Edentrillick Quarries River Lagan Enhancement

Edentrillick Quarries, Dromore, Co. Down recognised the importance of the River Lagan not only to nature but also to the local angling association and the wider community. Liaising with the Rivers Agency, Inland Fisheries (Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure) and landowners they embarked on an enhancement project to enrich the river habitat by creating spawning beds, nursery areas and deeper pools for larger fish stock in an attempt to boost fish stocks. The improvements to the river landscape have also created riffles and shallow, important areas for wetland plants, insects and birds. Capitalising on the biodiversity potential of the area the company will creative further habitats in their quarry and undertake planting of native trees and shrubs along the river edge to provide a wildlife corridor, this winter.

Edentrillick Quarries Ltd has shown how their constructive actions has benefited a variety of stakeholders specifically the wildlife and puts emphasis on the role and commitment the aggregates sector has in maintaining and enhancing our biodiversity.

Whitemountain Quarries Ltd - Biodiversity Site Management Plans

Species-rich grassland surrounding Whitemountain Quarries Ltd, Coleraine. Common Spotted Orchid.

Whitemountain Quarries Ltd Coleraine, Co. Londonderry demonstrates their commitment to environmental protection, enhancement and promotion of its biodiversity by compiling and implementing a company Biodiversity Management Plan. Their basalt quarry, aggregate processing facilities and bituminous coating plant is surrounded by 9 ha of land, and is a mosaic of grassland, gorse heath, embankments, semi-natural woodland, scrub and hedgerows. The Biodiversity Management Plan, audits the habitat and species present surrounding the quarry, identifies local and national priority habitats and species, and provides a framework to maximise site biodiversity. The principal objective of the plan is to provide the site manager with a clear understanding of how contributions to national and local biodiversity can be achieved through the management of the site and environmental awareness within the company. Whitemountain Quarries Ltd has also formed a partnership with the Conservation Volunteers Northern Ireland (CVNI) a region of the national organisation British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV). The company is working together with CVNI’s experienced conservation staff to help manage their landholdings for the benefit of biodiversity and long term good. The biodiversity plan has also been incorporated into the annual audits aimed at achieving ISO 140001 accreditation.

Whitemountain Quarries Ltd, Blackmountain Quarry Belfast Biodiversity Management Plan nature conservation features are semi-natural acid grassland and heath, scrub woodland and providing ‘natural’ cliff face profile with scree and ledge habitat to provide a habitat for native vegetation and a habitat for cliff nesting birds.

Whitemountain Quarries Ltd provides continued support to the Ulster Wildlife Trust’s Bog Meadows Reserve, West Belfast. Donated materials have been used to create wheelchair access to the bird hide and construction of an artificial sand martin bank.

Interpretation panel on Belfast Hills Active and Disused Quarries.

The Ulster Wildlife Trust invited QPANI to place an interpretive panel at their Slievenacloy Nature Reserve detailing the area’s rich heritage of quarrying. The panels at the Reserve are placed on basalt boulders from Hightown Quarry, Tarmac Ltd.

For more information click here