Network to promote ecological remediation for a strengthened Swedish mining and metal industry

Purpose and goal
Enetjärn Natur, SveMin, Jernkontoret and Tailings Consultants Scandinavia have laid the foundation for a Swedish network to promote ecological remediation, EkoNätet. The project has linked various business sectors that are currently working or intending to work with ecologically and socially oriented remediation. Through the project, awareness of the issues has been raised. The project has shown the various values that are possible to create with ecologically and socially oriented remediation in former industrial areas or connected to the on-going industrial activities.

Structure and implementation
The project has followed the approach that was presented in the application. The initial workshop was an important first step to gather knowledge from selected key stakeholders. A broader seminar and field visit was held later in the project. The event managed to gather a diverse audience with different experiences and input to ecologically and socially oriented remediation. The project has in addition to the above mentioned activities also investigated solutions for an IT-based platform. This work will make a good foundation if a more advanced website is to be developed in the future.

Results
EkoNätet has contributed to knowledge sharing between different stakeholders. New forums for sharing experiences of ecologically and socially oriented remediation have been created through the various activities that have been carried out within the project. Furthermore, a study to examine how EkoNätet could be part of a broader network promoting business issues related to natural capital, biodiversity and ecosystem services (Business@Biodiversity) have been carried out. This has resulted in an action plan for future development of EkoNätet.

More information (in Swedish)

• Handbok för ekologisk efterbehandling
• Ekonätet