Shifting Borders, Disturbance, and Temporary Nature: Contested Wildlife in Opencast Lignite Mines in Germany

Abstract

This paper explores the legal and socio-ecological dynamics of lignite mining landscapes, focusing on the borders and extraction frontiers that shape these environments. It conceptualizes disturbance as a socio-ecological process that generates ecotonal dynamics, where nutrient-poor, sparsely vegetated surfaces of opencast mines mirror the ecological features of other habitats, fostering specialized ecosystems. Drawing from border studies, more-than-human geographies, and ethnographic methods, the article examines the paradoxes of lignite mining by analyzing the co-constitutive relationships between human and nonhuman actors. It delves into how environmental disturbance reshapes the mining landscape, emphasizing the fluidity and complexity of borders and frontiers. The analysis transcends the traditional binary of destruction and preservation, revealing how disturbance affects the legal, temporal, spatial, and social dynamics of boundary formation. By engaging with these dynamics, the paper sheds light on the interconnected processes that shape post-mining landscapes and contributes to a deeper understanding of legal and socio-ecological interactions.