Tarmac working with Cheshire Wildlife Trust

Company handing over areas of Crown Farm Quarry to create new home for wildlife

AS part of their ongoing commitment to restoration and biodiversity, Tarmac have begun handing areas of their 65ha Crown Farm Quarry, in Delamere, to Cheshire Wildlife Trust.

The event was marked by handing over the keys to a new vehicle to the Trust, which plans to transform the site into a new 17ha wildlife haven, providing homes for wildflowers, solitary bees, grassland butterflies and birds, as well as a venue to inspire the next generation about the value of nature.

Kevin Feeney, Living Landscapes officer and nature reserve manager for Cheshire Wildlife Trust, said: ‘With quarrying now finished on part of the site, Cheshire Wildlife Trust will manage the restored area as Crown Farm Nature Reserve.

‘We’ve already seen birds, such as sand martins, and butterflies, such as the small heath butterfly, the common blue and small coppers, start to move back into this area, which is incredibly exciting.

‘For me, it clearly shows the resilience of our wildlife – if we provide bigger, better and more joined-up areas for nature, species are able to move back in.’

Steve Williams, quarry manager at Crown Farm, said: ‘We are proud of our partnership with Cheshire Wildlife Trust and look forward to working with them in the future to develop the nature reserve.

‘We are committed to enhancing the biodiversity of our sites and hope that by working with the trust, we will be able to create something special for Delamere.’

As the quarry is still operational, the reserve will not be open to the public. However, Cheshire Wildlife Trust will be holding events for supporters and delivering education sessions for schools within a new on-site Discovery Centre that Tarmac are sponsoring.