As global climate risks intensify, rehabilitation of degraded mine lands is increasingly framed not just as restoration, but as climate adaptation and nature-positive development. Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) leverage ecosystem processes — like plant succession, soil biology, and watershed restoration — to repair landscapes.
What Are Nature-Based Solutions?
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), NBS are actions that protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems to address societal challenges — including climate change, disaster risk, and biodiversity loss.
In mining landscapes, NBS include:
- Reforestation and afforestation
- Wetland re-establishment
- Phytoremediation (using plants to extract contaminants)
- Agroforestry integration
- Constructed floodplain forests
International Examples
Australia:
Phytoremediation trials in mine tailings using Eucalyptus species have reduced heavy metal concentrations in soils, enhancing subsequent agricultural use.
Canada:
In the Sudbury region (nickel mining), liming and reforestation restored soil pH and enabled forest regrowth on severely degraded terrains.
South Africa:
Constructed wetlands are being used to treat acid mine drainage naturally before it enters rivers.
These projects demonstrate how “functional landscapes” can replace degraded mine sites.
Research & Data
A 2021 study in the Journal of Environmental Management found that:
- NBS can improve soil health metrics (organic matter and water infiltration) by 35–60% over 5–7 years.
- Carbon sequestration potential in rehabilitated landscapes often exceeds initial projections, providing climate finance opportunities.
NBS for mine lands aligns with:
- Landscape restoration commitments under the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration
- National climate strategies
- Green Growth frameworks
These approaches dovetail with carbon trading or ecosystem service payment mechanisms — offering economic incentives for rehabilitation beyond compliance.
Application in Kenya
In Kenya, NBS can address multiple national priorities:
- Landscape degradation
- Food security
- Climate resilience
- Community livelihoods
By integrating NBS into mine closure planning, rehabilitated sites can become productive agroforestry systems, community forests, wetlands, or biodiversity corridors.