Sustainable development

Bernie Higgins, Tarmac’s first biodiversity officer, recording all the wildlife, flora and fauna at the company’s quarries in Shropshire, England

Tarmac has become the first UK quarrying company to have site-specific Biodiversity Action Plans (BAPs) in place at all of its active quarries.

The company has created individual plans for 120 of its sites as part of its commitment to ensure that biodiversity is embedded into the operation of each quarry.

Tarmac employed independent ecologists to survey the land and establish BAP frameworks for individual quarries. The BAPs detail a range of measures to monitor, manage and, where possible, enhance biodiversity over the lifetime of each quarry and beyond.

They also support existing community engagement activities and help build greater trust and confidence in Tarmac’s operations with a range of stakeholders.

Tarmac has had significant success with a number of its BAPs, most notably the regional plan it introduced for seven sites in Northumberland, which surveyed more than 350 hectares of land.

This has helped put in place robust measures to protect a number of species, as well as enhance important habitats. Tarmac’s BAPs often link in with national and regional BAPs targets.