Sara Biolchi, Stefano Devoto, Stefano Furlani, Igor Belamarić, Franco Cucchi, Radoslav Dodig, Goran Glamuzina, Jernej Jež, Bogdan Jurkovšek, Tea Kolar-Jurkovšek, Karmen Peternelj, Fabiana Pieri, Luca Zini, Gordana Zwicker Kompar, Irina Žeger Pleše
It is possible that fossils are uncovered while quarrying – which then leads to the question – what to do? Stop quarrying; or save the fossils and continuing with exploitation?
Before starting any major ground works involving shafting in the territory of platy limestone (excavation of major land reclamations, etc.) the competent institutions should be notified and if necessary, they should organize the paleontological monitoring and storage of excavated limestone slabs for reconstruction of authentic local architecture.
In case Slovenia, due to the extremely rich paleontological content, we propose a complete prohibition of excavation and collection of fossils in the area of the Zaleškovje in Kazlje quarries. Limited protection should also apply in the area of Mrtvaški hrib hill between Komen and Škrbina, where the much-increased presence of foreign and domestic collectors of fossils has been observed.
Italian legislation is similar to the Slovenian
Italian legislation is similar to the Slovenian – the only difference lies in the fact that in Slovenia fossils have the status of “valuable natural feature”, whereas in Italy they have the status of “landscape assets” and “publicly unavailable heritage”. The “publicly unavailable heritage” is inalienable and cannot be subjected to private rights except in a manner explicitly prescribed by law.
Actions related to the collecting of minerals and fossils are absolutely prohibited, except with the specific permission granted on the basis of scientific purposes.
In Croatia, minerals or fossils deemed significant owing to their rarity, size, appearance, or owing to their educational and scientific significance, are required to be reported to the Ministry within 8 days. They are protected on site (in situ) wherever possible; if not, then they are protected ex situ.
In Western Herzegovina, a key document dealing with potential impacts on the extraction of platy limestone and questions related to fossils is found in the Environmental Strategy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2008-2018 (Sarajevo, 2008). Many natural heritage sites are protected by tens of laws and/or legal acts.
From the legislative point of view, in Italy there is no distinction between high value fossils, such as fishes, vertebrates, etc., and low value fossils, such as microfossils, etc. Conversely, Slovenian and Croatian laws distinguish between types and the value of fossils. For this reason, it is crucial to make a qualitative assessment of the importance of the paleontological content of platy limestone materials.
In order to preserve the paleontological heritage, the presence of palaeontologists and geologists during exploitation activities is crucial, as they can assist quarry operators in recognizing and evaluating the importance of fossil outcrops.
In future, the exploitation of platy limestone and the preservation of natural heritage should observe and integrate common legislation and common good practices; likewise, similar stones, such as platy limestone materials, should be subject to similar laws and regulations related to natural protection and sustainable exploitation.
