Key Takeaways
- • Bardon Aggregates, part of Aggregate Industries, has received the first Scottish Biodiversity Benchmark certification from The Wildlife Trusts for its Duntilland and Powmyre quarry operations, recognizing sustained commitment to wildlife habitat creation and improvement.
- • Duntilland Quarry—a 165-hectare hard rock extraction site adjacent to the M8 in North Lanarkshire—achieved the award through implementation of an exacting Biodiversity Action Plan that includes staff monitoring of bird behavior around rock faces and long-term wildlife value management.
- • Powmyre Quarry, a 97-hectare sand and gravel operation in Angus (operational since 2007), earned certification by providing habitats for UK Biodiversity Action Plan species including brown hares and enhancing critical wet woodland ecosystems.
- • The Biodiversity Benchmark is a rigorously audited certification scheme designed to allow businesses to demonstrate measurable impact on natural biodiversity and develop enhanced wildlife protection protocols across their land holdings.
- • Jonathan Hughes, Director of Conservation for the Scottish Wildlife Trust, stated that Bardon Aggregates' achievement "blazes a trail for other companies in Scotland to follow," positioning the quarrying operator as a sector leader in environmental stewardship.
Summary
Bardon Aggregates, a subsidiary of Aggregate Industries, has achieved a significant environmental milestone by securing the first Scottish Biodiversity Benchmark award from The Wildlife Trusts for operations at its Duntilland and Powmyre quarry sites. This certification recognizes the company's sustained commitment to creating and improving wildlife habitats within and around active mineral extraction operations—a notable achievement within Scotland's aggregates sector.
Duntilland Quarry, the company's flagship 165-hectare hard rock extraction site located adjacent to the M8 corridor in North Lanarkshire, has been managed with sensitivity to wildlife over the past decade. To achieve the Biodiversity Benchmark certification, site staff and management implemented a rigorous Biodiversity Action Plan governing quarry operations and habitat management. The operational framework includes systematic monitoring and reporting on bird populations around rock faces, with documented tracking of behavioral changes to inform ongoing management decisions. This structured approach demonstrates that active quarrying operations can be managed to improve long-term wildlife value rather than merely minimize environmental impact.
Powmyre Quarry, a 97-hectare sand and gravel operation located in Angus on the Strathmore estate at Glamis, earned parallel certification despite being a more recent operation (opened in 2007). The site has successfully developed habitats supporting UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority species, including brown hares, and has enhanced critical wet woodland ecosystems. The dual-site certification underscores Bardon Aggregates' systematic approach to biodiversity integration across operations with different extraction profiles and operational timelines.
The Biodiversity Benchmark scheme functions as a rigorously audited certification framework enabling extractive and land management businesses to assess their natural world impact and develop enhanced wildlife protection practices. According to Jonathan Hughes, Director of Conservation for the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Bardon Aggregates' achievement represents a sectoral leadership position, with the company establishing a replicable model for other Scottish operators. The certification carries strategic implications for the aggregates industry, demonstrating that compliance with environmental stewardship benchmarks can be achieved without compromising operational efficiency at scale.
Duntilland Quarry, the company's flagship 165-hectare hard rock extraction site located adjacent to the M8 corridor in North Lanarkshire, has been managed with sensitivity to wildlife over the past decade. To achieve the Biodiversity Benchmark certification, site staff and management implemented a rigorous Biodiversity Action Plan governing quarry operations and habitat management. The operational framework includes systematic monitoring and reporting on bird populations around rock faces, with documented tracking of behavioral changes to inform ongoing management decisions. This structured approach demonstrates that active quarrying operations can be managed to improve long-term wildlife value rather than merely minimize environmental impact.
Powmyre Quarry, a 97-hectare sand and gravel operation located in Angus on the Strathmore estate at Glamis, earned parallel certification despite being a more recent operation (opened in 2007). The site has successfully developed habitats supporting UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority species, including brown hares, and has enhanced critical wet woodland ecosystems. The dual-site certification underscores Bardon Aggregates' systematic approach to biodiversity integration across operations with different extraction profiles and operational timelines.
The Biodiversity Benchmark scheme functions as a rigorously audited certification framework enabling extractive and land management businesses to assess their natural world impact and develop enhanced wildlife protection practices. According to Jonathan Hughes, Director of Conservation for the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Bardon Aggregates' achievement represents a sectoral leadership position, with the company establishing a replicable model for other Scottish operators. The certification carries strategic implications for the aggregates industry, demonstrating that compliance with environmental stewardship benchmarks can be achieved without compromising operational efficiency at scale.
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