Broom Quarry wins Cooper-Heyman Cup

“I’m hugely proud of the work we and our partners do to manage biodiversity and deliver important restoration across our quarries, which is why I’m delighted that we’ve being recognised in this way.”

Martin Riley, senior vice president

Tarmac’s Broom Quarry was named joint winner of the prestigious Cooper-Heyman Cup at the Mineral Products Association (MPA) Quarries and Nature 2019 prize giving ceremony, which bi-annually recognises achievement in restoration and biodiversity.

The judges described the site as a “massive transformation” from what was originally “typical, uninteresting, agricultural land.”

The 172-hectare former quarry has been progressively restored over many years into wildflower meadows, wetlands, woodland and farmland featuring public access, with 10 kilometres of pathways created, and some of the lakes that were restored are now used for fishing.

Part of the site, which is known as Broom East Wildlife Conservation Site, is home to 117 different types of bird species, including Little Ringed Plovers, Lapwings, Redshank and Grey Partridges.

The site, which was designated a County Wildlife Site in 2017, has a rich variety of flora with 48 different species recorded in its meadows.

We have further plans to enhance the diversity of the site over the coming years, which will be helped by the grazing from local Dexter cattle.

Enrique Morán Montero, restoration manager said, “This award is a great reflection of the diverse range of habitats that we restore and manage. We are committed to sustainable land stewardship and to leaving a lasting legacy for wildlife and future generations. We’re delighted that the site has now been developed as an educational and recreational resource for the benefit of the local community to enjoy and hope that people from the community will continue to visit the site.”