Geopark-Nachhaltigkeitstag zum Thema Ressourcenabbau

On 25 April, the Geopark Sustainability Day took place in the council chamber in Königslutter am Elm. The event was dedicated to the multifaceted and sometimes controversial topic of raw material extraction in the region and its importance for society, the environment, and the economy.

At the start, Mayor Alexander Hoppe welcomed the speakers and the guests present. He emphasised that although it was a rather small gathering, it was characterised by great interest and commitment.

Dr. Zellmer, head of the Geopark office in Königslutter, provided an introduction to the topic. He made it clear that resource extraction is an „uncomfortable subject“: on the one hand, there is a high demand for building materials, and on the other hand, extraction in close proximity is often met with rejection. It is precisely because of this potential for conflict that it is important for the Geopark to actively engage with the topic.

Following this, Dr. Volker Wilde, Chairman of the Geopark Advisory Board, introduced the topic from the perspective of the Geopark and explained the importance of regional sources for mineral raw materials from a sustainability perspective.

Christopher Rott and Steve Heydecke from Fels Werke GmbH highlighted the central role of limestone in everyday life. They demonstrated that lime is contained in numerous everyday products, such as glass, cat litter, and toothpaste, and also plays an important role in the purification of our drinking water. Furthermore, they emphasised their company's collaboration with various nature conservation associations, for example, in the context of projects such as bat monitoring or the renaturation of open-cast mines.

Dr. Stefan Löbens, Managing Director of the Association of the Building and Raw Materials Industry (Verband der Bau- und Rohstoffindustrie e. V.) for Lower Saxony, spoke about the regional availability and supply of mineral raw materials, as well as their social acceptance. He highlighted that raw material extraction in Germany accounts for a very small proportion of the total land area, and that greater environmental impact is primarily caused by land sealing, as well as agriculture and forestry.

Christoph Arnolf from Mitteldeutsche Baustoffe GmbH provided insights into sustainable approaches in the hard stone industry. Under the guiding principle of „Responsibility between Nature, the Economy, and Society,“ he used his company as an example to show how efforts are being made to harmonise ecological, economic, and social aspects.

In the final panel discussion, all speakers agreed that responsible and sustainable resource management is of central importance. While extraction inevitably goes hand in hand with interventions in the original natural environment, new habitats for plants and animals are simultaneously being created, partly already during the extraction process. Furthermore, it was emphasised how important it is not only to discuss matters at a political level but also to actively inform and involve the general public.

During the event, an intensive and constructive exchange of ideas took place – particularly during the panel discussion. The representatives of the extraction companies and the Geopark ultimately reaffirmed their commitment to continuing the dialogue and jointly developing new public relations strategies to raise societal awareness of the issue from a sustainability perspective in the future.

Photo, from left: Steve Heydecke (Fels Werke GmbH), Christoph Arnolf (Mitteldeutschen Baustoffe GmbH), Dr. Stefan Löbens (Managing Director of the Association of the Construction and Raw Materials Industry for Lower Saxony), Claus-Jürgen Schillmann (Geopark Board Member), Dr. Henning Zellmer (Geopark Office Manager), Dr. Volker Wilde (Geopark Advisory Board Chairman) and Dr. Wilfried Hinrichs (Geoguide and certified Nature and Landscape Guide)