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MPA's National Nature Park

The mineral products industry has a long legacy of high quality restoration and is uniquely placed to protect and enhance UK biodiversity, including rare and threatened species.

Nature conservation and the development of public spaces are high on the industry’s agenda. In this section, the Mineral Products Association has devised a new map which highlights MPA’s National Nature Park - former quarries and other former industrial locations returned to nature and with public access, which are now considered of special interest to nature conservationists and members of the public.

The map is evolving all the time and, it’s hoped, will be expanded in future to embrace more key sites around the country, especially those easily accessible to walkers, ramblers and other members of the public. We hope you will find MPA’s National Nature Park of interest too. An area of priority habitats the equivalent of at least five 'Richmond Parks' has been created on minerals sites, with this set to double as currently worked sites are restored.

The Wildlife Trusts also provide information on a number of former quarries that are worth visiting. Places where you can pick your way through a moonscape of rocks and spoil heaps and find some amazing wildlife - view the sites.