Tarmac, the UK’s leading sustainable building materials and construction solutions company has won a string of awards at the annual Mineral Products Association (MPA) Quarries and Nature prize giving ceremony.
The awards, which recognise achievement in restoration and biodiversity, are given to a range of industry and partner organisations to celebrate best practice.
Tarmac was named joint winner of the Cooper-Heyman Cup for its outstanding restoration of former sand and gravel quarry, Broom quarry in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire.
Broom quarry was described by judges as a “massive transformation” of what was originally “typical, uninteresting, agricultural land.” The quarry has now been restored to wildflower meadows, wetlands, woodland and farmland featuring public access.
A special innovation award was also given for the trialling and evaluation of a project called Defra Biodiversity 2.0m, which in collaboration with Cranfield University, focuses on sand and gravel quarries. The results of this project have contributed to the greater understanding of the positive impact habitat creation carried out by mineral companies and their partners have on the environment.
Meanwhile, Vaughan Gray, a foreman from Halecombe Quarry in Somerset, received an individual biodiversity contribution award. The special award celebrates Vaughan’s 27-year career at the company and was given to him for his “remarkable enthusiasm and commitment to biodiversity and the local community.” One example of his contribution to the community was for his volunteering with Leigh-on-Mendip First School, something he has done for almost three decades.
Tarmac was also commended for the restoration of Loudounhill quarry in Ayrshire and planned restoration at Dolyhir Quarry in Presteigne.
David Park, Tarmac’s national restoration manager, said: “These awards are a great reflection of the diverse range of habitats that we restore and manage. We are committed to sustainable land stewardship and to leaving a lasting legacy for wildlife and future generations.”
The Quarries and Nature 2019 awards ceremony, which attracted more than 70 leading environmental and conservation organisations and operators, was held on Wednesday 23 October at The Royal Society in London.
