Regenerating the local environment in Olaberría, Spain
Today's challenge
The ArcelorMittal plant in Spain is a good example of how we're trying to make our value of 'sustainability' real, and put it into practice across the business.
We believe that economic development should go hand-in-hand with the protection of the environment, and the work we've done to reclaim and improve the brown-field land around the Olaberría plant shows how this can be achieved.
Identifying the problem
The Olaberría site is unusual in that it's surrounded by forests, and by 2006 there were over 18 hectares of land that we no longer needed, including two disused landfill sites. There was an obvious opportunity to create a new area of forest, but the decision to make it into a viable habitat, and an amenity for local people, demanded careful planning and considerable investment.
Our response
We worked closely with the regional council from the start. They're actively encouraging re-forestation projects by offering substantial subsidies towards the cost of clearing, cleaning, and planting. Our task was to ensure that the work was done in the best way, and with the best results.
Developing a practical solution
The first step was to engage a forestry specialist, with experience in this sort of project. He studied the various soil types at the site, and analysed the different geographical and climate conditions, which ranged from dry uplands to wetter low-lying areas. He then recommended the most appropriate native trees for the different areas. Secondly, we sought a reliable supplier in Belgium in order to source a large consignment of trees.
The whole project took a team of seven people seven days to complete, and cost a total of euro 61,500. Of this euro12,000 was spent on clearing and cleaning, euro 23,000 on planting, and the rest on buying the trees. 45% of this cost was refunded by the regional government.
The results
Nearly 30,000 trees were planted, including ash, oak, poplar, maple, and sequoia. Some have grown faster than others, and the sequoias, in particular, have not done so well, but two years later over 90% of the trees are still thriving.
We're also delighted that the new forest is already encouraging greater biodiversity in the area, with sightings of wild boar and roe deer, as well as smaller mammals and many different bird species. Likewise the local reaction has been very positive, both from residents, the local council, and media.
Lessons learned
One of the most important lessons we've learned is the importance of doing a project like this with care and consideration, and involving the affected parties. As this project was a first of its type, we took the time to do detailed research and groundwork, and hired in the expertise we needed. It's also crucial to have senior leadership and commitment: Miguel Urteaga, a Senior Manager, was one of the strongest supporters of the project from the start, and he was responsible for making sure that it had both the money and the people it needed.
Tomorrow's ambition
Looking ahead, we now have much better relationships with local stakeholders, which is good for all concerned, and may be the basis for other community projects in the future.
As Alvaro Plaza, Environmental Manager at the site says, "this was one of the most rewarding projects I've ever been involved in. The whole area has been transformed, and anyone new to the area would find it hard to believe what it used to look like, and how much we've achieved."
Picture: An aerial view of the reforestation project at the ArcelorMittal Olaberría plant in Spain