Encouraging insect biodiversity through the effective management of grazing regimes; the identification of six ancient ground-flora species in woodlands; and canes that simulate reed beds to enhance lake biodiversity and potentially improve water quality – these are just some of the winning projects in the second edition of HeidelbergCement’s Quarry Life Awards (QLA).
Quarries and gravel pits can be home to a vast range of flora and fauna. Through the QLA competition, which it established in 2012, Heidelberg aims to increase knowledge and awareness of biodiversity in quarries and develop new ways to promote that diversity.
HeidelbergCement is one of the world’s largest building materials companies, extracting minerals at more than 1,000 quarries in over 40 countries. Making a positive contribution to biodiversity is one of the company’s sustainability pillars.
The biannual QLA awards help Heidelberg achieve this by inviting students and academics to propose scientific research projects that provide new insights into the promotion of species diversity in quarries during and after extraction.
The information is used to improve biodiversity in the company’s sites. For example, in Germany the Elster-Kies site will create numerous small ponds for amphibian spawning grounds, as these were found to be more effective than one large lake.
In the UK, where the company operates under the Hanson UK banner, rotation grazing has been introduced at Needingworth, a Cambridgeshire sand and gravel quarry, after a winning QLA study concluded that setting aside un-grazed areas enhances insect food sources for birds.
The project also benefits the people and organisations taking part. In Ghana a study used African night crawler worms to recycle organic food waste into vermicompost directly on highly degraded mine laterite. As well as restoring soil quality the project taught local farmers how to compost, helping them increase yield while reducing expensive fertilisers.
