential to the success of the project. In a three year project such as this there is no room for failure. This task will include the choice of methods used in any analytical procedures and the number of plants needed for statistical verification of the results. It will also include the purchase of some additional scientific monitoring equipment needed for the project (nutrient analysers, portable weather stations, polyacrylamide gels, fencing etc.) the demarcation, fencing and preparation of the demonstration plots and the purchase of computers for data handling.

Proposed start date: December, 1999 Estimated duration: 6 months

Task Deliverables &/or Events: Purchase of equipment., Complete construction of the demonstration plots.

Timetable of reporting (subject to start date): On request re-task/trial progression and quarterly plus end of programme reports.(See GANTT table 'Project Progress'):

Estimated Person*Months of Effort: 17

Objective: Implementation and validation of the environmental monitoring program

Task Co-ordinator: Dr John Healey, IES

Associated experts: Dr Davey Jones, IES, Professor Tom Pritchard, SEC

This task will demonstrate the validity of the methodology (equipment, weather stations, soil water samplers, computerised data handling) on existing replanted areas created by the Slate Ecology Company in 1996. This will confirm that the environmental monitoring methods operate successfully prior to full implementation on the trial plots.

Proposed start date: March, 2000 Estimated duration: 3 months

Task Deliverables &/or Events: Confirmation of validity of environmental monitoring program.

Timetable of reporting (subject to start date): On request re-task/trial progression and quarterly plus end of programme reports. (See GANTT table 'Project Progress'):

Estimated Person*Months of Effort: 9

Objective: Measurement of biodiversity

Task Co-ordinator: Professor Gareth John Edwards, IES

The biodiversity of the Penrhyn Quarry site will be measured in each year of the programme. In particular, the abundance of detritivores and insect herbivores will be monitored in the demonstration plots and the structure of these communities compared with that of communities occurring on similar vegetation in adjacent areas. Insect herbivore sampling will be undertaken with a suction trapper on heather plots and through beating on trees. A combination of core samples and pitfall traps will be used to monitor the detritivores. Nutrient analysis of plants will also be undertaken. Invertebrate sampling will be undertaken between April and September in each of the three years of the project. Standard bird counts will also be undertaken four times a year during the programme.

Proposed start date: April 2000 Estimated duration: 17 months

Task Deliverables &/or Events: Measurement of abundance of detritivores and insect herbivores., Plant nutrient analysis., Quarterly bird counts. 

Timetable of reporting (subject to start date): On request re-task/trial progression and quarterly plus end of programme reports.(See GANTT table 'Project Progress'):

Estimated Person*Months of Effort: 10

Objective: Implementation of the planting and monitoring programme at the Penrhyn Quarry tree sites, North Wales.

Task Co-ordinator: Dr John Healey, IES

Associated experts: Dr Davey Jones, Dr Graham Mayhead, Dr Jeremy Williams and Professor John Farrar, IES, Professor Tom Pritchard, SEC

Monitoring of the sites is essential to understanding the success of the methodologies employed. This task will be to plant two types of tree species (birch and willow) on the three separate substrate types with at least two replicated demonstration plots. Following this planting, the plant success will be monitored monthly by measuring plant survival, height, biomass production and photosynthetic flux rates. In addition, the water status at each of the sites will be measured using tensiometers and the composition of available water measured using zero-tension leachate traps and ceramic suction samplers. The amount of rainfall, rainfall chemistry, temperature regimes, wind speeds and sunlight hours will be recorded at each of the sites and correlated with the plant growth data. All the results will be placed in a database and statistically analysed using the computer package SAS.

Proposed start date: March, 2000 Estimated duration: 23 months

Task Deliverables &/or Events: Planting of birch and willow trees., Monitoring of plant success.Monitoring of environmental chemistry at the demonstration site.

Timetable of reporting (subject to start date): On request re-task/trial progression and quarterly plus end of programme reports. (See GANTT table 'Project Progress'):

Estimated Person*Months of Effort: 20

Objective: Implementation of the planting and monitoring programme at the Penrhyn Quarry heather sites, N. Wales.

Task Coordinator: Dr Davey Jones, IES

Associated experts: Dr John Healey, Dr Jeremy Williams and Professor John Farrar, IES Professor Tom Pritchard, SEC

Monitoring of the sites is essential to understanding the success of the methodologies employed. This task will be to plant heather on the three separate substrate types on two replicated demonstration plots. Following this planting, the plants success will be monitored monthly by measuring plant height and biomass production. In addition, the water status at each of the sites will be measured along with its quality. The amount of rainfall, rainfall chemistry, temperature regimes, wind speeds and sunlight hours will be recorded at each of the sites and correlated with the plant growth data. All the results will be placed in a database and statistically analysed using the computer package SAS.

Proposed start date: April, 2000 Estimated duration: 23 months

Task Deliverables &/or Events: Planting of heathers.Monitoring of plant success.Monitoring of environmental chemistry at the demonstration site.

