Geseke: Elsa

A) Location

The quarry Elsa is located in the southeast of the urban area of Geseke (district Soest). The quarry is part of the landscape area called „Hellwegbörde“, which is characterizing by huge open landscapes and by expanded agricultural areas. In addition to the expanded arable land, the direct surrounding of the quarry Elsa is characterized by four nature protection areas, a landscape conservation area and two Natura 2000 areas.

B) Overview - Mining and recultivation

1. Permitted mining area of the quarry: 192 ha (2010)
2. Recultivation status: 32 ha (2010)
3. Measures from the recultivation plan:

• Development of scrubs habitats
• Establishment of hedges as linear interconnection elements
• Development of expanded succession areas on raw soil and quarry floor
• Creation of broad cane brake areas around water bodies and wetlands
• Extension or rather renaturation of already existing water bodies

C) Conservation areas

Nature conservation area

• SO-025 Steinbrüche - Auf der Höhe, 30.32 ha (surrounding; southwest)
• SO-036 Steinbruch Kohle IV, 9.92 ha (surrounding, west)
• SO-069 Voelmeder Quellen, 10.6 ha (surrounding; north)
• Quarry Gröne (in process; southwest)

Landscape conservation area

• 04-2.2.1 Bürener Wälder (surrounding; south)

Natura 2000 area

• 4416-302 Eringerfelder Wald und Prövenholz, 398 ha (surrounding; southwest)
• 4415-401 Hellwegbörde, bird protection area, 4841 ha (adjacent: north)