Biodiversity

Each of our quarries is proof that biodiversity and quarrying can happily exist side by side.

Rescuing a rarity
A collaboration between Plantlife and Huntsmans has resulted in the welcome return of the extremely rare Cotswold Pennycress. The wild flower thrives on the limestone that runs across the region and was once commonly found growing on the bare sides of quarries. However, since traditional quarrying practices have declined or ceased altogether, populations of the flower plummeted by 70 per cent.

At Huntsmans Quarry, the remaining plants were carefully transplanted in 2004 onto an area of the quarry with a more favourable aspect. After a nervous six months, members of Plantlife’s conservation team audited the entire quarry and, to their delight, estimated overall abundance to be about 1,000 plants. Such has been the success of the project that it was showcased in the UK quarrying industry’s annual “Oscars” as an example of outstanding land management practice.