France: The slag heaps or 'terrils' of northern France, including the Loos-en-Gohelle terrils that are now recognised as a world heritage site by Unesco, are being transformed for alternative uses like nature trails or heritage sites. At Noeux-les-Mines, there is an artificial ski-slope, according to the BBC.
At the village of Rieulay, the Chevrerie des Terrils, Julien Graf grazes his flock of 40 animals in the biodiverse terril brush. "This is what they call a 'pioneer' environment; an ecosystem in which vegetation is just beginning to re-appear. It's very rare. The goats prevent the terril from being completely taken over by trees and brush. That has happened in a lot of other terrils, where you can no longer see the black soil," said Graf. "Being black, the soil retains the warmth which encourages growth. The vegetation is tough and fibrous and that is perfect for goats. Goats don't like grazing on grass. They prefer shrubs and bushes like we have here."
A few miles to the west, France's most northerly vineyard was established in 2011 on a slag heap. In 2013, it produced 150 bottles and in 2014 it produced 300. Wine-grower Henri Jammet explained that much depends on the age of the slag: "The earlier the terril, the more is likely to grow on it. In the 18th and 19th centuries, they sorted by hand, so a lot of what got chucked aside still contained elements of coal and other minerals. Often the slag continued to combust quietly over the years, which ultimately created a soil which, while not exactly rich, contains fertile elements," said Jammet. "Obviously the soil is poor, but that is good. Vines need to struggle in order to bring out the best in the grape. Our wine is sharp because they don't have the sun up here to reduce the acidity and it's got the proper Chardonnay citrus notes."
