26th June 2012: CEMEX UK, building materials supplier, and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, cementing their relationship for another five years.
The two organisations have been working in close partnership for the last three years and during that time, with the support of the RSPB, CEMEX has created and managed nature habitats equivalent to an area covered by 21 Olympic stadiums. Last year alone, over 100 hectares were restored.
The partnership has developed and began implementation of an ambitious 10-year Biodiversity Strategy which sets challenging biodiversity targets, including CEMEX UK’s goal to create and maintain 1,000 hectares of priority conservation habitat by 2020.
The Memorandum of Understanding will ensure the continuation of this outstanding work and enhance and deepen the relationship going forward.
CEMEX UK’s President, Jesus Gonzalez “We are delighted that we are continuing our partnership with the RSPB. In the last three years we have made significant progress, their expertise in biodiversity has enabled us to find constructive business solutions to enhance the natural environment surrounding some of our operations.
“Looking forward, their support will help us to continue to manage our sites, both during operations and after, to the highest environmental standard, while making a real difference to the country’s landscape and helping to build a greater Britain.”
RSPB Conservation Director Martin Harper said: “We are committed to increasing the amount of wildlife rich habitat in our countryside, and that is why this partnership is so important to us.
“It is amazing to see a former quarry returned to nature and watch as the birds, wild plants and insects take over. There are some real success stories from this partnership where beautiful nature reserves have been created from spent minerals sites for the benefit of wildlife and local people.
“I think this is a perfect example of charities and business working together for the greater good, and I look forward to many more years of cooperation with CEMEX UK.”
The restoration of the heathland around the sand and gravel operations at CEMEX Rugeley Quarry*, Staffordshire is an outstanding example of the work of the partnership. In 2011 it was the first winner of the Natural England and Mineral Products Association Biodiversity Award and has been restored to a mosaic of different habitats, including heathland scrub, grassland, native woodland and freshwater ponds, providing a home to rare species such as 41 species of mining bees and wasps, woodlarks and nightjar.
The heathland is on the edge of Cannock Chase, an area of lowland heath and part of the Cannock Chase Special Area for Conservation, home to a number of endangered species.
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NOTES TO EDITORS:
- For further information contact Elizabeth Young, Communications t. 01932 583214elizabeth.young@cemex.com. Photograph available throughhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/48719552@N06/
- CEMEX is a global building solutions company and leading supplier of cement, ready-mixed concrete and aggregates. In the UK, CEMEX also produces asphalt, and has a significant share of the concrete-block paving, and concrete block sectors. Additionally, the company is the leading supplier of concrete sleepers to the rail industry and a supplier of PFA cement additives. CEMEX has a national supply network in the UK with over 360 locations, to ensure that quality building materials are available to customers locally. For more information, seehttp://www.CEMEX.co.uk/, www.CEMEX.com
- In 2007, CEMEX signed a global Memorandum of Understanding with Birdlife International. This involves a 10-year partnership for BirdLife's counsel, advice and expertise that will be integrated into the management of over 400 quarry sites operated by CEMEX around the world. The Birdlife International partner in the UK is Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB); and so this complementary relationship is intended to help drive CEMEX’s improvement of its biodiversity management at a more local level.
- *Information on the Rugeley Quarry restoration can be found athttp://www.cemex.co.uk/su/su_Rugeley_Quarry.asp