A reflection on abandoned infrastructures

These days we are witnessing, in the first person and in record time, what happens when the human presence disappears from the places used by our species and from abandoned infrastructures.

Well, the evidence tells us that nature is breaking through, regaining lost space and moving forward without needing our existence.

After this reflection, we wonder if, once an infrastructure has been abandoned, it would be necessary to restore the previously deteriorated landscape. Since life itself is also relative, such decisions should be relative and evaluated on a case-by-case basis when enforcing environmental laws.

Searching for latrines in our environmental impact work, after many unsuccessful trips, we arrived at an abandoned quarry where the presence of rabbits was more than evident, the terrain was perfect, sandy slopes where lagomorphs abounded. The vegetation had taken root in humid and shady valleys, thus naturalizing the space.

The quarry basin had been converted into summer sheets of water that housed numerous amphibian stands, too. The surface water table made rafts with a certain amount of water withstand the presence of anatids harassed by the presence of a lagoon harrier (Circus aeruginosus)

Gravel areas were optimal for the Chorlitejo Chimper (Charadrius dubius) away from their usual place of distribution. Rocky walls sheltered the great Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo), scandalous Western Jackdaws (Corvus monedula) and Red-haired Dove (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) they shared space with a couple of vulgar kestrels (Falco tinnunculus), while numerous groups of passerines were making an appearance in such a diverse space.

Some medium-sized mammals, ungulates and carnivores, taking advantage of existing vegetation, water and especially the presence of rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), appear on the scene taking advantage of new resources.

The result is an island of biodiversity in an agricultural environment crammed with herbicides and human pressure. Therefore, non-intervention in an abandoned space (as long as there is no presence of toxic and harmful elements, hence the relativity of cases) can lead to the naturalization of a previously humanized area.

In conclusion, we can say that environmental impact studies are a very important tool when it comes to dictating environmental laws made in cold offices far from reality. Even these infrastructures can form part of compensatory measures when managing some projects.