A quarry is not usually a place that you expect to see dormice or indeed much in the way of wildlife. Lloyds Quarry, in Fron Haul, near Nannerch is a little different to your average quarry and in recognition of this is the first site in Wales to be awarded the Wildlife Trusts coveted Biodiversity Benchmark certification.
The certificate is testimony to the quality of land management for wildlife and demonstrates that wildlife and economic activity can go hand-in-glove.
Marshalls, which own Lloyds Quarry, have been working hard with North Wales Wildlife Trust (NWWT) to ensure its quarrying activity does not disturb the wildlife. It has also involved local residents and the Wildlife Trust in the certification process and ongoing management planning, including for the eventual restoration of the site once quarrying is complete
Kate Gibbs, Chair of NWWT, said “This is really quite an achievement for any organisation. Wildlife is important to us all and often industry is associated with the negatives when it comes to wildlife. We are delighted that Marshalls has shown how businesses and wildlife can work well together.”
John Bonar, Quarry Manager, said “We really appreciate wildlife at our site and we want to make sure we limit any harm to the local environment. Last summer I noticed that there were sand martins in one of the areas we were about to stock pile. We called a halt to the works until the September to allow the young to fledge and leave.
This award means so much to all the staff here. We love the involvement we have had with the Wildlife Trust and it has really inspired us all to get more involved with wildlife volunteering.”
Staff at Lloyds Quarry have collected some excellent wildlife records over the years which have helped build a picture of fauna present at the quarry. Working with partners including the North Wales Wildlife Trust and its local Denbigh branch, Marshalls is now looking to expand their knowledge of flora and fauna with further survey work.