Timetable of reporting (subject to start date):  On request re-task/trial progression and quarterly plus end of programme reports. (See GANTT table 'Project Progress'):

Estimated Person*Months of Effort: 20

Undertaken by:Institute of Environmental Science and Pizarras - Villar del Rey (Spain)

Objective:Implementation of the plant monitoring programme at Villar del Rey site, Spain.

Task Co-ordinator: Dr Davey Jones, IES

Associated experts: Drs John Healey and Peter Holliman, IES, Mr Peter Marston, SEC, Ms Inmaculada Pascua, Villar del Rey

Method and rationale:

This task will be to provide site specific advice to Villar del Rey staff for the planting of tree species Quercus Ilex or Quercus Suber (oak) and the shrubs Cistus Ladanifer or Cistus Salvifolius on the three separate substrate types with at least two replicated demonstration plots. Plant success will be monitored monthly by measuring plant survival, height and biomass production. The water status at the site will be measured. Local meteorological data will be correlated with the plant growth data. All the results will be placed in a database and statistically analysed using the computer package SAS.

Proposed start date: January, 2001 Estimated duration: 8 months

Task Deliverables &/or Events: Advice regarding the planting of birch and willow trees.Advice regarding the monitoring of plant success. Measurement of water status at the site.

Timetable of reporting (subject to start date): On request re-task/trial progression and quarterly plus end of programme reports. (See GANTT table 'Project Progress'):

Estimated Person*Months of Effort: 3

Objective: Implementation of the plant monitoring programme at Dan Morrissey Ltd, Ireland.

Task co-ordinator: Dr Davey Jones, IES

Associated experts: Drs John Healey and Peter Holliman, IES Mr Peter Marston, SEC Mr Philip Morrissey, Dan Morrissey (IRL) Ltd

This task will be to provide site specific advice to Dan Morrissey’s staff for the planting of two types of tree species (birch and willow) and heathers on the three separate substrate types with at least two replicated demonstration plots. Plant success will be monitored monthly by measuring plant survival, height and biomass production. The water status at the site will be measured along with water quality. Biodiversity measurements will be made which are based on those detailed in Task 6. Local meteorological data will be correlated with the plant growth data. All the results will be placed in a database and statistically analysed using the computer package SAS.

Proposed start date: January, 2001 Estimated duration: 8 months

Task Deliverables &/or Events: Advice regarding the planting of birch and willow trees.Advice regarding the monitoring of plant success.

Timetable of reporting (subject to start date): On request re-task/trial progression and quarterly plus end of programme reports. (See GANTT table 'Project Progress'):

Estimated Person*Months of Effort: 6

Objective: Assessment of the polyacrylamide gel technology in field studies

Task Co-ordinator: Dr Peter Holliman, IES

Associated expert: Dr Davey Jones, IES

There are five commercially available polyacrylamide (PAM) gels on the market which should prove suitable for aiding the restoration of land which is limited by water and nutrients. The gels have different formulations which make some more suitable to the Welsh or Irish climates and others to the Spanish site. An initial study of the water and nutrient capture and release characteristics of the gels and their expected lifespan under varying environmental conditions will confirm the correct choice of gel for each site. The gels will then be incorporated in the field as a component part of Tasks 7, 8, 9 and 10. The water and nutrient holding capacities of the gels will be monitored throughout the life of the programme. This will involve the taking of small sub-samples (1cm³) of the gel at monthly intervals followed by water and nutrient analysis at the Institute of Environmental Science. The amount of gel remaining will also be determined as described in the technical description in order to assess the lifespan of the gels in the field.

Proposed start date: May, 1999 Estimated duration: 20 months

Task Deliverables &/or Events: Incorporation of swell gels into field studies in parallel with Tasks 7,8,9 and 10. Determination of water and nutrient capture/release of swell gels. Determination of expected lifespan of swell gels.

Timetable of reporting (subject to start date):  On request re-task/trial progression and quarterly plus end of programme reports. (See GANTT table 'Project Progress'):

Estimated Person*Months of Effort: 23

Objective: Economic and cost-effective analysis of the restoration programme

Task Co-ordinator: Professor Mark Baird, IES

Associated experts: Professor Gareth John Edwards Jones, IES - environmental economist; All other team partners.

An important consideration of any restoration programme is the cost-effectiveness of the technology being used. This will be determined by adding up the total costs of each of the individual measures needed to ensure project success. This will be compared against the positive long term benefits of the restoration programme (amenity and conservation value). A cost benefit analysis will then be performed.

Proposed start date: May, 2002 Estimated duration: 4 months

Task Deliverables &/or Events: Determination of cost/benefit ratio of restoration program.  

Timetable of reporting (subject to start date): On request re-task/trial progression and quarterly plus end of programme reports. (See GANTT table 'Project Progress'):

Estimated Person*Months of Effort: 7