MPA Restoration Awards and Natural England Biodiversity Awards 2011
The UK’s mineral products industry has a big opportunity to build on its proven land restoration legacy and take full advantage of its unique potential to help halt the worrying decline in UK biodiversity.
This important event celebrated achievement, charted the way forward and shared best practice through the MPA Restoration Awards and Natural England Biodiversity Awards. The event took place on the afternoon of Wednesday 19 October at The Royal Society, London.
MPA members represent around 90% of the entire mineral products industry and manage or control an area of land equivalent to a National Park. This includes at least two National Nature Reserves, 22 local nature reserves, 15 field study and education centres and 13 nature trails, with more planned. The RSPB estimates that the industry could, on its own, deliver UK biodiversity targets for nine out of 11 priority habitats. The potential is substantial and the mineral products industry is uniquely placed to help Government achieve its biodiversity targets.
Further industry figures which were stressed at the event are:
- The industry is leading the way in restoring the population of the previously declining bittern by “hosting” 15 per cent of the UK’s breeding pairs in reed beds created following quarrying
- Operators are now routinely creating, and committing to long-term management of threatened habitats, making a significant contribution to delivering national and local biodiversity action plan targets. Examples include:
- Lowland heathland - home to rare and threatened species like the nightjar, smooth snake and sand lizard.
- Reed beds – home to bitterns, water voles, marsh harriers and Desmoulin’s whorl snail.
- Lowland acid grassland – home to stone curlews and field crickets.
- Ponds – home to a wide range of invertebrates, and amphibians such as natterjack toads and great crested newts.
- MPA members have planted a million trees in the last five years as part of their planned operational and restoration activities. This is a significant achievement and mirrors the Government’s own aspirations for the next four to five years.
- MPA members have planted 57 km (36 miles) of hedgerows in the last five years.
- MPA members have built 21 km (13 miles) of dry stone walls in the last five years (2006-2010).
- MPA members are also putting in place monitoring and reporting procedures to better measure what is being achieved.
- The marine aggregate sector is leading other marine industries with its pioneering biodiversity work around the UK coastline.
Videos from the event are available below:
MPA Restoration Awards Winners
Site |
Operator |
Partners |
Location |
Award |
Bellmoor/Lound Estate |
Tarmac Ltd |
Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust |
Nottinghamshire |
Winner of the
Cooper-Heyman Cup |
Dirtlow Rake Quarry |
Lafarge Cement UK |
J&JB Dalton |
Derbyshire |
Runner up |
Eversley Sports Association Playing Field |
CEMEX UK |
Eversley Sports Association |
Hampshire |
Commended |
Leech Pit Wood |
Lafarge Aggregates Ltd |
Michael & Charles Sayer |
Norfolk |
Commended |
Middleton Hall Quarry |
Hanson UK |
Aston Villa Football Club |
Staffordshire |
Commended |
Park Lodge Quarry |
Brett Group |
n/a |
Buckinghamshire |
Commended |
Stafford Farm, West Knighton Quarry |
Hanson UK |
n/a |
Dorset |
Commended |
Natural England Biodiversity Awards Winners
Site |
Operator |
Partners |
Location |
Award |
Bardon Hill Quarry |
Aggregate Industries |
Leicestershire Wildlife Trust, Natural England,
British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) |
Leicestershire |
Commended |
Blackhill Quarry |
Aggregate Industries |
RSPB |
Devon |
Highly commended |
Croft Quarry |
Leicestershire |
Leicestershire Wildlife Trust, Natural England,
British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) |
Aggregate
Industries |
Commended |
Eskett Quarry |
Aggregate Industries |
Butterfly Conservation & Cumbria Wildlife Trust |
Cumbria |
Commended |
Kings Dyke Nature Reserve |
Hanson UK |
n/a |
Peterborough |
Runner up |
Little Paxton Quarry |
Aggregate Industries |
Friends of Litte Paxton Pits |
Cambridgeshire |
Highly commended |
Marfield Wetlands |
Lafarge Aggregates & Concrete UK |
Lafarge Aggregates & Concrete UK |
North Yorkshire |
Commended |
Messingham Sand Quarry Nature Reserrve |
Sibelco UK Ltd |
n/a |
North Lincolnshire |
MPA Award for SME
Company Commitment to
Biodiversity and
Nature Conservation
and Commended |
Ripon Quarry |
Hanson UK |
n/a |
North Yorkshire |
Commended |
Rugeley – Restored Heathland and Bevin’s Birches SSSI |
CEMEX UK |
RSPB |
Staffordshire |
Winner of the
Natural England
Biodiversity Award 2011 |
Rushy Common at Gill Mill Quarry |
Smith & Sons (
Bletchington) Ltd |
n/a |
Oxfordshire |
MPA Award for SME
Company Commitment to
Biodiversity and
Nature Conservation
and Commended |
Southam Quarry |
CEMEX UK |
Butterfly Conservation (Warwickshire) |
Warwickshire |
Commended |
Stainton Quarry |
Marshalls Plc |
n/a |
South Yorkshire |
MPA Award for SME
Company Commitment to
Biodiversity and
Nature Conservation
and Commended |
Villa Quarry |
Brett Group |
Essex Wildlife Trust & Cockaynes Wood Trust |
Essex |
MPA Award for SME
Company Commitment to
Biodiversity and
Nature Conservation
and Highly commended |
Woodbridge Quarry |
Tarmac Ltd |
Northumberland County Council
& Northumberland Wildlife Trust |
Northumberland |
Highly commended |
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