creating environmental improvements through biodiversity

Cementia later went into partnership with Blue Circle PLC (UK). In 1989, Lafarge, the world’s largest building
materials group, acquired Cementia and thus became an equal shareholder with Blue Circle. Lafarge bought
Blue Circle in 2001 to become the largest building materials company in the world and Bamburi Cement
Limited’s principal shareholder.
In 2001, a company assessment concluded that many of the diverse farming activities were not economically
sustainable due to rising costs of production. The original rehabilitation company Baobab Farm was
restructured and some farm activities were outsourced, while others were transferred to the Baobab Trust
and all were moved off site. One of the fish farm was maintained for educational and training demonstration
and some crocodiles remain for their ecological functions in the water system and as a visitor attraction.
The subsidiary company Baobab Farm was renamed Lafarge Eco Systems in 2004. This firm has set new
objectives for the site to further develop capacity building for rehabilitation in order to transfer expertise to
other Lafarge quarries in East Africa. Lafarge Eco Systems is concentrating on the ecological rehabilitation of
quarries as one of its core activities.
Lafarge Eco Systems currently employs 100 people full-time to manage and maintain the rehabilitation
process as well as the different economic, environmental and social activities. The company hires seasonal
labour and indirectly creates jobs by outsourcing key services, including landscape and plantation
maintenance, seedling production, catering and sanitation.
The rehabilitated parks are important landmarks in Kenya and attract over 100,000 visitors a year.
Ecotourism now provides a major economic return for the rehabilitated sites.
Sustainable Aggregates Creating Environmental Improvements through Biodiversity
Current Rehabilitation Work
Today Bamburi operates six quarries in Mombasa, three of which are next to the cement factory and three
of which are 5–30 kilometres away. Five are limestone quarries and one is shale. Rehabilitation is ongoing in
all six quarries.
With the six operating quarries, the cement plant is projected to be in operation until 2050. The total
quarry area is 900 hectares, and so far 200 hectares have been rehabilitated or are under rehabilitation.
Rehabilitation activities are integrated with quarry operations, so that bare, open quarry areas are always
minimal.
Current rehabilitation techniques follow the same principles that were developed in the early years, in
particular the use of Casuarinas to kick-start ecological recovery. The objective is to rehabilitate all the
exhausted quarries to create diverse indigenous coastal habitats including wetlands, forests and grasslands.
The older restored sites display a rich biodiversity of trees, lakes, water canals and wildlife, providing a unique
contrast with the barren areas currently being quarried.
The reclaimed north quarry areas have been developed as the Bamburi Forest Trails. These provide
educational and recreational opportunities for walkers, joggers and cyclists. One of the trails features a
butterfly-breeding house as an additional attraction for visitors. Fuelwood and timber sales, cycle rentals
and catering facilities all provide additional economic returns. Future developments include a series of
waterways interlinking lakes, ponds and wetlands and the further diversification of the forest with indigenous
trees. Eventually each quarry is expected to stand alone as an economically self-sustaining unit through
multipurpose activities.
Roles and Responsibilities
The Bamburi Cement Company started production in 1954 and has grown to become the largest
manufacturing export earner in Kenya. Today, Lafarge is the largest shareholder of the Bamburi Cement
Company. Lafarge’s rehabilitation programmes in East Africa are all managed by Lafarge Eco Systems.
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