The public vote on this year’s Quarry Life Award is now open
The competition was launched by parent company HeidelbergCement in 2011 to raise the understanding of the biological value of its mining sites both during and after extraction.
This year the six finalists comprise:
Bath Spa University
A project using the quarry complex at Chipping Sodbury to develop best practice for wetland creation in limestone quarries and to form wetland habitat that will be varied, valuable and resilient;
University of South Wales
A study of the biodiversity value of translocated soils in Forest Wood quarry, Pontyclun, South Wales, with a specific focus on micro-organisms, plants and butterflies;
High Batts Nature Reserve
A programme of activities centred on the Pennycroft quarry extension to site at Ripon, designed to engage the community from the start;
University of the West of England
A project evaluating the value of limestone quarries for the endangered European eel using environmental DNA, habitat assessment and knowledge of their ecology;
Tices Meadow Bird Group
The Tice's Meadow biodiversity trail, opening up Tice's Meadow to new visitors and new wildlife;
Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation
Safe homes for sand martins, creating an artificial nesting bank for sand martins at Ketton.
The public vote will end at the close of the research period (September 20, 2018). The most popular projects will be featured on the website, as well as during the different national and international award ceremonies.
However, the public vote will not be taken into account by the jury for final winner selection.