The ecological restoration of Ramco Cements’ limestone mine at Pandalgudi in Virudhunagar district, Tamil Nadu, has received Advanced Certification from The Global Biodiversity Standard (TGBS). The Pandalgudi site is the first location in Peninsular India to receive the certification. It joins a group of biodiversity restoration projects recognised by TGBS in different parts of the world, including projects associated with the Jane Goodall Institute and Ecosia in Uganda and Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden in Hong Kong.
TGBS is an independent biodiversity assurance standard that assesses restoration projects based on ecological science and local expertise. The standard is recognised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and is supported by more than 250 scientists and academics.
The Pandalgudi restoration covers more than 500 acres of worked-out mining area, of which a 234-acre site has been assessed and certified. The restoration programme began in 2018 with technical support from Auroville Botanical Gardens. The first plantations were established at the end of 2019 and work is expected to continue through 2027.
More than 430,000 native trees and shrubs representing 150 species of ecological importance to the region have been planted at the site. The restoration has also resulted in the return and recording of wildlife, with more than 72 bird species and 53 butterfly species documented since the project began.
The site was previously a barren mine with limited biodiversity. Ramco Cements estimates that the restored area has captured around 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide over the past seven years. The restored area was officially opened in 2022 by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Since then, it has received more than 13,000 visitors through educational programmes for local schools and colleges and training programmes for institutions at the state and national levels.
The restoration project has also contributed to wider environmental planning in the region. It provided inputs and support for the Rajapalayam Masterplan and the subsequent inclusion of Rajapalayam among four towns in Tamil Nadu placed on a fast-track programme towards carbon neutrality by 2041.
PR Venketrama Raja, Chairman of the Ramco Group, said, “The Ramco Group is committed to supporting a wide range of initiatives that advance the country’s transition to a sustainable and carbon-neutral future. We hope that the work completed here in Pandalgudi will serve as an inspiration and a blueprint for the entire mining industry of the country.”
Dr David Bartholomew, CEO, The Global Biodiversity Standard, said the project demonstrated the importance of independent assessment of biodiversity outcomes and long-term restoration work. He noted that Ramco Cements and Auroville Botanical Gardens had worked to restore the mine into a recovering native ecosystem.
TGBS assesses biodiversity outcomes in nature-based restoration projects and programmes and provides site-based assessments of ecological performance. Its certification system includes several levels, with Advanced Certification recognising sites that demonstrate strong biodiversity outcomes.
