creating environmental improvements through biodiversity

Sustainable Aggregates Creating Environmental Improvements through Biodiversity
with the restoration planning process for biodiversity. Habitats to be created must be locally achievable and
appropriate, and early dialogue with statutory and non-statutory conservation organisations at the preapplication
stage can help to establish this (Hafren Water, 2007). Hafren Water (2007) also highlights the need
for understanding between ecologists and hydrologists, and restoration targets that are both hydrologically
and ecologically meaningful.
Roberts and Buffin (2005) highlights the lack of strategic overview of the role that individual aggregate sites
can play in providing habitats for wildlife, and shows that habitat creation is currently delivered on a siteby-site
basis. A number of the reports reviewed provide potential solutions to this problem. Ryland (2004)
suggests that the ‘new’ (2006) Minerals Local Plan for West Sussex should consider a change in emphasis
on site restoration schemes such that conservation end-use is given preference over agriculture wherever
possible and appropriate; and sets targets for site BAPs for mineral sites in West Sussex, and their regular
audit. This report provides an example of best practice for mineral planning authorities, in providing guidance
to stakeholders on biodiversity considerations for all stages of operation, through a county level Mineral
Sites Working Group. It calls for the principles enshrined in the West Sussex Mineral Sites BAP (Ryland,
2004) to be incorporated into the revised Minerals Local Plan in 2006. Widespread implementation of these
recommendations could significantly improve the quantity and quality of habitat restoration programmes
across the UK. Worcestershire County Council recommends a focus on ‘ecological natural areas’ where
aggregate extraction is concentrated in the county. The report describes a number of sites that will be
turned to agriculture and / or landfill, but that could have made a considerable contribution to biodiversity in
Worcestershire (including creation of rare habitats such as acid grassland or heathland).
The importance of early monitoring
Successful restoration schemes are dependent on sufficient early monitoring to establish baseline levels
and understand factors such as existing biodiversity interest, hydrogeology and hydrology. Pre-planning
baseline ecological assessments of all proposed mineral sites help does guide restoration programmes,
future management and any mitigation (Clayton et al. 2004, Ryland, 2004). Monitoring of hydrogeology and
hydrology ,and potential impacts both on-site and off-site, is essential in determining potential for habitat
damage (Capita Symonds, in progress). With sufficient monitoring, many potential adverse impacts can
be successfully mitigated against. For example, quarry discharge management was shown to limit impacts
on the ecology of receiving watercourses within the Mendip Hills area (Hobden et al., 2005). Numerous
organisations and individuals may hold useful baseline data, so a collaborative approach would yield greater
information in many cases. For example, operators often hold long-term monitoring data that may be useful
in managing local water courses (Hobden et al., 2005). The importance of early site-based monitoring is of
particular importance in establishing any changes in risk of bird strike in air-safeguarding areas (Walls and
Brown, 2004).
3.2 MANAGING SITES DURING EXTRACTION (BOTH NON-
OPERATIONAL AND ACTIVE AREAS)
The value of a spatial and temporal approach to site management
A number of reports discuss the value of quarries, as well as surrounding areas, over the quarry’s operational
life cycle. Parker et al. (2004) looks at how best to maximise habitat opportunities on restored and nonoperational
land. This illustrates the importance of taking both a temporal and a spatial approach to
management of habitats on mineral sites - areas that have yet to be worked, those that will never be worked,
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