As part of its ongoing commitment to restoration and biodiversity, Tarmac has begun handing areas of its site at Crown Farm Quarry in Delamere to Cheshire Wildlife Trust.
The event was marked by handing over the keys to a new vehicle to the Trust which plans to transform the site into a new 17 hectare wildlife haven, providing homes for beautiful wildflowers, solitary bees, grassland butterflies and birds, as well as a venue to inspire the next generation about the value of nature.
Kevin Feeney, Living Landscapes Officer and Nature Reserve Manager for Cheshire Wildlife Trust said: “With quarrying now finished on part of the site, Cheshire Wildlife Trust will manage the restored area as Crown Farm Nature Reserve.
“We’ve already seen birds like sand martins and butterflies like the small heath butterfly, the common blue and small coppers start to move back into this area, which is incredibly exciting. For me, it clearly shows the resilience of our wildlife – if we provide bigger, better and more joined up areas for nature, species are able to move back in.”
Tarmac began quarrying the 65-hectare Crown Farm Quarry in 1989. The site, which was previously agricultural farmland, has been quarried over the last three decades for sand to use in the manufacturing of concrete, mortar and asphalt used to maintain and develop our built environment.
Steve Williams, Quarry Manager at Tarmac Crown Farm said: “We are proud of our partnership with Cheshire Wildlife Trust and look forward to working with them in the future to develop the nature reserve.
“We are committed to enhancing the biodiversity of our sites and hope that by working with the trust we will be able to create something special for Delamere.”
Due to the quarry still being operational, the reserve will not be open to the public. However Cheshire Wildlife Trust will be holding events for supporters and delivering education sessions for schools within the new on site Discovery Centre that Tarmac are sponsoring.
For more information about Crown Farm Nature Reserve and the activities held there, please visit: www.cheshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/nature-reserves/Crown-Farm-Nature-Reserve
Image Credit: Staff from Tarmac Crown Farm Quarry handing over the keys to Cheshire Wildlife Trust
