Dendroremediation: A sustainable nature-based solution for management of abandoned mining sites and brownfields

Abstract

This review explores the potential of dendroremediation, a tree-based phytoremediation technique, as a sustainable solution for managing degraded lands (including abandoned mining sites and brownfields). Mining and industrialization are realities of the present capitalistic economy, and continue to proliferate, due to ever-increasing demand and non-judicious consumption. However, these facilities are also subjected to abandonment due to decommissioning or public activism for closure, particularly as urban expansion brings them close to, or even within, densely populated cities. The use of biological and nature-based systems to manage the peril of such polluted fields has emerged as a key option to prevent the menace of pollution. Dendroremediation, as a biotechnological solution that relies on trees for environmental remediation, can help mitigate the impacts of climate change and reduce concerns about greenwashing through its transparent and demonstrable use of natural processes. This review summarises that dendroremediation is a viable alternative remediation method that not only helps manage degraded land (mining sites and brownfields) but also offers aesthetic improvements in urban and suburban built environments, attracting biodiversity, and restoring environmental sustainability. The fundamentals, historical advances, and application potential related to dendroremediation are described. It also highlights the importance of cautious considerations pertaining to the implications and impacts of dendroremediation on environmental, economic, and social factors. Furthermore, the challenges and obstacles to a successful dendroremediation campaign are also identified in the context of Global North and South. This promising approach presents an avenue for creating a healthier, resilient, and aesthetically pleasing built environment for places affected by past industrial activities